Muscat: Breaking new ground in its quest to boost productivity and efficiency in the public sector, Oman’s Ministry of Civil Service on Saturday became the first government entity to embrace Europe’s acclaimed EFQM-based framework for quality management.
A circular issued by Shaikh Khalid Bin Omar Al Marhoon, Minister of Civil Service, directed all departments within the ministry to adopt the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), an excellence model implemented by more than 30,000 organisations in Europe.
First launched in 1999, the EFQM Excellence Model is based on eight Fundamental Concepts of Excellence. Designed to help organisations continually improve and achieve higher levels of performance, EFQM provides networking and mutual learning experiences, offers education, recognises achievements and supports the implementation of best tools and practices.
Brussels-based EFQM is a non-profit membership foundation that serves as the custodian of the EFQM Excellency Model, a non-prescriptive management framework that is widely used in public and private sector organisations throughout Europe and beyond.
Oman News Agency (ONA) quoted Al Marhoon as saying the initiative will help employees sync their personal career and growth objectives with the overall mission and vision of the ministry. Individual performances will be measured and excellence recognised through a system of incentives and rewards. The Excellence Model will also form the cornerstone of the ministry’s human resources development programme, with training and skills development set to receive top priority, he stated.
The government has tasked the Supreme Planning Council, the country’s top long-range planning agency, with formulating a strategy to address productivity and efficiency issues in the public sector.
