Policy Address

Strengthen the Performance Appraisal System for Civil Servants

37. The overall performance of civil servants is fundamental to the effectiveness of departments. A fair and honest assessment of staff performance can encourage good-performers to strive for excellence, and suitably handle staff who have under-performed or misconducted themselves. In this connection, establishing an effective performance appraisal system will help HoDs enhance the overall effectiveness of the departments, raise the morale of good performers, assist those with room for improvement to improve their capability, and handle the small number of staff involved in misconduct in a fair manner.

38. The Civil Service Bureau is tasked to conduct a study developing a more rigorous performance appraisal system that reflects and differentiates the performance levels of staff more effectively.

39. Apart from assessing the performance of senior civil servants (including HoDs) in accordance with the existing mechanism, Secretaries of Department and Directors of Bureau will need to supervise the senior civil servants under their charge to properly perform personnel management work for staff at all ranks, including performance appraisal, posting, promotion and discipline.