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Performance Management Reform in Macao 529

25.6.2 Employee Performance Assessment

The Macao government revamped its employee performance assessment system in 1995. Prior to that, employee performance was assessed on 11 criteria: (1) quality of work, (2) quantity of work,

(3)self-improvement, (4) sense of responsibility, (5) collegiality, (6) absenteeism and timeliness, (7) pro-activeness and creativity, (8) storage of materials (if applicable), (9) attention to safety (if applicable), (10) public relations (if applicable), and (11) leadership ability (if applicable). Assessment results fall into four categories: “excellent,” “good,” “average,” and “poor.” The assessment scheme was not applicable to the chief executive, executives and managers, and officers in the chief executive’s office and secretariats. An employee rated “poor” would have their contracts terminated if they were hired under provisional appointment, non-staff contract, or salaried contract; while those in other categories would be disciplined. For those with an “average” rating, provisional appointments would be terminated, and non-staff contracts and salaried contracts would not be renewed, while those in other employment categories would have a year of seniority deducted (Chen, 2007: 36).

The punishments for an “average” or “poor” performance were quite harsh. Since “average” employees were also disciplined, this rating category was not accurately named. Harsh punishment, however, did not lead to better performance, because, in practice, assessors became lenient, consequently undermining the purpose of the assessment. As a result, civil servants were criticized by legislators and scholars for covering up poor performance44 and giving out “good” or “excellent” ratings as a norm. The system was also criticized for the following problems: (1) too few rating categories for distinguishing true excellence, (2) lacking sufficient quantifiable criteria, (3) assessment process over-controlled by immediate superiors, (4) assessment results not indicative of actual performance, (5) lacking reward schemes to motivate employees, and (6) lacking sufficient communication between employees and assessors. These problems led to small-group politics, favor trading between superiors and subordinates, and a passive attitude (Chen, 2007: 37–38), resulting in the unhealthy organizational culture mentioned earlier.

In January 2005, a new employee performance assessment scheme was launched in accordance with Law no. 8/2004 (Lei no. 8/2004) and Administrative Regulation no. 31/2004 (Regulamento Administrativo no. 31/2004). The new system aims at solving some of the problems and addresses individual as well as organizational concerns. As stated in Article 2 of Law no. 8/2004, the new system’s objectives are to (1) motivate employees, (2) improve employee performance, (3) enhance communication between superiors and subordinates, (4) improve the consolidated management of human resources, and (6) promote service excellence.

Chapter 1 Article 5 of Administrative Regulation no. 31/2004 states the assessment criteria under the new system, which consist of (1) work effectiveness, (2) sense of responsibility, (3) continuous improvement, (4) adaptability and flexibility, (5) collegiality, (6) industriousness, and (7) time management. This article of the law specifies an additional set of criteria, consisting of (1) attitude for taking initiatives, (2) creativity and the ability for reform, (3) resources management,

(4)team work, (5) public relations, (6) team management and leadership, (7) coordinating interested parties to make complex decisions, and (8) sense of mission. Article 7 stipulates that, among the two sets of criteria, “work effectives” and “sense of responsibility” are to be given twice the weight of other criteria. Among the above, adaptability and flexibility, time management, team work, coordinating interested parties to make complex decisions, and sense of mission are new criteria.

44See Macau Daily News, April 5, 2002, p. A6 and Journal Va Kio, August 4, 2000, p. 4.

©2011 by Taylor and Francis Group, LLC

530 Public Administration in Southeast Asia

Article 4 of Law no. 8/2004 stipulates five rating categories: “excellent,” “very satisfactory,” “satisfactory,” “slightly dissatisfactory,” and “dissatisfactory.” Article 8 maps the old ratings to the new ones and stipulates that “very satisfactory” in the new system equals “excellent” in the old system, “satisfactory” equals “good,” “slightly dissatisfactory” equals “average,” and “dissatisfied” equals “poor.” The changes open up a new top category for recognizing exemplary employees. In May 2007, the government passed Administrative Regulation no. 11/2007, which rewards employees obtaining the “excellent” rating with a performance excellence certificate and either a 10-day paid vacation or prize money equivalent to half a month of pay. The old category “average” is now appropriately named “slightly dissatisfactory.”

Article 5 of Law no. 8/2004 stipulates the performance consequences. Those receiving the “excellent” or “very satisfactory” ratings will have their contract renewed. Those rated “slightly dissatisfactory” will have to go through a performance improvement process, including retraining, job redefinition or job reallocation, and potential internal transfer or transfer out. Those rated “dissatisfactory,” disregarding contract type, will be investigated and those creating difficulties during the investigation will be terminated for pre-emptive reasons. Hence, the new system emphasizes constructive disciplinary actions, such as training, reassignment, and job redesign. This is certainly a move in the right direction, since performance assessment should be a feedback process to help employees improve. In addition, the new system is more equitable as the disciplinary actions are the same regardless of contract types.

As far as promotion is concerned, not much has been changed. Those with 3 years of “satisfactory” rating or above, or 2 years of “very satisfactory” or above, would receive a promotion in level. Rank promotion requires ratings in all years to be at least “satisfactory” (Articles 10 and 11 of Decree 86/89/M; Chen, 2007: 36, 48–49). There are, however, major changes in the assessment process. Chapter 4 Article 12 of Administrative Regulation no. 31/2004 stipulates a five-step process:

(1) appointing assessors, (2) meeting of assessors, (3) assessment meeting, (4) optional self-assess- ment, and (5) determining final rating. The meeting of assessors serves the purpose of ensuring all assessors have the same understanding of the assessment system and process, as well as limiting the liberty that individual supervisors have in interpreting system details. Article 15 requires that the meeting is held in the presence of an independent assessment consultation committee. This adds an additional monitoring process to ensure fairness and avoids further potential system abuses.

An independent assessment consultation committee (Comissão Paritária independente e autónoma), in accordance with Chapter 1 Article 2 of Administrative Regulation no. 31/2004, must be set up in every government department with equal representation from management and workers to ensure objectivity, fairness, impartiality, and adequate privacy protection. Article 4 ensures privacy protection in the assessment process, in particular with reference to the proper conduct expected of the personnel involved in performance assessment. Although the assessors are very often the immediate supervisors of the assessed, Chapter 3 Article 13 allows an assessor to be someone other than the immediate supervisor.

Chapter 3 Article 16 of the administrative regulation requires three meetings a year between the assessor and the accessed. The first meeting is to be held at the beginning of the assessment period for clarifying and setting the performance objectives of the employees, planning the work to be done by the employee in the assessment period, setting performance targets and expected results, and confirming assessment criteria. The second meeting is to be held midyear for clarifying any ambiguity about the priority of the objectives, reviewing progress, and making adjustments if necessary. A final meeting is required at year end for finalizing the assessment and giving performance ratings. This arrangement aims at improving communication between the assessors and the assessed, and helping the assessed to improve.

© 2011 by Taylor and Francis Group, LLC

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