NEARLY a quarter of all 60,000 civil servants in Singapore are set to bring home more attractive pay packages, with top-notch performers getting salary increases of up to 17 per cent more.

At the same time, their pay structure will be reformed to sharpen the link between pay and performance.

The changes, which take effect in January next year, are the result of a four-month review that involved all 15 government ministries, external consultancy, and feedback from 2,000 civil servants.

The move is to ensure that the civil service remains competitive as an employer, even as the robust economy pushes up salaries in the private sector. A recent poll indicates that bosses in Singapore, who dispensed salary hikes averaging 4.8 per cent this year, are ready to up it to 5.2 per cent in 2008.

In response, the government is not standing still. The current round of changes follows hot upon the heels of a move in June to increase the starting pay of fresh graduates by between 3 and 33 per cent.

The new changes, announced on Thursday by the Public Service Division (PSD), affect 13,700 out of a total of 60,000 civil servants.

They fall into three groups: management executives; management and technical support officers; and corporate and operations support officers.

Reviews are ongoing for the other officers such as teachers and those in the uniformed services.

Management executives are those with university degrees, and holding executive positions in areas such as policy planning and finance.

Those described as 'good performers' will get an average of 8.6 per cent increase in their annual salary package. More than half of the 3,800 management executives should fall into this category, said PSD.

'Better performers' will get a 14 to 17 per cent hike, while poor performers will see either no change or a decline in their pay packages.

Up to 6 per cent will go into the monthly salaries, while the rest pertain to bonuses.

There are other non-salary changes.

For instance, there is now a new specialist career track for those who do not wish to go into management, but instead to become a specialist in an arealike psychology.

A programme is also introduced to develop young officers with potential for senior leadership positions.

And to help them self-manage their career development, a portal will be launched next year where service-wide vacancies will be featured.

For the second group of officers - the management and technical support officers with diplomas, starting pay for new recruits will increase by up to $100.

As for the existing 2,500 employees, salary package increases will range from 5 to 5 per cent for good performers, and 5.9 to 8.4 per cent for better performers.

Up to 3 to 4 per cent will go into the monthly salaries.

As for the third group - the corporate and operations support officers who hold O-Level qualifications, there is no salary increase.

However, to encourage them to upgrade their skills, training incentives of between $200 and $300 will be given if they complete certain courses or attain formal qualifications.

At the same time, the education and manpower ministries and the police force, together with the unions, are embarking on a pilot project to redesign certain jobs.

For instance, lab technicians can be trained to also take on administrative duties so that they become more versatile, said Mr Teo Yock Ngee, general secretary of the Amalgamated Union of Public Employees.

At the same time, a new Growth Bonus is being introduced for all civil servants.

It replaces the current Special Bonus, a fixed quantum of 0.2 months, which is given out in years of 'exceptional economic growth'.

Now, the new Growth Bonus will be tiered by performance and paid out in years of 'exceptional growth'.

» Click here for the press statement

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