,PUB3702 Exam Study Notes Pack
Contains:
• Detailed Study Notes
• Exam Preparation Summaries
,PUB3702
PUBLIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
RESOURCES:
UNISA Study Guide MO001 for PUB3702 (2015)
South African Human Resource Management for the Public Sector 2nd Edition, Van der Westhuizen and
Wessels.
CONTENT COVERED:
•SU1: GENERAL INTRODUCTION
THEME 1: ORIENTATION
AND THEORETICAL
•SU2: MILIEU OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR HR FUNCTION
OVERVIE W
•SU3: STRATEGIC HR PLANNING
THEME 2: STRATEGIC •SU4: RECRUITING POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR
HR PLANNING &
PROVISION OF
SUITABLE HR FOR THE •SU5: SELECTION, APPOINTMENT & ORIENTATION OF PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEES
PUBLIC SECTOR
THEME 3: UTILISATION
•SU6: STRUCTURING OF LEARNING PROGRAMMES
& DEVELOPMENT OF
PUBLIC SECTOR
EMPLOYEES
THEME 4:
•SU7: PERSONNEL COMPENSATION
COMPENSATION AND
CARING FOR PUBLIC
SECTOR EMPLOYEES
, STUDY UNIT 1: GENERAL INTRODUCTION
Definition of public sector human resource management:
Public sector human resource management is an integrated process that occurs in a particular milieu, comprising all the
main activities carried out by certain individuals and groups in the public sector institutions as part of their assigned
duties in order to achieve certain objectives (human resource and institutional objectives) by making use of resources or
aids and by following certain outcomes (professional ethical guidelines) for effective and efficient action.
Different main activities / characteristics of human resource management in the public sector:
Main activities / characteristics:
✓ Management perspective:
A manager in the public service is anyone who takes responsibility for other people’s work. Also includes
first-level supervisors or junior managers.
All PSHRM strive to be successful: doing the right things (being effective) in the right way (being efficient).
Right things refer to specific services which a particular PS institution serves to provide. Right way: in such a
way that all stakeholders are satisfied. If customers are satisfied, chances of success are much better.
PSHRM Students study all activities of PSM.
PSM aims is to ensure success of their institutions & improvement of quality of life of all stakeholders
Institution is goal driven and PSHRM are responsible for ensuring goal achievement
Concerned with utilizing of resources: tangible or intangible, include resources such as natural (water and
land), financial (cash), technological (machinery and equipment and computer technology), information and
knowledge-based resources, energy-related resources and human resources.
All resources must be utilized combined and transformed into need-satisfying services. It is responsibility of
HRM to manage all of these resources.
Why is HRM important? Nine mistakes to avoid:
o Hiring wrong person for specific post
o High staff turnover
o Employees not performing well
o Inefficient job interviews
o Court cases because of discriminatory actions
o Unsafe working conditions
o Pay inequities
o Incompetent staff; and
o Unfair labour practices.
Three levels: junior, middle and senior management level.
Cost-effectiveness: all HR functions should always be carried out at the lowest possible cost.
✓ “Public” perspective
Two broad institutional settings:
a) “Public sector” (broader framework) constitutes the public service (includes employees in
government departments at national and provincial level) and local government (as well as a host of
statutory bodies, parastatals and quasi-government institutions
Public service – public servants employed at national state departments and provincial
administrations