Guide on Staff Relations What is Staff Relations ? 4 Contents Why is it Important ? 5 How to Promote Good Staff Relations ? 6 Communication 7 I. Consultative Machinery II. Staff Complaints Procedures III. Staff Suggestions Scheme IV. Civil Service Newsletter V. Other Communication Channels Staff Well-being 10 I. Holiday Homes II. Staff Welfare Fund III. Retirement Souvenir Scheme IV. Pre-retirement Seminar V. Departmental Welfare Office / Unit Staff Relief / Support 11 I. Training Courses to Cultivate Healthy Work Style II. Counselling Service on Stress Management III. Staff Relief Fund IV. Advance of Salary V. Special Grant for Funeral Expenses VI. Other Support Occupational Safety and Health 14 I. Working Group on Occupational Safety and Health in the Civil Service II. Safety Committees Useful References 15 Questions Commonly Asked 17 It is the contacts between staff and management, including the personal contacts What between staff and their supervisors, the way they behave towards each other, and is how they communicate or co-operate. taff The Government values good staff relations in S the civil service and considers it an integral Relations ? part of human resource management. 4 Good staff relations promote co-operation and mutual trust between staff and management. It helps cultivate team spirit and reduces Why is it conflict. Having a stronger sense of belonging, staff can work better with the management to attain the common goal of mportant? the organisation. If relations between staff and management are good, the organisation I has a better chance of success. With good staff relations, civil servants can work closely with the management to provide the quality of service that the public expects. The overall productivity and efficiency of the civil service can also be further improved. 5 The Government believes that effective communication and better understanding How to between staff and management is key to achieving good staff relations. Supervisors romote should listen to their staff, and encourage P them to air their views and to make suggestions. Supervisors must also lead Good by example. taff The Staff Relations Division in the Civil Service S Bureau plays an important part in promoting good staff relations in the civil service. One of its main objectives is to ensure that elations? proper staff consultative machinery and R procedures are established and that they are effectively used by staff, staff associations and government departments. The formal consultative forums now exist at both central (the Central Staff Consultative Councils) and departmental (the Departmental Consultative Committees) levels. Staff of the Staff Relations Division attend these meetings as management side representatives and provide support and guidance to both staff and departmental management on matters concerning staff relations whenever required. 6 In addition, they maintain effective liaison Through two-way communication, with civil service staff associations and publish the management explains to staff the the Civil Service Newsletter so as to improve background and rationale behind the communication within the service. proposed initiatives, and staff can express their views and contribute usefully on areas The Staff Relations Division also plays a where they have valuable working knowledge proactive role in overseeing Government’s or experience. The consultation process also staff welfare and relief schemes. These include helps secure staff commitment and facilitate Holiday Homes, Retirement Souvenir Scheme, the subsequent implementation of the policy. Staff Welfare Fund, Staff Relief Fund and Counselling Service on Stress Management. Channel of Consultation At departmental level, the Departmental There is a well-established consultative Secretary is usually responsible for staff machinery within the civil service, comprising relations. In some departments, a dedicated the Central Staff Consultative Councils and Staff Relations Unit is established to promote the Departmental Consultative Committees. staff relations in the department. Through this machinery, individual staff members, staff unions and staff groups can COMMUNICATION be consulted on a wide range of subjects such as conditions of service, working environment I. Consultative Machinery and various aspects of their work. Importance of Consultation Central Staff Consultative Councils Staff are consulted on matters that affect There are four Central Councils, namely the them. Staff views and suggestions are taken Senior Civil Service Council, the Model Scale l into account in the formulation of policies. Staff Consultative Council, the Police Force Council and the Disciplined Services Consultative Council. Each Council 7 comprises the Management Side and the Staff nominated by their staff associations. Side. Members of the Management Side come A Civil Service Bureau representative also mainly from policy bureaux and departments attends the Departmental Consultative dealing with issues of staff concern whilst Committees to explain Central Government’s members of the Staff Side are all nominated policies and practices and acts as a bridge by staff associations / unions. Meetings are between Central Government and held regularly to discuss issues of concern departments. There are at present 85 to staff. Departmental Consultative Committees. It is the Government’s policy to consult the The topics to be discussed by the Staff Sides of the Central Councils on any Departmental Consultative Committees significant change to the terms and usually include issues specific to the conditions of service which affects a department, for example : substantial part of the service as a whole. The consultative arrangements within the Matters such as the annual pay adjustment, department. change to fringe benefits, measures to The appointment and promotion criteria improve the overall efficiency of the civil for individual grades within the department. service are discussed at the Central Councils. The conditions of service of individual grades within the department. Departmental Consultative Committees Departmental welfare and recreational Departments with more than 100 staff are activities. encouraged to set up Departmental Departmental training. Consultative Committees comprising the Office accommodation and working departmental management (Management conditions. Side) and the staff representatives (Staff Side) Departmental quarters and uniforms. who are elected by the staff themselves or 8 Some departments also set up sub- A similar set of procedure on handling committees to the Departmental Consultative sexual harassment complaints has also been Committee, such as the General Grades drawn up in each bureau and department. Consultative Committees, to facilitate Any member of staff may make a complaint communication between a particular group in accordance with the laid down procedure. of staff and management. III. Staff Suggestions Scheme Communication with Staff Representatives It is an incentive award scheme to encourage Some heads of department / grade also civil servants to make improvement hold regular meetings with staff association suggestions on civil service efficiency. representatives and divisional / section staff A Departmental Staff Suggestions Committee representatives so as to exchange views with them is set up in each department to consider on issues affecting the particular group of staff. suggestions for improvement to its own operations and / or management. A Central II. Staff Complaints Procedures Staff Suggestions Committee is set up in the Civil Service Bureau to handle improvement A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction by suggestions with service-wide implications any member of staff about the treatment he has from all members of the civil service. received from other staff in his department or from Awards are presented to civil servants who the management. A set of well publicized make meritorious suggestions. procedure to handle these complaints has been drawn up in each bureau and department. Any IV. Civil Service Newsletter member of staff who has a cause to make a complaint may do so in Chinese or English, in The Civil Service Newsletter, issued on writing or in oral form, to his Departmental Staff a quarterly basis to all serving and retired civil Complaints Officer. 9 servants, aims to enhance communication STAFF WELL-BEING between management and staff. The Newsletter covers service-wide issues I. Holiday Homes which are of primary concern and interest to the entire civil service. Policy bureaux There are at present seven holiday bungalows, make use of the publication to get across three at Cheung Sha of Lantau Island and important messages and explain policy four at Tai Mei Tuk, available for staff use at initiatives. Furthermore, the Newsletter also subsidized rates. These bungalows are serves as a useful tool in fostering a sense situated at scenic locations, conveniently of corporate identity and common purpose accessible by public transport, spacious, within the civil service. The Newsletter is air-conditioned and self-contained with also available on the CSB Home Page at facilities to accommodate eight persons. http://www.csb.gov.hk through the Internet. Applications for use of these holiday V. Other Communication Channels facilities can be made two months in advance. Telephone booking at short notice is also Some heads of department / grade publish accepted for unallocated period. Details and departmental or grade newsletters through