Performance management in the Services SETA

Abstract

Performance management is critical to the South African public sector as the focus on increased accountability and performance grows. Performance management systems are used extensively in the public and private sectors, but are inclined to be fraught with challenges and limitations. The purpose of this research was to investigate factors leading to the inability of the Services SETA’s Performance Management and Development System to develop public servants of the future; to present, interpret and analyse the findings; and to investigate how to transform the performance management system of the Services SETA to develop Executive Managers as public servants of the future. The qualitative research approach used an instrumental single case study. This led to the key finding that the Services SETA’s Performance Management and Development System is unable to develop Executive Managers as public servants of the future. The Services SETA specifically, and the public sector generally, needs to revise its design for performance management, with a strategic shift managing and directing performance to the facilitating performance. This strategic shift is necessary as performance is a multi-faceted phenomenon.