101 Ways to Erode Trust in Public Sector Recruiting

Dr Ann Villiers, Mental Nutritionist

This free ebook identifies for selection panels and managers 101 ways in which ill-informed choices can erode trust in the integrity and professionalism of public sector recruiting processes.

Public sector recruiting is meant to be based on merit, fairness, openness yet many behaviours erode perceptions that this is actually happening. The Australian Public Service Commission's State of the Service Report for 2002-03 identified that only 59% of employees agreed that their agency consistently applied merit during competitive selection processes. This figure had declined to 53% by 2004-05.

While the exact reasons for this decline are unclear, the perception may well be affected by the many micro behaviours across a recruitment process that can be seen as unprofessional or inappropriate. Recruiting staff is a major PR exercise. When people are not trained in the relevant skills, are ill-informed and operate on hearsay and assumption, the scope for eroding trust is wide.

This ebook draws attention to these micro behaviours with a view to raising the standard of professionalism and the perception that merit is consistently applied during competitive selection processes.

Read 101 Ways to Erode Trust in Public Sector Recruiting by Dr Ann Villiers. Talk to Dr Villiers about her program Recruiting, Selecting and Retaining Staff, a program for people on selection panels.