Performance-based bonuses for Zimbabwe civil servants

CIVIL servants from this year will now be paid bonuses based on their performances, as Government implements its personnel performance system, outgoing Public Service Commission Secretary Ambassador Jonathan Wutawunashe said yesterday.

Speaking at his farewell party, he said the personnel performance system implemented during his tenure has been theoretically present throughout but now needed to be given form.

This system requires that performance be rewarded commensurately with the quality of that performance.

"It is correct that bonuses from now on will be paid on the basis of performance. One hopes that every public servant will get a good bonus, but the principle is very straightforward: If the service is excellent you get an excellent bonus; if it is very good you get a very good bonus; and for good service you get a good bonus. But if it is nothing you embrace nothing.

"That is the expectation. Of course no one expects that public servants will be making efforts to produce nothing."

Up to this year the bonus has been automatic as a thirteenth cheque, regardless of performance.

Ambassador Wutawunashe said when the personnel performance system was revamped its purpose was to align service delivery with the rewards for self-delivery.

"So that alignment is now complete. The alignment that our system talked about, hoping and dreaming that there is going to be a system of rewards that are commensurate with delivery," he said.

"When you make contributions beyond the call of duty, that is excellence; when you are very good you are very good and so forth. A bonus is supposed to be a thank you for the excellent service that one has provided."

Permanent Secretary for Health and Child Care Jasper Chimedza has since directed chief directors, provincial medical directors, acting chief medical directors, directors and deputy directors of the PSC position.

The notification sent on Monday said: "The PSC has issued a circular notifying of the changed method of payment of bonuses and other performance-related awards in the civil service. It is advised that with effect from this year, bonus will only be paid based on performance appraisal reports," reads the circular.

The permanent secretary advised that all members of staff from deputy director level and below should be appraised as per the standard requirements while the officials will be notified as to when to start submitting the consolidated performance ratings at the appropriate time.

Holders of top State posts and senior staff including ministers, permanent secretaries, town clerks and other top staff have signed performance-based contracts as the Second Republic looks for results.

President Mnangagwa while presiding over the signing ceremony of performance contracts for Cabinet ministers and permanent secretaries exhorted public officials to always put the interests of the ordinary people first.

He stressed the need for teamwork in the implementation of Government programmes tailored to transform livelihoods.