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Human resources management in Human resources management in NSOsNSOs

Training workshop for SADC member states. Luanda, 2-6 Dec 2006

Olav Ljones, Deputy Director General, Statistics Norway.

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The importance of human resource management• To fulfill the tasks for a NSI, success factors.

– Produce and disseminate official statistics of high quality– Public confidence and active use of official statistics by various

user groups– Efficient use of internal resources, human resources and capital– Efficient data capture, use of administrative data, public registers,

and statistical survey– Respect and protect the respondent– Sound management of financial and human resources– Good cooperation with other institutions, nationally and

internationally

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From ”the Fundamental Principles”

• 1. Official statistics provide an indispensable element in the information system of a democratic society, serving the Government, the economy and the public with data about the economic, demographic, social and environmental situation. To this end, official statistics that meet the test of practical utility are to be compiled and made available on an impartial basis by official statistical agencies to honour citizens' entitlement to public information.

• 2. To retain trust in official statistics, the statistical agencies need to decide according to strictly professional considerations, including scientific principles and professional ethics, on the methods and procedures for the collection, processing, storage and presentation of statistical data.

• 3. To facilitate a correct interpretation of the data, the statistical agencies are to present information according to scientific standards on the sources, methods and procedures of the statistics.

• 4. The statistical agencies are entitled to comment on erroneous interpretation and misuse of statistics.

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from ”the Fundamental Principles”

• 5. Data for statistical purposes may be drawn from all types of sources, be they statistical surveys or administrative records. Statistical agencies are to choose the source with regard to quality, timeliness, costs and the burden on respondents.

• 6. Individual data collected by statistical agencies for statistical compilation, whether they refer to natural or legal persons, are to be strictly confidential and used exclusively for statistical purposes.

• 7. The laws, regulations and measures under which the statistical systems operate are to be made public.

• 8. Coordination among statistical agencies within countries is essential to achieve consistency and efficiency in the statistical system.

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from ”the Fundamental principles”

• 9. The use by statistical agencies in each country of international concepts, classifications and methods promotes the consistency and efficiency of statistical systems at all official levels.

• 10. Bilateral and multilateral cooperation in statistics contributes to the improvement of systems of official statistics in all countries

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The official statistician – a superman/lady?• serve an indispensable element in the information system

of modern democracies• practical utility• impartial basis• strictly professional considerations• scientific principles• professional ethics• comment other’s errors and mistakes• use resources efficient• keep response burden at low level• respect confidentiality• co-operative, nationally and internationally

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Human resource management

• Recruitment

• Training

• Maintenance

• Organization

• Mobility, rotation

• Duties, obligation and delegation

• Wage policy

• Other elements

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Manpower characteristics, challenges in HR

High turnover especially among young staff with higher education.

A significant proportion of staff with long experience, with internal training and experience.

A combination of several professions with different educational background

Budget limitations with effects on both salary level and the need for internal mobility.

• The status and self-respect?

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Training of statisticians

Adapt training to the different needs for various groups of staff

• Basic training in statistics for new staffTraining in project work and project managementTraining in Total Quality Management Management training An internal training program in theoretical and applied

statistics  An internal training program in IT,  Various ad hoc courses in different subject matter fields Admission to courses etc at colleges or universities with or

without grants from employer

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Official statistics an academic profession?• The need for professional methods best practice

• Activities at universities etc on official statistics

• NSIs as academic institutions

• Cooperation between academia and NSIs

• Cooperation between mathematical statisticians and official statisticians

• A certificate in official statistics – a tool for human management ?

• National Accounts has an academic history (Nobel Prices in Economics)

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The Norwegian certificate in Official Statistics

• A pilot project in 2002

• Tested on a real sample – with real wage increases

• An idea put forward by one trade union

• Stat. Norway has continued with the certificate

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Evaluation criteria

• General education level (university)

• Some courses in statistical methods

• Documented experience from statistical work with use of methods

• Knowledge about Official statistical system in Norway

• Skills in communication

• Cooperation

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Statistical methods in official statistics

• a) Planning data collection

• b) Evaluation of data quality; sample uncertainty and skew ness.

• c) Evaluation of error sources

• d) Specific uncertainty measurements such as standard errors and confidence intervals

• e) Statistical methods in statistical analyses.

• f) Special requirements for official statistics such as for instance requirement for documentation (meta-data), as part of a comprehensive statistical system, release and protection of privacy.

• g) Evaluation of when further method competence should be considered.

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Evaluation committee

• Written documentation including plans, methods and final dissemination of statistics.

• Supplementary application with a CV that includes description of different work tasks.

• Statement from line manager.

• Description of work distribution in joint work tasks.

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Other aspects of making the official statistician a even more respected profession

• Take part in national statistical organizations and other relevant organizations

• Build relations with academia/universities

• Active involvement in international statistical meetings/seminars and organizations

• Long list of relevant international organizations from UN to regional org.

• Also ISI and IAOS, http://isi.cbs.nl/

• Competition Best paper by young statisticians