Quality of human resource (HR) planning

An HR analysis for the public service exists and has comprehensive data on staff characteristics

Review of the most recent analysis of HR in the public service of the central government administration produced by the relevant public service authority or central co-ordination unit. The analysis must refer at least to the situation in the last full calendar year. If there is no such analysis, or it refers to an earlier period without encompassing the last full calendar year, 0 points are awarded. At a minimum, the analysis must encompass data on the characteristics of the public servants working in the central government administration, including gender, age, professional category and level, full-time or part-time work, and professional qualification. The data must be available for each individual public administration body. If there is evidence that data is not complete, i.e., it does not encompass all central government public administration bodies or some public servants working in them, 0 points are awarded.

The HR analysis includes medium-term needs and gaps regarding the numbers and structure of staff

Review of the most recent analysis of HR in the public service of the central government administration produced by the relevant public service authority or central co-ordination unit. The analysis must refer at least to the situation in the last full calendar year (year T). If there is no such analysis, or it refers to an earlier period without encompassing the last full calendar year, 0 points are awarded. For the assessment of criterion 2, “medium-term” must involve at least a period of two years (T+2) ahead of the last full calendar year (T). If the analysis refers only to immediate needs and gaps for the year ahead of the year in which the analysis is produced (T+1), or there is no analysis of staff needs and gaps, 0 points are awarded. The analysis must include at least: a) data on the number and structure (at least the professional category) of the staff in year T; b) the foreseen attrition of the staff in years T+1 and T+2 by professional category considering at least planned retirements; c) the needs in terms of the number and structure of staff for T+1 and T+2 (needs for reduction and increases foreseen), e.g., considering government or organisation strategic priorities, impact of digitalisation, operational day-to-day functioning, etc.; d) the difference (gap) between (b) and (c).

The HR analysis includes medium-term needs and gaps regarding skills and competences

Review of the most recent analysis of HR in the public service of the central government administration produced by the relevant public service authority or central co-ordination unit. The analysis must refer at least to the situation in the last full calendar year (year T). If there is no such analysis, or it refers to an earlier period without encompassing the last full calendar year, 0 points are awarded. For the assessment of criterion 3, “medium-term” must involve at least a period of two years (T+2) ahead of the last full calendar year (T). If the analysis refers only to immediate needs and gaps for the year ahead of the year in which the analysis is produced (T+1), or there is no analysis of staff needs and gaps, 0 points are awarded. The medium-term analysis must include at least: a) data on staff technical qualifications and skills in year T; b) the foreseen attrition in staff technical qualifications and skills in years T+1 and T+2 considering at least planned retirements; c) the needs in terms of the staff technical qualifications and skills for T+1 and T+2 (needs for reduction and increases foreseen), e.g., considering government or organisation strategic priorities, impact of digitalisation, operational day-to-day functioning; d) the difference (gap) between (b) and (c).

An annual HR plan exists for the public service

Review of the HR plan for the public service of the central government administration produced by the relevant public service authority or central co-ordination unit, which is valid on the date of the assessment. If an HR plan does not exist, or it refers to an earlier period without encompassing the current year, or it does not encompass the public service in the central government administration, 0 points are awarded.

A multi-annual HR plan exists for the public service

Review of the HR plan for the public service of the central government administration produced by the relevant public service authority or central co-ordination unit, which is valid on the date of the assessment. If an HR plan does not exist, or it refers to an earlier period without encompassing the current year, or it does not encompass the public service in the central government administration, 0 points are awarded. The analysis must determine whether there is a multi-annual HR plan including at least the following elements: objectives to meet staff needs (headcount and/or skills), and HR-related activities to achieve them, such as recruitment, horizontal or vertical mobility, or professional development.

The HR plan includes maximum thresholds for the total number of staff and staff costs aligned with the budget

review of the HR plan for the public service of the central government administration produced by the relevant public service authority or central co-ordination unit, which is valid on the date of the assessment. If an HR plan does not exist, or it refers to an earlier period without encompassing the current year, or it does not encompass the public service in the central government administration, 0 points are awarded. The analysis must determine whether the HR plan includes information on maximum thresholds for the total number of staff and staff costs, aggregated for the central government administration, and by individual institutions, aligned with the annual budget, for annual HR plans, and with the Medium-Term Budget Framework, for multi-annual plans. If the HR plan does not contain this information, 0 points are awarded.

Public administration bodies can launch recruitment procedures based on the approved HR plan without additional administrative burden

Review of legislation (primary or secondary) regulating the implementation of the HR plan. If an HR plan for the central government administration does not exist in legislation, 0 points are awarded.

Compliance of the implemented public service HR plan with maximum thresholds for the total number of staff and staff costs in the budget

Review of the report on the implementation of the HR plan in the last full calendar year in the central government administration. The analysis must determine whether the report includes information on the total staff costs implemented and the total number of staff employed in the public service in the central government administration at the end of the last full calendar year, and whether these numbers and costs respected the maximum thresholds established in the budget for the same period. If the report does not contain this information, or the information shows that the thresholds were not respected, 0 points are awarded. If the budget envelope for staff costs of the public service in the central government administration was amended during the year, the amended thresholds are considered for the analysis.