Amid the increase in the government's administrative workload, it is imperative to create an environment in which excellent personnel are able to perform their duties with great motivation. Even long-standing practices will need to be reexamined.
The National Personnel Authority has submitted to the Diet and the Cabinet recommendations for the current fiscal year on revising salaries for government employees. It calls for raising the monthly salary by 655 yen on average and bonuses by an amount equivalent to a 0.05 portion of monthly pay. The increase in both monthly salaries and bonuses has been recommended for five consecutive years. The annual pay would increase by 31,000 yen on average.
Taking into account private companies' wage hikes, which the government has backed, attempts to improve the treatment of government employees are understandable.
The recommendations call for treating those in their 20s and 30s handsomely by doing such things as raising initial pay. The number of applicants for central government positions has been declining as private firms have sought to hire more people. It is essential to make efforts to secure capable personnel.
The decline in morale among young government employees has been revealed in an NPA survey. Those in their 30s, who play a core role in practical work, are said to have low job satisfaction.
Behind this is the fact that an enormous amount of clerical work has been piled on top of them. There must be earnest efforts, including ensuring personnel arrangements in line with the number of jobs and enhancing work efficiency.
Diet's cooperation key
It is also indispensable to improve the practice of making preparations for answering Diet interpellations, which is one factor behind the long work hours. There have been many cases in which opposition party lawmakers' notifications of subjects for interpellations have been delayed, so the work of compiling materials used to answer interpellations has tended to continue until late at night. The Diet should cooperate in reducing the burden on government employees.
The NPA has also put together opinions calling for raising the retirement age for government employees in phases to 65.
In addition to the current reemployment system, this would increase government employees' options for work. The government plans to submit a bill to revise the National Public Service Law in the ordinary Diet session next year at the earliest.
Utilizing experienced and capable veteran workers is a challenge common to the public and private sectors. Less than 20 percent of private firms have introduced a raising of the retirement age. The government needs to aim for a system that can serve as a model for the private sector.
There is a host of issues to be studied. The NPA has proposed setting the pay for government employees aged over 60 at 70 percent of the amount they earned until that age.
To rein in total personnel expenses, it is imperative to reexamine the wage curve for those in their 50s and the levels of retirement payments.
The number of government employees would increase during a period of transition to an older retirement age. If recruitment of new university graduates is restrained in response, the age composition of national public servants could be distorted. It is advisable to consider flexible approaches in controlling the total amount of personnel expenses and the total number of employees.
In its report on personnel management, the NPA has clarified its disciplinary measures against officials who heinously mismanage public documents and made clear mention of its policy of strengthening seminars on sexual harassment.
The government must strive to make public service ethics thoroughly observed by government employees to prevent the people's trust in it being undermined.
(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 17, 2018)
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