By the end of March 2012, the department was staffed by 7 887 civil servants. Apart from fulfilling new service demands, additional human resources were required to fill existing vacancies and replace non-civil service contract (NCSC) staff in public libraries to enable us to offer better frontline services. To man new facilities and services and enhance existing services, the department expects to further strengthen its workforce with about 230 new posts in 2012-13.
NCSC staff are employed by the department under the NCSC Staff Scheme to meet our service and operational requirements. They are mainly responsible for providing support services in the leisure and cultural venues/offices, including general administrative support, frontline and customer services, technical support and information technology services.
In the past few years, the department has made good progress in replacing about 770 NCSC staff with civil servants out of the 800 positions identified for replacement under the special review of NCSC staff by the Civil Service Bureau in 2006. The majority of the remaining NCSC positions will gradually be phased out in the coming financial year when these contracts expire, taking into account the lead time required to fill related civil service posts through open recruitment.
Apart from the aforementioned special review of NCSC staff, the department has completed a review of the mode of governance in public museums as well as a review of frontline and support services in public libraries. Some 280 NCSC positions in public museums and libraries are being replaced in phases by civil service posts.
Following a series of recruitment drives in recent years for various departmental grades for both leisure and cultural services, the department continued recruitment exercises for Assistant Leisure Services Manager II, Assistant Librarian and Cultural Services Assistant II in 2011-12. About 340 new recruits reported for duty in the period to fill existing vacancies and take up the new posts created to cope with new service demands and replace NCSC positions.
The department’s Training Section offered a wide range of programmes in 2011-12.
Growing environmental awareness and public concern for tree management increased the demand for tree specialists. Therefore, the Training Section organised professional training to strengthen knowledge and professionalism in arboriculture of staff involved in this area.
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Colleagues learned more about trees by joining the Visual Tree Inspection & Recognition of Tree Risk training course. |
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During the year, the main focus of training was on tree inspection, pathology, risk assessment and old and valuable tree (OVT) management to improve curative measures for problem trees. The training programme covered: 22 courses on Visual Tree Inspection and Recognition of Tree Risk for over 600 staff from September to December 2011; a Certified Tree Risk Assessor Training Programme in April and December 2011 for 20 Leisure Services Managers and Amenities Assistants; Thematic Arboriculture seminars for over 400 staff; a Specialist Arboriculture training course for 54 staff; and an OVT Management Training Programme for 33 staff.
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Staff learn how to use a resistograph, a device that reveals tree decay. |
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In June and December 2011, we organised re-certification training programmes for the International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborists. Forty Leisure Services Managers and Amenities Assistants were re-certified for the professional qualification. We also arranged training for other recognised qualifications, including the Professional Diploma in Arboriculture (CUHK), BSc (Hon) Degree in Arboriculture (UK), Arboriculture Level 3 BTEC Diploma/Extended Diploma (UK) and Tree Surgery for Craftsmen (UK).
The Training Section acquired two new premises for arboriculture and horticulture training, one in the new practical training grounds in Lai Chi Kok Park and the other in Central Kwai Chung Park. The facilities, which opened in May 2011, enable the department to cater better to our training needs.
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An instructor at a staff training session at the arboriculture centre in Kwai Chung. |
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One of the department’s core missions is to strive for service excellence. The Training Section provides comprehensive customer service training to staff. In 2011-12, the Training Section widened the scope of the Know Your Customers, Serve Better workshop series, with seminars and workshops on serving the hearing-impaired and customers suffering from psychosis. By learning more about different customers’ needs, staff can evaluate and improve their current service standards.
To further raise professional standards, the Training Section organised structured training in museology, librarianship, arts administration and performing arts appreciation. It also arranged training in such important areas as audience building, intellectual property rights, emergency management, Internet and mobile marketing, to name a few.
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Assistant managers of the cultural branch honed their arts administration skills at an induction programme organised to raise professionalism. |
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Committed to providing a safe and pleasant environment to the public, the Training Section developed a compact, tailor-made Building Management series. It involved a five-day customised course on building management, talks on building operation and maintenance, as well as experience sharing seminars on repair and maintenance works. In addition, a talk on planning new cultural facilities was organised to discuss the challenge of constructing intelligent, sustainable and accessible facilities for the arts community and the public.
Staff were also given opportunities to broaden their cultural knowledge through overseas training and internship programmes and exchanges with prestigious international cultural institutions. The valuable experience and knowledge thus gained have enabled them to plan our public events more imaginatively, helping Hong Kong retain its status as a world-class events capital.
The Training Section continued to organise Occupational Health and Safety (OSH) training programmes to provide a safe and healthy environment for all staff and for customers visiting premises or participating in our activities. This year, over 1 000 staff received training in the use of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and received relevant certification. Other general courses in OSH, such as Prevention of Violence at the Workplace, Breakaway Techniques, Avoiding Snake Bites, Dog Behaviour, Fire Prevention, Electrical Safety and so on, raised occupational safety awareness among frontline staff.
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Training courses for staff helped them learn life-saving techniques with Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillator. |
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We also continued to offer competence certificate courses, such as the Certificate of Competence in Display Screen Equipment Assessment and Certificate of Competence in Manual Handling. In addition, the Training Section also organised OSH management courses for district and venue safety officers, including Basic Safety Management Training for District/Venue Safety Officers and Risk Assessment for Swimming Pool Managers, among others.
In 2011-12, the department continued a government initiative to offer temporary jobs to youngsters, through two schemes: Swimming Pool Trainee (SPT) and Beach Trainee (BT). Under the SPT and BT schemes, the Training Section provided four to six months’ training to over 40 youngsters, of whom more than 90 per cent passed the tests to gain lifeguard qualifications. These graduates were able to find jobs in public and private aquatic venues. Some also applied to join as civil service lifeguards.
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The department’s Swimming Pool Trainee scheme offers youngsters aquatic first aid skills. |
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Our Training Section also provided a number of regular programmes covering various leisure and cultural services disciplines, in addition to general knowledge and skills training, supervisory management, language and communication, computer software applications and IT.
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Staff learn the proper handling of museum objects at a workshop. |
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Overall, 2011-12 was a productive year for staff training. In the year under review, we offered a total of 18 853 training places to all grades and ranks including NCSC and ex-Council contract staff. Most of our training programmes were effective, as reflected in trainees’ feedback.
The department maintains good staff relations through excellent communication.
Management maintains regular contact with staff through meetings of the Departmental Consultative Committee, the General Grades Consultative Committee and with staff unions. In addition, ad hoc meetings, informal gatherings and briefings are held to discuss issues of mutual concern. The Director of Leisure and Cultural Services also meets staff and union representatives to gain a better understanding of their concerns and take appropriate action.
Individual needs are given equal attention. The Staff Relations ‒ Staff Welfare Unit attends to requests and enquiries from staff regarding their welfare and other concerns. Staff are encouraged to make suggestions about improving and streamlining operations and/or the department’s management.
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Our staff enthusiastically joined the Walks for Millions to raise funds for needy people in our community. |
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The department also organises recreational activities like day camp. To enhance team spirit, we also organise popular special-interest classes on such topics as horticulture and physical fitness. The departmental Volunteer Team and 15 sports teams also encourage staff to use their leisure time in worthwhile pursuits. This year, the Volunteer Team visited inmates of an integrative rehabilitation complex and a home for the elderly. We also made arrangements for underprivileged families to attend the Centenary of China’s 1911 Revolution Exhibition and the annual Hong Kong Flower Show. Our sports teams participated in various open and inter-departmental competitions.
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The department organises a wide range of leisure activities for our staff. |
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The winning team of the department’s dragon boat teams pose with their championship trophy at the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival. |
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The quarterly Staff Newsletter is another effective medium for staff communication.
Recognition plays a key role in building a motivated and committed workforce. Staff who have served well for 20 years or more are eligible for consideration for Long and Meritorious Service Certificates and Long and Meritorious Service Travel Awards. In 2011-12, eight staff received Commendation Letters for their outstanding contribution towards enhancing the image of the department and 169 staff received Certificates of Merit for their meritorious service.
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The LCSD won the Civil Service Outstanding Service Award 2011 for our customer service. |
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The department also nominates staff for external commendations. In 2011-12, three of our staff members received commendations by the Secretary for the Civil Service for their consistently meritorious daily performance.
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Our colleagues received the Secretary for the Civil Service's Commendation Awards for their excellent performance. |
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The department’s Customer Appreciation Card Scheme is a channel for staff to receive direct customer feedback. Staff are also encouraged to develop and improve service standards through the Staff Suggestion Scheme and Work Improvement Teams. In 2011-12, a competition was held among Work Improvement Teams in Sports Centres.
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The Work Improvement Team Award Scheme gave staff an opportunity to share their thoughts on how new measures for quality customer services are carried out at venues. |
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Customer focus is a core value of the department. In 2011-12, we received more than 13 500 appreciation cards and over 1 700 compliments from our customers. The significant increase over the previous year is most encouraging, especially for our frontline staff.
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Customer appreciation cards show the compliments we received for services at various venues. |
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