03 January 2014
AL-KHOBAR - Many employees remain in the same job and department for years, doing the same job and routine until they reach a point of stagnation. They lack motivation, are unable to develop their skills or learn new ways to accomplish their tasks. Al-Riyadh daily reported that the problem is more evident in the government sector where employees spend years doing the same job and are unable to break loose from the routine they have become accustomed to.
Despite the fact that this problem exists, a system for job rotation and exchange of duties has not been enacted. Such a system would allow employees to benefit from new experiences in a new job and allow employees to break their usual routines. The question remains: Why has such a system not been adopted in the government sector and are there real obstacles that prevent the application of such a system?
Abha University President, Dr. Saad Al-Heraiqi, said that rotating employees every four or five years is very important in developing and discovering new experiences and talent.
"Rotation is especially important in the private sector as it allows for the creation of a second line of employees. Experienced and specialized employees should have other employees around them to benefit from their experiences in case they retire or are transferred to other departments," he said.
He pointed out that the problem lies with some managers who are apprehensive of change and of new experiences that may negatively affect work. Nevertheless, job rotation is necessary to create a second line of experience and allow other employees a chance to excel. Dr. Al-Heraiqi noted that there some employees who are reluctant to change and may require a transfer to another department.
"Such employees are very content with their current managers and fear that the new managers may not live up to their expectations. To overcome such fears, new managers should not undermine the work of other managers but consider the positives and negatives of the work they have done and strive toward improving the negative aspects," he added.
Dr. Salah Al-Zaidan, strategic planning consultant and faculty member at the Institute of Public Administration, said job rotations are applied in the private sector but at a very modest level.
"There are managers in the government sector who have worked in a certain department for a long time and are transferred to other sectors just to imply that were rotated, while the fact of the matter is that they were only rotated so they can remain managers," he said, while pointing out that employees' rotations benefit the organization itself, where a qualified alternative would be available in case the current employee goes on vacation or is transferred elsewhere.
"In such situations, the organization is protecting itself from any emergencies that may come up, and ensure the continuation of work," he said.
He stressed that rotations also benefit employees as they acquire new experiences and skills, and called on the Ministry of Civil Services to adopt a rotation scheme in government bodies.
"There are no human resources departments in the government sector to develop such rotation programs. There are only personnel affairs sections that monitor vacations, attendance and other simple tasks."
AL-KHOBAR - Many employees remain in the same job and department for years, doing the same job and routine until they reach a point of stagnation. They lack motivation, are unable to develop their skills or learn new ways to accomplish their tasks. Al-Riyadh daily reported that the problem is more evident in the government sector where employees spend years doing the same job and are unable to break loose from the routine they have become accustomed to.
Despite the fact that this problem exists, a system for job rotation and exchange of duties has not been enacted. Such a system would allow employees to benefit from new experiences in a new job and allow employees to break their usual routines. The question remains: Why has such a system not been adopted in the government sector and are there real obstacles that prevent the application of such a system?
Abha University President, Dr. Saad Al-Heraiqi, said that rotating employees every four or five years is very important in developing and discovering new experiences and talent.
"Rotation is especially important in the private sector as it allows for the creation of a second line of employees. Experienced and specialized employees should have other employees around them to benefit from their experiences in case they retire or are transferred to other departments," he said.
He pointed out that the problem lies with some managers who are apprehensive of change and of new experiences that may negatively affect work. Nevertheless, job rotation is necessary to create a second line of experience and allow other employees a chance to excel. Dr. Al-Heraiqi noted that there some employees who are reluctant to change and may require a transfer to another department.
"Such employees are very content with their current managers and fear that the new managers may not live up to their expectations. To overcome such fears, new managers should not undermine the work of other managers but consider the positives and negatives of the work they have done and strive toward improving the negative aspects," he added.
Dr. Salah Al-Zaidan, strategic planning consultant and faculty member at the Institute of Public Administration, said job rotations are applied in the private sector but at a very modest level.
"There are managers in the government sector who have worked in a certain department for a long time and are transferred to other sectors just to imply that were rotated, while the fact of the matter is that they were only rotated so they can remain managers," he said, while pointing out that employees' rotations benefit the organization itself, where a qualified alternative would be available in case the current employee goes on vacation or is transferred elsewhere.
"In such situations, the organization is protecting itself from any emergencies that may come up, and ensure the continuation of work," he said.
He stressed that rotations also benefit employees as they acquire new experiences and skills, and called on the Ministry of Civil Services to adopt a rotation scheme in government bodies.
"There are no human resources departments in the government sector to develop such rotation programs. There are only personnel affairs sections that monitor vacations, attendance and other simple tasks."
© The Saudi Gazette 2014
