Best practices in public-sector human resources: Wisconsin State Government

Abstract

There is widespread agreement that government human resource systems and processes must become more responsive, flexible, and efficient. However, reform remains more a goal than a reality. The Wisconsin Department of Employment Relations, the state government central personnel/HRM office, has aggressively improved the state human resource/civil service system. Improvements include modernizing state civil service laws, delegating decision-making to operating agencies, developing creative ways to assess job applicants, making greater use of technology, expanding recruiting activities, creating more flexibility in compensation, expanding affirmative action efforts, and forging partnerships with public employee labor unions. These reforms have resulted in faster hiring, well-qualified job candidates, a more diverse work force, and better ways to reward and retain talent. The department has implemented these improvements while still preserving fundamental principles of merit, fairness, and openness. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.