Human Resources

Manpower Planning

The permanent establishment of the Department was further reduced to 7 356 by the end of 2006 to meet the target set in the Chief Executive's Policy Address to reduce the size of the civil service to approximately 160 000 by March 2007. In planning for 2007/08, the Department had requested additional manpower resources in the 2006 annual estimates to provide for new initiatives, facilities and services including the implementation of the recommendations of the 'Review on the Role, Functions and Composition of District Councils' and to replace those Non-Civil Service Contract (NCSC) positions whose job would more appropriately be performed by civil servants as concluded in the following review.

In December 2006, the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) completed a review of the employment situation of NCSC staff in all government Bureaux and Departments. The Bureau concluded that approximately 1 400 NCSC staff in the Department were employed to provide short-term/seasonal services or services which were under review, whilst the remaining some 800 NCSC staff were performing work that should more appropriately be performed by civil servants. The Department will work together with the CSB to replace, in phases, some 800 NCSC staff by civil servants.

In view of the aforementioned service needs, the Department had applied for exemption from the recruitment freeze of departmental grades in 2006. Approval was given to conduct open recruitment for three departmental grades including the Amenities Assistant, Leisure Services Manager and Librarian grades. Open recruitment for the above three grades was conducted in 2006 with new recruits reporting for duty from early 2007.

Our staff training and development in 2006 focused on three major areas — equipping staff to support the District Council (DC) Review, enhancing customer service and building the team spirit of staff to generate more synergy at work to improve services. Serving these objectives, the Training Section organised and provided a wide range of training programmes for the officers concerned.

Following the public consultation on the 'Review on the Role, Functions and Composition of District Councils', the Executive Council endorsed the recommendations on the implementation plan to launch a pilot scheme in January 2007 before the full roll out in the new District Council term in January 2008. The LCSD, as one of the major Departments involved in the DC Review, tasked the Training Section to provide the relevant grades of staff with the necessary knowledge and skills to support the changing role of the DCs. Between September and December 2006, we collaborated with the Civil Service Training and Development Institute of the Civil Service Bureau to launch a specific training programme for the staff concerned in support of the DC Review. The programmes in the series included change and stress management, advanced presentation skills, executive image and etiquette, strategic thinking, negotiation and lobbying, media coaching, and Chinese committee paper writing, as well as an interpersonal communication and EQ workshop and experiences sharing by District Officers and District Leisure Managers.

Staff members hone their media relations skills in simulated press interviews in the media coaching course.

To train staff to strive for excellent service has always been our aim. Hence, providing full support to the two Leisure and Cultural Services Branches to enhance customer service was again the major initiative of the Training Section in 2006. During the year, we launched two projects, one on customer service enhancement for Swimming Pools and the other for Public Libraries. The project for Public Libraries was a pilot project for six identified public libraries. It included a review of the existing customer services, development of a service improvement plan and a customised training programme to instil in staff the appropriate attitudes and behaviour in service delivery.

We believe a successful team is the cornerstone of excellent service. Building good working teams to achieve better results was another major initiative in 2006. On the cultural services side, a customised team-building training programme was organised for all staff members of the Sheung Wan Civic Centre and Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre to enhance team synergy. For the Leisure Services Branch, following the completion of the activity-based team-building workshops for the Leisure Services Manager Grade in March 2006, another large-scale team-building programme for 480 frontline supervisors and staff members from various leisure venues, such as parks and playgrounds, swimming pools and sports centres, was held in June 2006 and from November 2006 to February 2007.

Staff members take part in interactive games designed to strengthen team spirit.

Participants have their co-operative skills tested at the outdoor games held by the Training Section.

In addition to the aforementioned three major training initiatives, the Training Section continued to provide a vast number of regular programmes that cover various leisure and cultural services disciplines as well as knowledge and skills training on general management, supervisory management, language and communication, computer software applications and information technology, and so forth. Local and overseas experts were invited to give lectures and conduct seminars on a wide range of specialised subjects, including the management of turf facilities, international pruning standards and practices, swimming pool management, water quality and hygiene for swimming pools, major event management, equestrian sport, crowd control management, museum services and stage rigging in performing arts venues, to name just a few.

A Stage Rigging Workshop provides performing arts venue staff members with essential skills and safety knowledge in the set up of stages.

To respond to the greater emphasis by the Government on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), the Training Section worked closely with Branch Safety Officers to provide more OSH training programmes to promote staff health and to minimise work injuries. Training was stepped up for district and venue safety officers with the provision of Safety Management training so that responsible officers can help assess the health risk and advise staff on safety measures. To arouse the general awareness of staff of OSH, a variety of courses were also provided. They included manual lifting and handling, working at height, working on slippery floors, overuse of soft tissue, tools and machine handling, outdoor work and weather forecasting, fire fighting, safe use of display screen equipment, prevention of violence at work and stress management, and so forth.

In addition to ensuring a clean and law-abiding workforce, we also provided seminars and talks to reinforce staff integrity and familiarise staff with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance and various anti-discrimination ordinances.

To help staff acquire more advanced knowledge and work practices that would benefit the Department's services, we sponsored staff members to take part in study and learning programmes outside Hong Kong. In 2006, 58 officers undertook institutional training or attachment programmes in different places outside Hong Kong: seven officers received horticultural training, 27 received sports and recreational training, and 24 received cultural services training. Upon their return from study overseas, we arranged experience sharing and debriefing sessions for the officers and their colleagues.

With regard to the tight work schedules of staff members, the Training Section continued to promote self-learning among staff through training videos and CD-ROMs on specialised subjects. With these training materials, staff can learn the relevant subject and refresh the necessary job knowledge and skills in their own time and at their own pace. In 2006, we produced two self-training videos on the amended Smoking Ordinance for the Leisure and Cultural Branches, respectively. Also, a training video on customer service skills with specific case studies is in production for swimming pool staff in support of the launch of the Customer Service Enhancement Programme for Swimming Pools.

In 2006, the Department followed the Government's decision of extending temporary jobs in the public sector and continued to organise three schemes — the Swimming Pool Trainee (SPT) Scheme, Beach Trainee (BT) Scheme and Library Assistant Trainee (LAT) Scheme. Under the SPT and BT schemes, we provided about 170 youngsters with four to six months of training. Over 95 per cent of them passed the required examinations and gained lifeguard qualifications. The graduates have provided a valuable source of lifeguard manpower for both public and private aquatic venues.

Forty participants smile cheerfully at the graduation ceremony of the Swimming Pool Trainees Scheme.

Overall, we had another successful year in 2006 in terms of achieving remarkable training results. The majority of the training programmes were very effective and were given excellent ratings by staff members. We made available more than 16 000 training places for all grades and ranks of staff, and the Ex-Council Contract and Non-Civil Service Contract staff members were also provided with abundant training opportunities. In the coming year, the Training Section will strive to provide more dynamic and customer-oriented programmes to serve the departmental objectives and for the benefit of our staff.

Our staff are our greatest asset. We attach great importance to maintaining good and effective relations and communication with our staff to cultivate a common goal in meeting the challenges of the Department together.

The management and staff have regular contact through meetings of the Departmental Consultative Committee and the General Grades Consultative Committee, and through meetings with staff unions. Ad hoc meetings, informal gatherings and briefings are also held when necessary to discuss issues of mutual concern. The Director also personally meets staff union representatives and visits frontline staff members at their workplaces to understand their concerns.

Director of Leisure and Cultural Services Thomas Chow (second from right) visits Kowloon Park to understand the work of frontline staff.

The needs of individuals are given equal attention. The Staff Relations-Staff Welfare Unit is always ready to attend to requests and enquiries from individual staff members regarding their welfare and concerns. Recreational activities are also organised from time to time. The karaoke contest, for example, has become an annual event and a highlight of the headquarters Christmas Party. To promote staff awareness of healthy living, we have organised health talks on Chinese medicine. Interest classes on the dress code in the work place and Putonghua were organised to enhance staff esprit de corps and promote the use of Putonghua in the Department. The classes were all well attended. The activities of the Departmental Volunteer Team and Departmental Sports Teams are supported to encourage staff to use their leisure time for worthwhile pursuits. This year, with the support of the Social Welfare Department, the Departmental Volunteer Team arranged for underprivileged families to view our annual Hong Kong Flower Show. Such activities will continue. The 15 Departmental Sports Teams also actively participated in various open and inter-departmental sports competitions.

Staff members show off their singing skills in the karaoke contest at the Christmas Party.

An interest class on the dress code provides staff with valuable tips on image building.

The Departmental Volunteer Team is geared to provide a guided tour of the Hong Kong Flower Show for the underprivileged.

An informative Staff Newsletter is published every two months as another effective channel for communicating with staff.

The bi-monthly Staff Newsletter provides an internal communication channel and strengthens cohesion among staff members.

Staff Motivation

One of our missions is to build a highly motivated and committed workforce. To this end, we spare no effort in giving the recognition due to staff members for their contributions. Staff members with over 20 years of service are eligible for consideration for the Long and Meritorious Service Certificates and Long and Meritorious Service Travel Awards. In 2006, 280 Certificates of Merit were issued to staff members who had performed commendable acts. The Director also issued commendations to thank staff members for their contribution to the 20^th International Society for the Performing Arts (ISPA) International Congress in August 2006.

Staff members with over 20 years of service are presented Long and Meritorious Service Certificates as recognition of their faithful service.

We were pleased to put up nominations for the commendation schemes beyond the departmental level. In 2006, five members of our staff were awarded commendations by the Secretary for the Civil Service for their exemplary performance over a long period of time. We are particularly proud of the following two officers who received awards in recognition of their assiduous and professional service from the Chief Executive at the 2006 Honours and Awards Ceremony.

Five staff members are awarded commendations by the Secretary for the Civil Service for their exemplary performance. (Upper left) Director of Leisure and Cultural Services Thomas Chow (centre) with four recipients at the awards presentation ceremony. They are (from left) Kwok Mok-han, Lau Yung-siu, Wong Sai-tak and Tau Kun-cheung. (Upper right) Deputy Director (Culture) Chung Ling-hoi (right) presents the award to Lo Kim-hung on a separate occasion.

Medal of Honour
- Chan Cheuk-wah, Senior Librarian

Senior Librarian Chan Cheuk-wah, recipient of Medal of Honour.

Chief Executive's Commendation for Government/Public Service
- Chu Siu-kwong, Assistant Leisure Services Manager I

Assistant Leisure Services Manager I Chu Siu-kwong, recipient of Chief Executive's Commendation for Government/Public Service.

The Department operates a Customer Appreciation Card Scheme to provide a direct channel for staff to receive feedback from customers. Staff members are also encouraged to develop and improve service standards through the Departmental Staff Suggestion Scheme, the Work Improvement Teams set up in leisure venues and the Work Improvement Competition for staff who serve in public libraries.

A self-initiated beautification project by the staff of Tai Wan Shan Swimming Pool under the Work Improvement Team Awards Scheme.

Customer Service

Customer focus is a core value of the Department. We are pleased to have received 7 520 appreciation cards and 840 compliments from our customers in 2006. The positive feedback is most encouraging to our frontline staff.