Hong Kong civil service appraisal overhaul begins with 41,000 staff
The Civil Service Bureau launched a new performance appraisal system for 41,000 staff across 100 core grades. Secretary Ingrid Yeung said the framework includes safeguards against unfair ratings and will be reviewed after two cycles, with a second phase planned in two to three years.
The Civil Service Bureau this month launched the first phase of an enhanced performance appraisal system, introducing a guided distribution mechanism across 100 core grades to establish more rigorous and objective standards for staff evaluations.
Secretary for the Civil Service Ingrid Yeung Ho Poi-yan, appearing on a radio programme on 9 October, emphasised that the new framework is neither rigid nor mechanical. She stated that appraisal panels and well-defined appeal channels are in place, and departments facing exceptional challenges can receive administrative discretion upon providing sound justifications.
The initial phase involves approximately 41,000 serving civil servants, representing nearly 30 per cent of civil service grades. Authorities noted it remains premature to estimate how many officers might be denied annual salary increments.
Yeung dismissed suggestions that the roughly 37 per cent of civil servants—over 60,000 individuals—who have already reached the maximum salary point could be unfairly singled out to fill lower rating quotas. She stressed the framework does not enforce a rigid bell curve, nor will department heads be allowed to arbitrarily select employees for substandard ratings. She explained such staff may still be eligible for promotion and must undergo fair evaluations, adding that arbitrarily assigning them the lowest three ratings would severely undermine morale.
Yeung anticipated that appraisal panels may face heavier workloads during the first year or two. However, as management and staff establish consensus around objective standards, future appraisals are expected to become more streamlined. The government plans a comprehensive review after two appraisal cycles, with a second phase in two to three years incorporating non-core management grades and divisions with larger headcounts.
Regarding the departmental head accountability system, Yeung noted the Legislative Council approved subsidiary legislation under the Public Service Commission Ordinance in July, granting the commission statutory investigative authority. The bureau is seconding directorate officers to assist with preparations, including legal advisers, office space, and IT infrastructure.
Touching on the recent fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Yeung reiterated that follow-up actions will depend on an independent committee report scheduled for release at the end of the month. She indicated that if the report identifies individual misconduct, standard disciplinary proceedings may be initiated; alternatively, if systemic shortcomings are found, the commission's second-tier investigation mechanism may be invoked.
On Hongkong Post's operational restructuring, Yeung addressed concerns affecting an initial cohort of around 30 staff, out of an estimated 200 expected to be impacted. She disclosed that the bureau views primary requests as reasonable and is considering support arrangements, including granting a trial period comparable to substantive civil servants, preserving existing salary levels, and giving hiring priority for suitable vacancies.
