Values to be part of the daily job

The experiences of pilot organisations and conclusions of the working group

Values to be part of the daily job
30.08.2005 | pdf, 577 Kt

Summary

The project sought means of incorporating the departments' own values into practical activity and of defining good practices, and thereby of maintaining and strengthening the common values of the state administration. The means relate firstly to measures originating from the organisation, such as service, openness, impartiality, etc. On the other hand, they concern aspects relating to the conduct of an individual official. Broadly speaking, the project seeks for its part to also foster the productivity, quality and reliability of state administration activities as well as the state's competitiveness as an employer.

The task of the working group was to launch pilot projects, the results of whose work will be used in the project's final report and distributed for use by all state units. The report presents concrete means of converting values into practical procedures. Values do not mean anything as mere words. Values are useful only if the unit has a common understanding of the content and significance of the values in work.

The working group's conclusions and proposals for measures have been divided into three parts, which are 1) values as a tool of management, 2) values as an official's moral code and 3) monitoring implementation of values. Turning values into a tool of management calls for attention to be paid to the careful implementation of the value process, the incorporation of values into management by results and result and development discussions, and to the opportunities afforded by the new remuneration system. Working atmosphere surveys, directors' evaluation and feedback, foreman training, recruitment and also attitudes towards activity contrary to the values are also important.

The core objective is for each official to be aware of the demands imposed by his or her position. The single-minded support of management and measures to implant values in the work organisation play a key role in achieving this objective. In connection with the value process, the unit's values can be crystallised into a moral code describing the values and their content. The implementation of values in the unit's daily work needs to be monitored by means of a continuous value debate and the contribution to be incorporated in the annual report. The State Employer's Office will assess the effectiveness of the project separately.