General Order 5 CAREER PATHS STAFF DEVEL PERFORMANCE 4t
General Order 5 CAREER PATHS STAFF DEVEL PERFORMANCE 4t
General Order 5 CAREER PATHS STAFF DEVEL PERFORMANCE 4t
Being a General Order to effect staff development programs, establish career path plans and
performance appraisal of officers of the Public Service. This General Order details the procedures for
planning staff development programs, including on the job and off the job training, work experience,
counselling and assessment of performance and career path planning to improve productivity and
efficiency in the Public Service.
I, John M Kali OBE, Departmental Head of the Department of Personnel Management, by virtue of the
powers conferred by Section 70 of the Public Services (Management) Act 1996, and all other powers me
enabling, hereby issue General Order No 5, as part of the Fourth Edition of General Orders effective on and
from 1st January 2012 and to remain in force until further notice.
National Public Service General Orders (Fourth Edition) GO 5/Rev/ 1st January 2012
GENERAL ORDER NO 5
TABLE OF CONTENTS
National Public Service General Orders (Fourth Edition) GO 5/Rev/ 1st January 2012
1
GENERAL ORDER NO 5
5.1 This General Order is to be read together with General Order 6, which provides details of
Public Service Training and Training Policy which is an integral part of the Staff
Development process and contributes to the development of skills and knowledge of each
individual.
5.2 This General Order details the procedures for planning staff development programs, which
will include “on the job” and “off the job” training, work experience, counseling and
assessment of viable career paths which will also improve the efficiency and productivity of
each Department.
5.3 Staff Development is a management process which focuses upon the development needs of
individuals related to their own level of competency to perform their roles and functions.
Staff development processes must be designed to ensure that every individual is developed to
utilise their capabilities to the maximum benefit of the Public Service and for their own
benefit.
5.4 Departmental Heads are responsible for ensuring that proper staff development programs are
in place and that staff are appraised regularly and the progress of their development is
assessed utilising the procedures in this General Order. For this purpose the Departmental
Staff Development & Training Committees established under this General Order must also
advise the Departmental Head on staff development, career path planning and performance
appraisal.
LEGISLATIVE OBLIGATIONS
5.5 Section 44 of the Public Services (Management) Act determines that the Secretary,
Department of Personnel Management is responsible for initiating and coordinating staff,
career and training plans in the Public Service. In other words, the Secretary is responsible for
policy development and for overseeing implementation of staff development in the Public
Service.
5.6 Departmental Heads are responsible under the Act for preparing and implementing their own
staff development and training plans and for controlling career path planning and training in
line with their respective Departmental staff and work needs.
5.7 A Departmental Head shall appoint a Staff Development & Training (SD&T) Committee
under General Order 5 to advise on staff development and training policy and the
interpretation and implementation of this General Order.
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5.8 The SD&T Committee comprises the Deputy Secretary with responsibility for training
matters, the Human Resource/Training Manager and the Staff Development & Training
Officer.
Appointment of a Responsible Officer for the Conduct of Staff Development
5.9 Each Department will appoint a qualified and experienced training officer accredited by the
Department of Personnel Management, normally a Staff Development & Training Officer,
who will be made responsible by job description and this General Order for compliance with
staff development functions within his/her Department.
5.10 The Staff Development & Training Officer will be responsible to the Chairperson of the Staff
Development & Training Committee for advice on staff development as described under this
General Order.
5.11 Government Policy requires that all Departments produce a five year Corporate Plan which
will identify the Department’s Mission and Corporate Goals. The Plan also identifies
organisation and staff goals and training priorities derived from the overall Corporate Plan.
5.12 Complementing their Corporate Plans, each Department will describe broad staff
development and training plans over the five year period, together with strategies for career
path planning for key job groups identified by the Department, in consultation with the
Secretary, Department of Personnel Management from time to time.
5.13 From the Corporate Plans, Key Result Areas for organisation and jobs are to be identified,
and job descriptions produced to support the Department’s organisation needs in accordance
with General Order 2.
5.14 The starting point for identification of staff development and training needs from an
organisational and individual view point shall be the job description for every job, in the
prescribed format under General Order 2.
5.15 Job Descriptions provide information on the job purpose, major job duties, accountabilities or
outputs required of the job holder (wherever possible in quantitative form) and the
competencies required of the job holder to satisfactorily perform the job.
5.16 The content of the job description provides the manner in which officers are selected
according to their individual work experience, qualifications and competencies to fill
positions in the Department’s organisation on merit alone, in accordance with General Order
3.
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5.17 Job descriptions are also to provide the basis for individual training needs assessment, staff
development programs and the assessment of performance against job accountabilities and
performance targets.
ASSESSMENT OF PERFORMANCE
5.18 Of necessity, staff development activities must encompass the measurement of individual past
work performance in order to determine remedial action which may comprise, counseling
disciplinary action, monetary reward, changed work experience and/or training.
5.19 Assessment of performance during probation under General Order 4 determines whether or
not an officer is to be accepted for permanency in the Public Service. The performance
assessment or appraisal process is described under this General Order and the Performance
Appraisal Guidelines attached, and must be activated by the Staff Development & Training
Committee at the intervals prescribed in the respective General Orders.
5.20 In order to comply with legislative requirements to produce annual and five year training
plans, and as part of the staff development and training process described under this General
Order, a Training Needs analysis must be conducted in accordance with General Order 6.
5.21 The starting point for an assessment of training needs and development of a training strategy
and training plans for the organisation is the prescribed job description written pursuant to
provisions of General Order 2.
5.22 Career Path Planning is a strategy designed to match the skills, experience, qualifications and
competencies of selected individual officers in key job groups to best meet the needs of each
organisation and at the same time provide motivation for each individual. (See paragraphs
General Order 5.31 to General Order 5.42 in this General Order for details on the application
of career path plans to individual officers).
5.23 In practice, the establishment of career path plans will be limited to a minority of managerial,
supervisory and professional positions. The established job families described under General
Order 13 are to be assigned standard progression or promotional routes together with
expected minimum periods of time at each job level within the job family.
5.24 In compliance with the Act, Departmental Heads are required to publicise standard career
path routes for all technical, professional, supervisory and management job families within all
work disciplines, showing the minimum time for training, qualifications and work experience
within each job level, prior to progression to the next level.
5.25 In respect to senior management positions within each Department, the Staff Development &
Training Committee shall describe the promotional routes and likely times for progression for
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each officer for discussion and agreement between the Departmental Head and with each
senior officer at the time of issuing annual performance appraisal results.
5.26 By utilising results of the Corporate Planning Objectives and the Performance Appraisal
System described in this General Order, Departmental Training Plans and the Career Path
Plans described in paragraphs General Order 5.22 to General Order 5.25, Staff Development
& Training Committees are to determine an appropriate staff development program for each
individual senior officer for approval by the Departmental Head.
5.27 Senior Officers are defined as Assistant Secretaries, Deputy Directors, First Assistant
Secretaries, Directors and Deputy Secretaries and their equivalent managerial categories in
other public sector organisations which utilise these General Orders.
5.28 Key professional staff, including all university graduates, should also have formal staff
development programs to cater for their personal development in line with Departmental staff
training needs and to inspire, motivate and retain key resource personnel.
5.30 Staff development programs must provide a guide to an officer’s future career prospects in
order for a Departmental Head to demonstrate an interest in an officer’s future development
and thereby provide job motivation.
5.31 Career Path Planning is designed first and foremost to tailor an officer’s personal skills,
knowledge and competency development to meet the staff needs of an organization.
An organisation will satisfy the development and career aspirations of individual officers only
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if such aspirations complement and conform to the organisational and work needs of the
Department.
5.32 Departmental Heads are not permitted to make any binding verbal or written commitments to
an officer which provide any kind of Departmental guarantee on future promotion within
his/her Department. An individual officer’s progression is to be determined by the existence
of a vacancy in the job family and application of the selection and appointment process under
General Order 3.
5.33 All officers covered by this General Order on staff development and training programs are
required to apply for vacant positions to which they aspire and to compete with all other
officers who may apply for the same positions.
5.34 Career path planning will indicate to an officer covered by these provisions the promotional
route through a managerial, professional or technical job family, together with the minimum
likely experience (time to progress) needed to achieve the desired work experience, the
qualifications and competencies at each level in the job family.
DESIGNING CAREER PATH PLANS FOR OFFICERS IN KEY JOB CATEGORIES AND
MATCHING AN OFFICER’S WORK EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES TO SPECIFIC
CAREER PLANS
5.36 Career Path Plans must take into account individual performance shortfalls and training needs
measured annually under the Performance Appraisal System described herein. Staff
Development Plans, inclusive of the Career Path Plans, are to reflect the need to develop and
improve specific competencies required by the position occupied.
5.37 Officers who are understudying non-citizen contract officers or consultants under the
requirement of General Order 14 which governs non-citizen employment shall be fully
informed of the localization plans as part of his/her overall career path plans.
5.38 The Public Services (Management) Act requires that officers who depart from their
substantive positions to undertake training and staff development courses should not be
penalised in their career prospects and on return from training should be promoted as soon as
possible to the positions for which they have been trained.
5.39 In order to effect this legislated requirement, positions held substantively by officers
undertaking training shall not be filled substantively subject to General Order 5.40 by any
other officer and may be filled by the Departmental Head on an acting basis only, pending the
return of the substantive office holder from training.
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5.40 In the event of a reorganisation effected whilst an officer is absent from substantive office on
training, the Departmental Head shall as far as possible retain the said officer’s position, or
provided that the officer’s substantive position has not been affected by redundancy, retain an
alternative vacancy which the officer will occupy on return from training, provided that
he/she has passed the examinations in accordance with this General Order.
5.41 The Secretary, Department of Personnel Management, on request from a Departmental Head,
may designate positions which are the subject of this General Order as positions under the
Public Services (Management) Act and General Order 3 which shall not be subject to the
selection and appointment process. This power has been delegated to Departmental Heads
under the devolution strategy and shall be exercised in consultation with the Department of
Personnel Management.
5.42 The requirements under this General Order are also repeated under the Selection and
Appointment Provisions of General Order 3.
5.43 The Performance Appraisal System is facilitated by the Staff Performance Appraisal
Guidelines, attached to this General Order, together with the Staff Performance Appraisal
Form SDT 5.1.
5.44 One of the major instruments for measuring the performance of individual officers is through
the Performance Appraisal System. This system will assist agencies to highlight staff
deficiencies in terms of skills in particular occupational categories and project a relevant
training program to address this situation. It is also used to determine promotional potential
and to assess the need for counselling and ultimately for disciplinary action.
5.45 Performance Appraisal evaluates past performance and at the same time assists in identifying
areas of weakness thereby creating opportunities for future staff development. The process
must comprise both a measure of the work to be performed, together with a measure of the
competency of the officer required to perform the work.
5.46 The Performance Appraisal System is designed to improve the overall work performance of
each officer in the Public Service in a number of ways:
(a) Firstly, to create a culture of accountability for high standards of work performance
together with a reward system for good performance and a penalty system for poor
performance;
(b) Secondly, to provide a pay method enabling supervisors to reward their subordinate
officers’ improved work performance through annual salary increments, thereby raising
morale and a motivating effort;
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(c) Thirdly, to identify areas of performance that can be improved by counselling, training,
new work experience and/or other staff development activities, including identifying
potential for promotion;
(d) Fourthly, by promoting efficient work performance in officers that will enable them to
contribute meaningfully towards achievement of their Departments' organisational
goals.
5.47 The Performance Appraisal System will succeed in meeting the purposes defined above only if
the officers being appraised are provided with full details of the work results expected of them.
Departmental Heads and Supervisors must continuously ensure that:
(a) officers are to be informed of the Key Result Areas in their job descriptions and the
tasks and the performance standards expected of them each year; and,
(b) officers are to be provided with constructive and ongoing feedback on their individual
performance through counseling and on-the-job training and development by their
supervisors; and,
(c) officers are to be regularly informed by their Departmental Heads of the achievements
of their Departments and their contributions thereto; and,
(d) officers are to be treated fairly in relation to other officers, counselled frequently about
performance shortfalls and disciplined in a timely manner where necessary.
5.48 The end result of the "competency based results oriented" Performance Appraisal System
will be continuously improving work performance, provided that managers and supervisors
maintain open and constructive relationships with their subordinate officers and communicate
their performance outcomes on a frequent basis.
5.49 The Performance Appraisal Form SDT5.1 is to be used for all probationary and permanent
officers, having 6 months service or more, under provisions of various General Orders.
Appraisal for Probationary Officers may be conducted quarterly in order to focus on specific
staff development needs.
5.50 Performance Reviews must be conducted for all categories of public servants described
herein at the frequency stated in relevant General Orders for the purpose of personnel
administration and effective management of the Public Service as follows:
(a) for probationary officers under General Order 4 for the purpose of assessing
suitability of a probationary officer for permanency in the Public Service, at quarterly
intervals;
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(b) for officers on staff development programs under this General Order, to be conducted
at six monthly intervals annually for the purpose of assessing the progress and
performance of each officer against staff development programs, to identify training
needs etc;
(c) for contracted officers, under General Order 9 for the purpose of assessing whether or
not a Departmental Head wishes to renew a contract of employment;
(d) for all permanent officers, under General Order 13, for purposes of assessing
performance to award salary increments, where merited by the review;
(e) for all permanent officers applying for positions in which promotion is involved,
under General Order 3, to enable selection panels to make effective decisions based
upon the merit of candidates.
National Public Service General Orders (Fourth Edition ) GO 5/Rev0/ 1st January 2012
Staff Performance Appraisal Form SDT5.1
Department/Administration/Agency: Division/Branch/Unit:
Substantive position and No: Acting position and No: (if applicable)
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Staff Performance Appraisal Form SDT5.1
1. In the FIRST COLUMN, first write down all the MAP Activities from the MAP Implementation
Schedule or Business Plan activities that you have to do or assist with during the year and put in the
MAP reference number.
2. If the MAP or Business Plan is very broad or general, and you are only doing a part of it, list the
MAIN parts or tasks you will do in relation to that MAP activity. DO NOT list every single step
involved.
3. In the FIRST COLUMN, list ongoing duties from the Job Description that you have to do during
the year and put in the Job Description reference number.
4. In the FIRST COLUMN, List ANY other regular duties you have to do this year that are NOT in
the MAP or in your Job Description.
5. In the SECOND COLUMN, Write down the specific outputs you have to produce in relation to
these activities. That is, what specific thing (e.g. report), product (e.g. new database) or outcome (e.g. a
better process) do you have to make or create?
6. In the THIRD COLUMN, Write down the due date for the activity. This can be one of three
specified times or dates:
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Staff Performance Appraisal Form SDT5.1
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Staff Performance Appraisal Form SDT5.1
PART B: REQUIRED JOB COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS
1. At the beginning of the appraisal period, the Supervisor is required, in consultation with
the officer who occupies the positions, to identify and list in PART B up to SIX (6) main
job competencies and skills for the position that the officer occupies (e.g. writing skills;
computer skills; negotiation and advocacy skills; accountancy skills; presentation skills;
filing skills; gardening skills; driving skills; etc). In other words, what skills knowledge
does the position need to carry out the activities identified in Part A?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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Staff Performance Appraisal Form SDT5.1
GUIDE TO THE FIVE LEVEL RATING APPLICABLE TO PART A (WORK PLAN) AND
PART B (SKILLS & COMPETENCIES)
The following guide to the performance ratings should be used by Supervisors when assessing the officer and
allocating a rating in Part A and Part B of the Staff Performance Appraisal Form.
2. Output: Most of the time does not produce the required work
3. Quality Most of the time does not meet the required quality level or professional standards for
Level: the activity or area of work
1. Timing: Regularly does not meet required deadlines without a reasonable excuse
3. Quality Regularly does not meet the required quality level or professional standards for the
Level: activity or area of work
3. AT REQUIRED LEVEL
1. Timing: Generally and regularly meets required deadlines and if not has a reasonable excuse
2. Output: Generally and regularly produces the required output or performs the ongoing work and
if not has a reasonable excuse
3. Quality Generally and regularly meets the required quality level or professional standards for the
Level: activity or area of work
1. Timing: EXCEEDS and PROMPTLY MEETS all required deadlines or has reasonable excuse for
not meeting them
2. Output: Generally and regularly produces MORE THAN the required output or ongoing work
3. Quality Generally and regularly EXCEEDS the required quality level or professional standards
Level: for the activity or area of work
1. Timing: Generally and regularly finishes the required work WELL BEFORE the required
deadlines or has a VERY GOOD excuse for not meeting them
2. Output: Generally and regularly produces MORE THAN the required output or ongoing work
and VOLUNTARILY takes on extra work
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Staff Performance Appraisal Form SDT5.1
PART C: GENERAL WORK STANDARDS
NOTE: In the Table below, the regular and ongoing personal work related characteristics of an
officer during the appraisal period are to be rated as either SATISFACTORY (scores 2 points)
or NEEDS IMPROVEMENT (scores 1 point) in PART C. Please see the Staff Performance
Appraisal Guidelines and the guide below for definitions of the terms used in the table below.
If rated as needing improvement, the improvement required should be identified and written
down on the form and the officer should be re-assessed in three months in this area.
Satisfactory(2) or
Personal Work Related Characteristics Highest Identified
Needs
possible improvement
Improvement(1)
score: 2 required
1. Standard of dress 2 2
Total score 12 12
Supervisor’s comments on work related characteristics of officer: (compulsory)
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Staff Performance Appraisal Form SDT5.1
GUIDE TO THE TWO LEVEL RATING APPLICABLE TO PART C
The following guide to the two level performance ratings for Part C should be used by Supervisors when
assessing the general work standards of the officer and allocating a rating in Part C of the Staff Performance
Appraisal Form.
1. Standard of dress
1. Needs Improvement
• Sometimes dresses shabbily or has dirty clothes; wears improper footwear contrary to General Orders
2. Satisfactory
• Most of the times dresses in a tidy manner and appropriate to the nature of the work being performed by the
officer
2. Co-operation with supervisors and team members
1. Needs Improvement
• Sometimes fails to co-operate with supervisors and/or team members
• Sometimes obstructs supervisors and/or team members in their work
2. Satisfactory
• Resolves inter-personal problems between team members and promotes supervisory efforts
• Encourages and supports other team members and supervisors in work efforts
3. Job attitude, sense of duty and reliability
1. Needs Improvement
• Generally not interested in the work to be completed, resulting in below standard work output and cannot be relied
upon to meet work obligations and undertakings
• Devotes working time to pursuing personal objectives outside of normal duty and allows personal interests to
over-ride the performance of duties
2. Satisfactory
• Displays active interest, generally completing the work on time, and if not, has acceptable explanation
• Always considers work demands above personal interests during normal working time
• Can usually be relied upon to meet work obligations and undertakings
4. Ability to learn and adaptability to change
1. Needs Improvement
• Unable or slow to absorb new information and learn new methods and procedures
• Finds difficulty in adapting to new ways of working
2. Satisfactory
• Generally able to, or quick to, absorb and apply new information, methods and procedures
• Rapidly adapts to changing work requirements
5. Attendance at work and punctuality
1. Needs Improvement
• Absent from place of work from time to time and unable to provide acceptable reasons for absence.
• Often late for work or work related meetings without acceptable reason
2. Satisfactory
• Rarely absent and always able to provide documented genuine and acceptable reasons
• Usually attends work on time and when late provides an acceptable reason
6. Courtesy and good manners towards with clients and colleagues
1. Needs Improvement
• Creates work problems when interacting with customers/clients.
• Is rude or abusive towards clients or colleagues or speaks in a loud or aggressive manner
2. Satisfactory
• Always maintains constructive customer relations in the resolution of work problems
• Displays good manner and courtesy to all clients and work colleagues
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Staff Performance Appraisal Form SDT5.1
PART D: Calculation of Overall Performance Rating
NOTE: Once an appraisal has been completed for PARTS A, B and C, the Supervisor is
required to complete the appropriate boxes by entering the actual and maximum
possible scores applicable to the officer under each of the completed Parts the Form to
obtain an Overall Performance Rating.
Some examples are given in the Staff Performance Appraisal Guidelines to assist
Supervisors to obtain the Overall Performance Rating for the officer being appraised.
Percentage Score = Actual Score Divided by Maximum Possible Score Multiply by 100%
PART A
PART B
PART C
TOTAL SCORES:
PERCENTAGE RATING
OVERALL
PERFORMANCE
RATING
ANNUAL
PERFORMANCE
RATING
The Overall
Performance Rating derived from the above formula is then read off the Overall
Performance Rating Table according to the Percentage Score, as follows:
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9
Course or training Dates & Training provider Skills developed Cost & and
activity name Duration source of
funding
National Public Service General Orders (Fourth Edition) GO 5/Rev/ 1st January 2012
Staff Performance Appraisal Form SDT5.1
NOTE: Dependent upon the officer's Overall Performance Rating, the supervisor is required to indicate
whether or not the officer has potential for promotion at the end of the year. In order for the supervisor to
recommend an officer for promotion, his or her overall performance rating should be three (3) or above. Tick
the appropriate box that best indicates the officer's level of potential for promotion at the end of year (that is,
only once per year).
Salary action to be taken according to the Increment Schedule in PART G of the INCREMENT
Staff Performance Appraisal Guidelines
NO INCREMENT
I certify that I have assessed and interviewed the officer in accordance with the Staff Performance Appraisal
Guidelines in a fair and impartial manner
Officer’s certification: (cross out the boxed comments that do not apply)
I certify that I have been/have not been assessed in accordance with the Staff Performance Appraisal
Guidelines and I agree/do not agree with the outcomes of this appraisal.
(Circle appropriate response)
I certify that I have been/have not been assessed in accordance with the Staff Performance Appraisal
Guidelines and I agree/do not agree with the outcomes of this appraisal.
(Circle appropriate response)
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Staff Performance Appraisal Form SDT5.1
This section is to be completed by the Department or Authority Human Resource Manager (or equivalent position) and
submitted to the Senior Management Committee for verification and moderation to ensure it fits within the normal
distribution curve in the Guidelines.
Part B Have the required competencies and skills for the position
been identified?
Has a score been allocated for all listed competencies and
skills?
Are the supervisor and staff member comments related to
the required competencies and skills?
Part C Has a score been allocated for all listed personal work
related characteristics?
Are the supervisor and staff member comments related to
the listed personal work related characteristics?
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Staff Performance Appraisal Form SDT5.1
Plan?
Is there budget for the proposed training?
Part H Have both the supervisor and staff member signed the
certification?
Does the staff member agree with the SPA outcomes?
If not, has counseling been provided to the employee?
Is mediation by the HRM Manager required between the
supervisor and staff member?
On what date was mediation provided: ___________
4. CERTIFICATION:
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Staff Performance Appraisal Form SDT5.1
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Independent State of Papua New Guinea
We, the under-signed, confirm that General Order No. 5 of 1st January 2012, hereto attached, has been
drafted in accordance with Government policies and the appropriate Sections of Organic Law the Public
Services (Management) Act, and the Regulations and reflects:
(a) all policy changes made by the National Executive Council in the period 1st June 2002 to 31st
December 2011;
(b) all changes to the Constitution, the Organic Law on Provincial & Local Level Governments and
the Public Services (Management) Act 1996, to effect implementation of the Provincial and Local
Level Government Reforms; and,
(c) all other changes to the Public Services (Management) Act 1996, which have been brought into
force since 1st June 2002.
On behalf of the Executive Management Team, we recommend that the Secretary authorise this General
Order for publication and distribution to line Departments and Agencies.
National Public Service General Orders (Fourth Edition) GO 5/Rev/ 1st January 2012