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Private firms in Oman can use government evaluation system

Oman Saturday 31/July/2021 22:12 PM
By: Times News Service
Private firms in Oman can use government evaluation system

Muscat: Private sector companies are welcome to use the new evaluation system being rolled out for many government employees, which come into effect in January 2022.

According to an official from the Ministry of Labour, the new system evaluates employees based on the quality of their performance within a certain timeframe, which can range from three to six months, depending on when assessments are conducted.

“This system is currently being developed for the government sector, such as public agencies, organisations and institutions, but it does not prevent a private sector company from applying this system,” said the ministry official. “We welcome their intentions to adopt this system, if they so wish.”

“There are many who have attained leadership and administrative positions because of their efficiency and performance,” he added. “They are still in the prime of their youth and have not achieved them simply because they have many years of experience. Employees’ future chances of promotions and incentives will depend on how efficient they are, and their performance levels.”

The implementation of this new system will help achieve the objectives of Vision 2040, under the leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik, who had mentioned in his speeches that successful implementation of the vision will depend on individual performances, as well as institutional proficiency.

The new evaluation programme differs significantly from the existing method of appraisal, which is based on work experience, an employee’s behaviour, and how long he spends at work. In the new system, however, incentives such as bonuses, allowances, and other rewards, as well as any additional benefits, depend solely on an employee’s job performance during the period in question.

Elements such as creativity, productivity, and delivery of assigned work on agreed-upon deadlines will be crucial in the new assessment system.

Employees who deliver good work ahead of time are considered to have exceeded expectations, those who finish on time have met expectations, but the staff who hands in work late will be below company expectations.

“Only what an employee delivers according to his objective, or the annual plan set out by his employers, according to his due dates agreed upon by his direct seniors, will be considered during evaluation,” explained the Ministry of Labour official.

The new system is one of many steps being taken to change labour policies, which are linked to Vision 2040. Others include changes to the current legislation, which is being given priority, as well as giving importance to the role of the judiciary in labour issues.

“For example, the Ministry of Labour is working on amending the Public Service Law (the Civil Service Law) and its executive regulation, which will be issued during the next stage of our functions,” he said.

“This law and all the amendments within are to ensure the success of Vision 2040. When we talk about the classification of jobs and the required qualifications for them, work experience will not be the only basis on which people are hired, nor will it be an obstacle to people who have the necessary skills, but are afraid they may not have enough professional experience. Efficiency at work and employee performance forms the basis for all systems and programmes under Oman Vision 2040.”

The new evaluation system will affect people across a number of roles, from the highest to the lowest positions, whether they are regular employees, officials, or managers at whichever branch or department they serve.

The new system aims to be flexible, with the ministry recommending that all bodies that adopt it carry out evaluations either one every three months (quarterly), every four months, or every six months. Evaluations should be carried out at least every six months.

“With regard to the legal basis for this particular approach we will be adopting, there is a complete legal chapter contained in the relevant laws, as well as the regulations concerning employee performance,” the Ministry of Labour official said.