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 affecting the civilian directorate. The Standing Commission on Civil Service Salaries and Conditions of Service advises on the principles and practices governing the pay and conditions of service of all non-directorate staff except those in the judicial and disciplined services. The Standing Committee on Disciplined Services Salaries and Conditions of Service advises on the pay and conditions of service of all disciplined services staff except the heads of the services who remain under the purview of the Standing Committee on Directorate Salaries and Conditions of Services. These independent bodies are supported by the Joint Secretariat for the Advisory Bodies on Civil Service and Judicial Salaries and Conditions of Service.

Pay Policy and System: It is the Government's established policy to offer sufficient remuneration to attract, retain and motivate staff of a suitable calibre to provide the public with an effective, efficient and high quality service. In order to ensure that civil service pay is regarded as fair and reasonable by both civil servants who provide the service and the public who foot the bill, the Government adopts the principle that the level of civil service pay should be broadly comparable with private sector pay.

Under the improved civil service pay adjustment mechanism, a pay level survey will be conducted every six years, a starting salaries survey every three years, and a pay trend survey every year. Apart from the periodic pay surveys, grade structure reviews for selected grades will also be conducted as and when necessary.

Apart from salaries, civil servants are eligible for various fringe benefits depending on their terms of appointment, rank, salary point, length of service, and other eligibility rules. Proactive steps have been taken over the years to modernise the provision of fringe benefits to civil servants. The payment of many fringe benefit type of allowances has been either ceased or tightened up for new recruits offered appointment on or after June 1, 2000 to reflect present day circumstances. Following a comprehensive review, the Government has implemented measures to further rationalise the provision of fringe benefit type of allowances since September 2006.

Training and Development: The main objectives of training and development are to equip civil servants with updated knowledge and skills, and to develop their potential so that they can continue to improve their performance and provide quality service to the public. Training and development programmes are carefully designed to enhance performance and to support the core values and functions of the civil service.

While bureaux and departments provide vocational training to meet job-specific needs, CSB, through the Civil Service Training and Development Institute, focuses on training programmes and activities that are best provided by a central training agency, such as leadership and management, language and communication, etc. There are four core service areas: senior executive development, national studies programmes, human resource management consultancy service and promotion of a continuous learning culture.

A wide range of thematic workshops and seminars, leadership development programmes and attachment schemes are offered to enhance the capabilities of senior executives. Advice is also provided to bureaux and departments for developing officers identified for succession grooming.

National studies programmes include courses at Mainland institutes like the Chinese Academy of Governance, Foreign Affairs University, Tsinghua University, Peking University, Jinan University, Nanjing University and Zhejiang University. There are also local programmes on national affairs and the Basic Law, as well as staff exchange programme with the Mainland.

Through the provision of advisory services to departments, the Institute disseminates best practices in HRD covering such core subjects as training needs analysis, learning strategies, development of competency profiles, and performance management systems.

Continuous learning is promoted on the e-learning portal, "Cyber Learning Centre Plus". The portal features comprehensive learning resources and training information to help staff learn at their own pace.

Performance Management: Through the performance appraisal process, staff at different levels are made aware of the standard of performance expected of them. Proper management of the process helps maximise individual performance and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the civil service. As an integral part of the overall human resource management strategy, the performance appraisal system is a major tool in human resource planning (e.g. succession planning), development (e.g. training and job rotation), and management (e.g. confirmation, promotion, posting and action to address under-performance).

Performance appraisal of staff is an on-going process. While appraisal reports would normally be completed annually, regular communication between managers and staff on performance is essential. Transparency and objectivity of the appraisal process are also emphasised.

Departmental management is encouraged to establish assessment panels to undertake levelling and moderating work among appraisal reports where necessary, identify under-performers or outstanding performers for appropriate action, adopt other management tools including target-based assessment and competency-based assessment, and ensure appraisal reports are written comprehensively, objectively and on time.

The performance management system ensures that good performance and exemplary service are rewarded or given due recognition, whilst under-performers are managed, counselled and offered assistance to bring their performance up to requirement. For persistent substandard performers who fail to improve, action will be taken to retire them in the public interest. On the other hand, in recognition of long and meritorious services, there are the Long and Meritorious Service Travel Award Scheme, the Long and Meritorious Service Award Scheme and the Retirement Souvenir Scheme. There is also a commendation system to give recognition to exemplary performance.

Integrity Management and Staff Discipline: The Administration is committed to upholding integrity and probity in the civil service under a three-pronged approach, namely, prevention, education and training, and sanction. The emphasis of prevention is placed on the provision of clear policies and guidelines, and proper checks and balances. On education and training, the Government continues to provide integrity education and training at all levels in the civil service, and to embed the core value of integrity and honesty through integrity initiatives spearheaded by senior management of all bureaux/departments. On sanction, the Government takes a serious view of offences and misconduct committed by its staff particularly those involving a breach of trust in the public office or misuse of power. The Government is determined to take disciplinary action against the staff concerned to achieve a punitive, deterrent and rehabilitative effect. All disciplinary cases are processed expeditiously subject to the requirements for due process and procedural propriety and adherence to principles of natural justice.

Staff Relations: There is a well established staff consultative machinery at both the central and