Performance Management in the Zimbabwe Civil Service: A Review

Abstract

The study was conducted in 1996 in order to review the progress in the implementation of the Zimbabwe Civil Service Reform Programme with a specific focus on the implementation of performance management and a performance based salary increment and bonus. The study established that the introduction of performance management was strongly resisted by teachers in the civil service and most staff associations on the grounds that: (1) the employees concerned were not consulted in the formulation of the programme; (2) performance management is results-oriented and is not compatible with public administration which focuses on social services; (3) civil servants cannot be held responsible for non-attainment of targets, when they do not control the resource inputs. Indeed, the civil service top managers, the permanent secretaries, rejected the concept of their being put on a contract by government because of the uncertainty in resource mobilization and control; (4) performance management was introduced at the same time government was carrying out economic reforms, which .entailed the reduction of the public service employees by 25% in order to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. The performance management programme was perceived by the staff associations as a means to downsize the civil service;