The Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) today launched the pilot of the Human Resource (HR) Module of the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) at the National Zoological Gardens, in Pretoria.
Launched by Minister for the Public Service and Administration, Mr Richard Baloyi, the pilot will be implemented firstly within the DPSA as the lead department, followed by the Free State Department of Education.
Following completion of the pilot implementation at the two lead sites, the solution will be rolled out with the new IFMS payroll solution to the rest of the public service. The implementation of the HR module of the IFMS throughout the whole of government will take between three to five years to complete.
The IFMS is a joint initiative between the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA), National Treasury and the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) to integrate and modernise the transverse information technology systems that support financial, supply chain and human resource management in the public service.
The current legacy systems such as Persal, Bas, Logis and Vulindlela will over the next few years be replaced by the IFMS.
The IFMS is part of a public service wide migration to an e-government. The e-government programme seeks to provide facilitated access to government services and to ensure that those services are citizen-focused and beneficial to business and government departments.
The three components of the e-government system are the provision of services from government to government; from government to business and from government to citizens. The IFMS falls within the government to government service, providing a back office support that will ensure systems within government communicate; that databases and vital employee information can be shared; as well as ensuring interoperability with other government entities and systems such as Companies and Intellectual Property Registration Office (CIPRO) and Hanis.
Human Resource Work stream
The IFMS programme is executed through a number of work streams, with human resource (HR) management as a module. The DPSA, as “policy owner” for HR management in the public service is leading the development and implementation of the HR module.
The implementation of the HR module is divided into three sub-projects which include:
- The development of the HR generic template which forms the basis of the HR module of the IFMS. This entails the customisation and configuration of the SAP HCM solution for the needs and circumstances of the Public Service. Some further customisation and configuration may be required to address the needs of specific departments in future implementation across the public service.
- The implementation of the HR module in the DPSA as the first lead site.
- The implementation of the HR module in the Free State Department of Education as the second lead site.
Elements of the HR Work stream
The HR module supports the full spectrum of HR processes which includes:
- The establishment of a viable organisational structure to support the strategic objectives of the department. The organisational management module also includes functionality to develop and capture job descriptions and job evaluation results.
- HR planning which includes functionality to develop an HR action plan for a department.
- Recruitment. Amongst others an online portal will be provided on which applicants may apply for vacancies within the Public Service.
- Employee movement is catering for transfers, secondments, etc.
- Education, training and development. This module fully supports the training and development of employees and includes online booking of courses linked to the individual’s personal development plan.
- Performance management which includes the capturing key performance indicators to support self - and supervisor performance assessments online.
- Career and succession management to manage the careers of employees in the Public Service.
- Remuneration management which includes conditions of service such as benefits and allowances. The largest part of the functionality in this area will be provided by the new IFMS payroll solution.
- Leave management which provides for online leave applications and approval.
- Employee health and safety issues which include capturing safety incidents and managing employee health profiles.
- Labour relations. The module provides for dispute logging, grievance procedures, disciplinary cases, etc.
- Exit management which manages the termination process.
These processes are underpinned by comprehensive HR reporting functionality.
In addition, the introduction of manager and employee self service will allow individual employees and their supervisors to perform a number of HR transactions such as applying for and approving leave, viewing and updating personal details and completing certain HR related forms on-line.
Benefits of the HR Module
The full implementation of the HR module will ensure:
- Improved capacity of the public service to better manage its human resources through the automation and standardisation of HR processes.
- Improved support for the implementation of human resource management policies and processes across the Public Service.
- Better planning and decision-making through improved quality of, and access to, HR management information.
- Support to monitoring and evaluation initiatives.
- Improved HR reporting.
The IFMS as comprised of nine modules which covers but are not limited to aspects such as supply chain management, asset management and financial management will ensure a public service with a better coordinated back office and that is therefore better positioned to deliver on citizen needs.
For further information contact:
Dumisani Nkwamba
Cell: 082 885 9448
Tel: 012 336 1704
E-mail: dumisanin@dpsa.gov.za
Lebohang Mafokosi
Cell: 082 312 4641
Tel: 012 336 1017
E-mail: lebohangm@dpsa.gov.za
