¶ Human Resources
¶ Public Service Standing Orders
Uganda Government Public Service Standing Orders (PSSOs) constitute the human resource manual for the government ministries, departments, and LGs. The PSSOs are prepared by Ministry of Public Service (MPS) to guide operations of public servants. The PSSOs are key in guiding the operations of the public service and the issues concerning the terms and conditions of service under which the public servant performs his/her duties. Personnel holding public office in government Ministries Departments and Agencies are expected to abide with the PSSOs. However, any government agency preferring to make their own standing orders are required to harmonize them with PSSOs (Republic of Uganda, 2010[1] ).
Instruction 390: Each Unit of FMIs shall keep hard or soft copies of the PSSOs at its offices so that staff are able to freely access them whenever they need so that there should not be any reason for not knowing what is expected of them, and what they should expect from MPS.
Instruction 391: The PSSOs are an accountability document and must, therefore, be handed over on transfer or on leaving the Public Service.
¶ Human Resource Manuals
The employees of an institution constitute one of the most important resources, and their management requires a human resource manual (HRM). For the Public Service institutions, the PSSOs serve this purpose, but Statutory Institutions often have flexibility in adjusting them to fit their unique operating conditions.
Instruction 392: The HRM shall cover all aspects of the human resource in relation to the institution’s service mandate, including, but not limited to recruitment, training, deployment, compensation, welfare and safety, and the work environment.
¶ Managing People
One of the things which foresters are not directly taught at college is the matter of managing people. It involves soft skills that include among others interpersonal relationships, communication, listening, time management, and empathy. These skills compliment the technical skills and are therefore very important for delivery of results in management and conservation of forest resources. There are many practical tips given by different people online. Derek Jones, 2019[2] , has brought them together quite well as reproduced below:
a) People management definition
People management is also referred to as human resources management and includes the recruitment, training, and management of employees. Specific people management tasks include arranging compensation, conducting employee performance reviews, and ensuring effective workplace communication.
b) How to be a better manager
An effective leader should always strive to improve their skills to become a better manager. Effectively managing people requires the ability to relate to different types of personalities and the capability to display strong leadership skills. Effective managers also need to have a good understanding of employment legislation, training, and employee motivation techniques.
c) Some tips to help improve the skills of a manager
(i) Improve your leadership skills
As a manager, your employees look to you to lead them to meet the business objectives. Leadership involves making decisions about which employees are the most suited to different tasks. You will also need to provide clear and detailed direction for your employees. Effective managers are able to mediate to resolve conflicts that arise within the team.
(ii) Focus on training and development
In order to become a better manager, you must ensure that your employees are equipped to perform their tasks to a high standard. One of the ways to prepare your team is to give them access to suitable training and development opportunities. As an effective manager, you may also be responsible for hiring the right candidates to join your team. Individuals who want to become better managers view training and development as an ongoing process, which continues after a new hire has been through the onboarding procedure. Your job is to develop employees so they are confident enough to take on new challenges to be promoted within your business.
(iii) Demonstrate strong decision-making skills
Managers generally have the last word in relation to disagreements and making decisions regarding work. In order to become a better manager, one of your objectives should be to make impartial decisions, irrespective of the team members involved.
(iv) Encourage team building
An effective manager is aware that he or she needs the support of their team to be successful. To become a better manager, you should go beyond ensuring that your team is cohesive. You should seek to improve your team’s reputation throughout the company. Your team building efforts should include using objective methods to measure team members’ performance and resolving any conflict that arises.
(v) Promote mentoring relationships
To become a better manager, you should seek to build a mentoring relationship with your employees. Being a successful mentor includes creating long-term developmental plans, giving professional advice and guidance and helping your employees to spot opportunities to advance their careers.
d) Rules to follow in managing team members
(i) Make an effort to get to know your employees
At the very least, you should know your employees first names. This is irrespective of the size of your company. You should also know about their personal interests outside of the workplace. Getting to know your employees is important because this gives you a better insight about how they perform their job. Additionally, showing an appropriate level of interest also helps to make your employees feel valued.
(ii) Treat your employees as individuals
This rule leads on from the rule above. Getting to know your employees will give you the opportunity to treat them as individuals. Your employees’ unique strengths, preferences and developmental areas should dictate the approach you adopt. Effectively managing people means that you concentrate on individual employees and tailor your approach to meet their needs.
(iii) Stay consistent
An effective manager balances the need for individuality with consistency. You should encourage a good attitude and positive behavior on every occasion. You also need to deal with bad attitudes and poor behavior whenever they are displayed. Consistency shows your employees that you are a dependable manager, who will apply the same yardstick to everyone.
(iv) Provide opportunities
It is more cost effective and less disruptive for your business if you identify opportunities for progression for capable team members. After you have identified an opportunity, you can help your employees to prepare themselves for the selection process, for example, providing interview tips.
(v) Communicate clearly and accurately
Communication skills are vital for effective management. You should be clear in your communication because ambiguity will lead to confusion. You must also avoid any misleading information when communicating with your employees. Every type of communication is significant in the workplace. So, the rules for effective communication apply whether you are using email, phone, letter or are speaking face-to-face.
(vi) Acknowledge and celebrate wins
It is recommended that you celebrate with your employees when they have over-delivered on a task or have exceeded their targets. Celebrating wins show that you appreciate your team. This approach will be beneficial to your company, since employee appreciation has a host of advantages, including lower employee turnover rates and higher productivity.
(vii) Set team focused objectives
You should set team focused objectives to help your employees create a bond. Setting goals on an individual level or at a departmental level deprives team members of getting to know each other better. Setting team focused activities helps them to motivate each other to achieve a common goal.
(viii) Be friendly and approachable
The ‘us vs. them’ approach should be avoided if you want to get the most out of your employees. Unfortunately, some companies have encouraged a culture where the managers are seen as completely separate from employees. Ensuring that you are friendly and approachable will help your employees to feel comfortable to discuss different issues. Therefore, you will be in a better position to address any difficulties your employees are facing at work.
(ix) Support innovation
Your employees should feel free to approach you about different ideas they have to improve how things are done. Innovation should be encouraged because employees have a greater perspective of how things can be changed for the better as they perform tasks on a day-to-day basis.
(x) Reward good work publicly
You can utilize social media to shine a light on the employees who have achieved something outstanding. You can also recognize extraordinary achievements in front of team members, the department or the whole business. Rewarding employees should be done fairly and consistently to avoid any accusations of bias.
(xi) Offer constant feedback
Most of your employees will be keen to know about their performance, including areas that require improvement. Make yourself available to provide feedback after a piece of work has been completed. You should identify areas of growth and provide training and development to fill any gaps in knowledge.
(xii) Lead by example
An effective manager does not only expect his employees to do as he or she says. Instead, they realize they must lead by example. How you behave, deal with others and approach your work are different ways to set an example for your employees to follow.
(xiii) Keep flexible
When dealing with individuals it is always helpful to retain a degree of flexibility. You should acknowledge your employees’ commitments outside of work and make the necessary provisions. For example, you can allow employees with children to work flexible hours in order to reduce the amount they pay for childcare. Additionally, you should also adopt a flexible approach to your employees using their annual leave.
(xiv) Address conflicts
Dealing with conflict may be one of the most challenging aspects of managing people. However, conflict resolution is an essential part of effective management. Avoiding conflict is not an option and neither is making others feel like your way is the only right way. Instead, you should seek to take the role of a mediator when conflict arises. However, ultimately, your job as a manager is to find a fair resolution to conflicts.
(xv) Be transparent
One of the best ways to build trust in your team is to be transparent. Your employees will value your honesty, even if the news is not in their favor. There may be times when you are constrained by company policy and are unable to divulge sensitive information. In these instances, you should explain to your employees that you are not in a position to comment but will update them as soon as you’re able to.
(xvi) Show empathy
It can be difficult to see things through your employees’ perspective, especially if they are displaying challenging behavior. There could be a number of issues affecting the way that an employee is now approaching their work. It is likely that the employee is experiencing issues outside of work. Employees may also be displaying negative attitudes towards you, based on a type of behavior that you are displaying. An effective manager will put themselves in their employees’ shoes and listen to their concerns.
(xvii) Invite employees to give opinions
You should encourage a culture where employees are happy to provide their opinions on different aspects of the company. Your employees should be commended for giving their opinions as long as this is done in a respectable way. You should always thank the employee for speaking up, even if the opinion is not valid. Discouraging employees from giving their opinions can build up resentment.
(xviii) Seek assistance
Just as your employees need help, you will also need assistance and advice from time to time. If you are dealing with a challenging employee, it is useful to get another perspective on how to handle the situation. You can seek assistance from a number of different people in your organization. For example, you can get guidance from someone in Human Resources, your mentor or another manager. Seeking help from people you trust will make you a better manager, because you will approach situations with new insights and knowledge.
(xix) Help people to love their job
You can introduce small changes to help your employees enjoy their work and love their job. Simple touches like having a team lunch and redecorating the break room can go a long way to boost morale.
(xx) Set clear and measurable objectives
Your employees should be clear about what is expected of them. Additionally, they also need to know how you will determine if the completion of a task is a success. Targets are important as they provide an objective basis for employees to know whether they are on the right track. Setting clear and measurable goals will help you conduct performance reviews because you’ll have tangible data to refer to.
Instruction 393: All FMI Heads of Units shall review the rules above with the staff in their unit on recruitment, and at least once annually with the aim of determining progress on a scale of 1-100.
¶ Staffing Structures for Central and District LG Institutions
Staffing structures serve a key role in guiding decision making and performance of the institutions’ mandate as it establishes authority and power lines for staff to function in their various roles. The structures and staff positions are normally described in the HRM or MPS Circular Standing Instructions (e.g. Job Descriptions and Specifications for Jobs in LGs, 2011).
Instruction 394: Deployment of staff shall be guided by the knowledge, skill and experience required for the task, and the staff shall have adequate training and experience for the tasks they are given.
¶ Recruitment, Postings and Transfers
Recruitment is essential to every institution. Successful recruitment reflects the legitimacy and professionalism of the institution. Employing the right person for each position is critical for the performance of an institution. It is necessary to have a good recruitment process to attract and retain the right kind of staff for the needs of the institution. The recruitment process must also be cost-effective as well as time-saving. Recruitment and training can be expensive and time-consuming, so at recruitment, it is important to ensure the right choice is made.
Instruction 395: The FMI Head shall be ensure proper implementation of human resource management procedures, policies, practices, structures, systems and terms and conditions of service.
Instruction 396: The FMI shall put in place a Job Classification Plan for every department consisting of job descriptions and related details, including the range of duties, responsibilities and level of work performed, broken down under its constituent Departments, Divisions, Sections and Units.
Instruction 397: The FMI shall develop schemes of service or career progression plans for each cadre of staff in the institution’s service to provide a systematic basis for staff recruitment, placement, promotion, development, performance appraisal or any other human resource process.
Instruction 398: zJob analysis shall be done for each position to identify tasks, duties, responsibilities and working conditions associated with a job and the knowledge, skills, abilities and other competencies and aptitudes required to perform the job.
Instruction 399: Government FMIs shall advertise the available positions in the news media of wide circulation in order to attract the right candidates for the job. Thus, the available positions shall be filled through a competitive process where a candidate is selected under rigorous interview processes
Instruction 400: The best candidate is offered the job first but when he/she does not take up the position, then the offer can be passed to the second candidate, and likewise for third placed candidate.
Instruction 401: The head of the FMI is expected to deploy and transfer staff as he/ she deems fit so as to achieve the institution’s goals and objectives in the performance of the mandate.
¶ Salary Structures
The institution needs talented and skilled individuals to build a successful institution in executing its mandate. Because these talented people are highly sought after, an attractive pay structure is often key in bringing the best candidates on board. A fair compensation system is among the most effective ways of retaining and motivating employees. When an institution is made up of people who are skilled and motivated, service delivery becomes excellent or the business thrives.
Instruction 402: For the Public Service institutions, the salary structures are put in place by MPS, but where statutory agencies have the mandate to fix their own salary structures, the structures shall provide a framework for fair and consistent pay policies; help monitor and control the implemented pay practices, and demonstrate possible pay opportunities to the employees.
Instruction 403: The structures should help ensure the pay levels are externally competitive and internally fair, thus helping to attract highly skilled people to the institution and keeping them motivated within.
Instruction 404: The salary structures shall allow the institution to reward performance and development while controlling cost.
Instruction 405: For government Statutory Institutions, the following should be observed when setting a salary structure:
(i) The Responsible Officer shall conduct a comprehensive job analysis for each position to help in locating each job in the salary structure.
(ii) The institution shall conduct salary surveys on regular basis, say annually, so as to arrive at compensation that is within the market for similar positions.
(iii) The institution, in designing salary structures, should balance between internal and external pay equity. Internal pay equity refers to the employees’ pay compared with those in similar positions within an organization, and external pay equity refers to employees’ pay compared with those with similar positions in similar institutions.
(iv) The institution shall pay wages that meet or exceed minimum forest industry standards or other recognized forest industry wage agreements or living wages, where these are higher than the legal minimum wages. When none of these exist, the FMI shall, through engagement with workers, develop mechanisms for determining living wages (Forest Stewardship Council, 2018[3] ).
¶ Staff Job Descriptions
A job description is a useful communication tool to tell employees exactly what tasks they are expected to perform. It addresses quality or quantity of performance standards, or even work rules that apply to a particular job. It helps identify the right employees for a job by identifying particular skills or abilities that are necessary for a position, or the environmental pressures that apply to the position as it tells the applicant what the position may involve or require. After reading the job description, some applicants may decide that they are not a good fit for the position or are not interested in it.
Where the laws require reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities, the job description helps in the interactive process. The applicant or employee will identify which of the listed duties he or she cannot perform. Once those duties are identified, the employer and individual with a disability can begin an interactive dialogue about what accommodations may help the individual to perform those duties without being an undue hardship on the employer or without creating a direct threat to the individual or others.
In addition, a job description describes legitimate minimum qualifications if a job requires a particular certification, such as a commercial driver’s license, a particular degree, or professional designation, listed in a job description. It is also a standard for use during employee performance appraisal.
Instruction 406: The head of department/ institution should prepare a job description for each staff under their department and the job description should:
(i) Provide the employee with the expectations that are required of them in the role;
(ii) Be used to support the recruitment team during the selection process;
(iii) Help in formulating questions for the interview process;
(iv) Be incorporated in the legally binding contract of employment;
(v) Set goals and target for the employee upon joining;
(vi) Aid in the evaluation of the employee’s job performance; and
(vii) Help formulate training and development plans.
¶ Carrying Out Specialised Forest Operations
There are specific forestry operations which must be carried out by a person of the right qualifications and skills. Such operations may entail activities that pose a danger to people, and whose negative impact may be long term and/ irreversible (e.g. tree felling in high population centres, or use of chemicals in plantation weeding operations). Such operations include, but are not limited to the following:
Instruction 407: No person shall perform the forestry operations above alone if they do not have the required level of knowledge and skill.
Instruction 408: The list of operations, the requisite courses, and the corresponding qualifications/ experiences shall be updated by MWE from time to time through circular standing instructions and curriculum reviews.
¶ Staff Benefits
It is necessary to create a conducive working environment for the staff to undertake his/her duties through meeting costs as appropriate for the job and provision of rest for the staff to re-energize.
¶ Allowances
An allowance is paid to a staffer to compensate for extra exertion on his/her part arising out of the additional duties or responsibilities he/she may be required to carry out over a period of time, and to meet out of pocket expenses that the staffer may incur from time to time in the course of official duties in furtherance of the public interest. Allowances are not emoluments.
Instruction 409: The allowances listed below may be claimed and paid through the normal payment procedures of the FMI:
(i) Night Allowance in Uganda and Away from Officer’s Station
(ii) Night Allowance Outside Uganda
(iii) Safari Day Allowance in Uganda
(iv) Safari Day Allowance outside Uganda
(v) Lunch and Dinner Allowance
(vi) Out of Pocket Allowance
(vii) Warm Clothing Allowance
(viii) Kilometrage Allowance
(ix) Disturbance Allowance
(x) Installation Allowance
(xi) Settling-in Allowance
(xii) Acting Allowance
(xiii) Duty Allowance
(xiv) Honoraria
(xv) Overtime Allowance
(xvi) Any other allowance approved by the FMI
The PSSOs or HRMs give details of how much is paid, and what requirements must be fulfilled before a staffer can claim different allowances.
¶ Leave
The main purpose of leave is diversion, recreation, relaxation and recuperation with a view to restoration or improvement of a public officer’s efficiency, effectiveness and output except as may be explicitly stated in the PSSOs or HRM in respect to a particular type of leave. A staff person employed with the Ministry or LG is entitled to annual leave based on the band of the salary scale of the staff person. For Government FMIs, the PSSOs or an instrument issued by Public Service will guide on the reigning annual leave entitlement.
Instruction 410: The instructions below refer to Government Ministries Departments and agencies, and therefore, they are taken from the PSSOs:
(i) Annual leave should be taken in the year the leave is earned.
(ii) When it is necessary, due to the exigency of the service, to defer or carry forward leave in the next calendar year, authority shall be sought and approval granted.
(iii) A request to carry forward annual leave must be submitted to the relevant offices for approval by 15th of December.
(iv) Leave without pay may be granted to an officer in the public interest on the recommendation of the Responsible Officer.
(v) Study leave may be granted in the public interest to enable a public officer to pursue studies, but the course content must be relevant to the performance needs of the Ministry, Department, LG, or the career progression of the officer.
(vi) On the recommendation of a Government Medical Officer, a public officer may be granted sick leave on full pay by his or her Responsible Officer up to 90 days in any period of twelve months. This period may be extended to 180 days on full pay in any period of 12 months if a Government medical officer is satisfied that the officer will be fit to resume duty within a reasonable time.
(vii) An officer may be granted special leave of absence at the discretion of the Responsible Officer.
(viii) A female officer, regardless of status and terms of service, is entitled to 60 working days of maternity leave on full pay.
(ix) After a wife of a Public officer has had a delivery or miscarriage, the Officer shall immediately be entitled to 4 working days of paternity leave on full pay.
(x) Public officers may seek medical treatment from government facilities. The drugs and dressings prescribed by Government Medical Officers are those which may be available from time to time from the official list.
Instruction 411: Government Statutory Agencies which draw their operational budget from the government Consolidated Fund should harmonise their leave provisions with those of PSSOs. Otherwise the Agencies shall set their rates with the provisions of the Employment Act, 2006 being the minimum.
¶ Employees Rights
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) Declaration of Principles and Rights at Work (1998) commits Member States to respect and promote principles and rights of workers, whether or not they have ratified the relevant Conventions. The declaration enshrines the right of freedom of association, elimination of all forms of forced or compulsory labour, effective abolition of child labour, elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation, and recognition of the right to collective bargaining. Although currently there are no labour organizations in the forestry sub-sector, the workers’ rights should nonetheless be upheld. Therefore, the FMIs shall:
Instruction 412: Respect and promote the ILO principles and rights at work since Uganda is an ILO Member State
Instruction 413: Adapt to the work conditions in Uganda, the ILO Code of Practice on Safety and Health in Forestry Work
¶ Health and Safety of FMI Staff
The Occupational Health and Safety Act 2006, requires the employer to take measures, as far as is reasonably practical, to protect its workers and the general public from the dangerous aspects of the employer’s undertakings, and to ensure the working environment is free from any hazard due to pollution. Health and safe working environments reduce injury and illness in the workplace and the cost of injury and workers’ compensation. A healthy and safe workplace improves the mental health and well-being of the employee which is positively correlated to employee productivity. The increased awareness and safe working culture in the workplace motivate employees to love to work for the institution and this increases employee retention which saves on recruiting and training costs of new employees.
At NFA, the safety of institutional vehicles/ motorcycles during patrols against illegal activities has been a concern as some staff have been killed or injured, and vehicles burnt/ damaged by illegal operators. NFA has issued Guidelines for Field Safety for Patrol Teams in Central Forest Reserves that must be followed, especially at the field level. On the other hand, NFA had prepared A Field Guide on Basic Personal Safety for Foresters, which is much more than safety for patrol teams. The Field Guide includes the following main topics:
• Dangers during Field Work
• Threats to Personal Safety
• Personal Security during Travel
• Safety Where You Live and Work
• Your Health and Welfare
• Your Personal Safety
Instruction 414: The two sets of Guidelines shall be merged through a participatory consultation process and formally issued. The guidelines shall then be revised as the need arises, on the basis of experiences and emerging issues
Instruction 415: The FMI shall implement health and safety practices to protect workers from occupational safety and health hazards. These practices shall, proportionate to scale, intensity and risk of management activities, meet or exceed the following minimum provisions in the ILO Code of Practice on Safety and Health in Forestry Work:
(i) Employers shall have an approved health and safety policy;
(ii) Equipment, tools, and materials (e.g. gas masks for use with chemicals) shall be used with the appropriate PPE, and after the appropriate training, etc.;
(iii) First aid boxes are available at the work places;
(iv) Medical care is available for occupational accidents/ diseases;
(v) Appropriate housing is available where necessary;
(vi) Provisions on breaks and water are made during strenuous tasks;
(vii) There is an accident compensation policy to compensate staff in the event of injury, incapacitation, or death at the work place, or loss of personal property in the line of duty; and
(viii) The appropriate protocols for specific forest operations are available and workers are trained in their use
Instruction 416: The Accounting Officer or his/her delegate shall constitute health and safety committees at appropriate organisational levels to review health and safety risks and measures regularly to ensure the work environment poses no danger for the workers, the public and the institution.
Instruction 417: The workers shall be sensitized on the health and safety requirements for forest work and practices that are appropriate and commensurate with the nature of the job, and the requirements shall be implemented.
Instruction 418: The FMIs shall keep a record on Health and Safety practices, including accident rates and lost time due to accidents. The supervisors should report any incident of accident to the Human Resources Department, or in its absence, to the relevant office that deals with human resource management
¶ Codes of Conduct and Ethics (Professionalism in Forestry)
A Code of Conduct and Ethics (CCE) is necessary to guide individuals on how they should behave at the workplace, ensures career growth, and also benefits the organization in the long run. It helps the employees to comply with laws and policies, and mitigate risks through knowledge and appropriate behaviour. The CCE protects the interests of the clients, which helps market the institution and profession to its customers. It is also ideal for maintaining the status of the profession in the eyes of society as the code defines professionalism. In general, the employees develop a strong value system (Ministry of Public Service, 2005[4] ).
The profession of forestry in Uganda, like elsewhere in the world, serves society by fostering stewardship of the nation’s forests. Because forests provide valuable resources and perform critical ecological functions, they are vital to the wellbeing of both society and the biosphere. The purpose of the CCE is to protect and serve society by inspiring, guiding, and governing foresters in Uganda in the conduct of their professional lives. Compliance with the CCE demonstrates the foresters’ respect for the forests and their commitment to the long-term management of ecosystems, and ensures just and honourable professional and human relationships, mutual confidence and respect, and competent service to society.
At the centre of the SFPs is revival and promotion of the strong culture of professionalism among the FPs and the institutions in which they work. Professionalism is the conduct, behaviour and attitude of someone in a work or business environment. In 2005, Government issued “A Code of Conduct and Ethics for Uganda Public Service” to operate together with PSSOs and any relevant “Circular Standing Instructions” and “Establishment Notices” issued from time to time. The Code is a very comprehensive instrument for guiding personal conduct and all it needs is implementation.
Under development is a Bill that seeks to establish a professional body for foresters. The Bill is a comprehensive and forward-looking instrument, and when passed into law and implemented, it will be a good guide for responsible professional conduct by foresters in Uganda.
Instruction 419: The FMI shall have a CCE to guide the behaviour of employees at the workplace, and the execution of their roles and responsibilities.
Instruction 420: A public officer shall adhere to the Code of Conduct and Ethics for the Public Service. In addition, a public officer shall be subject to the Code of Professional Ethics and Practice as may be applicable to a particular profession to which the officer belongs.
Instruction 421: A FP employed in a Government FMI shall:
(i) Observe official working days according to the institution’s regulations;
(ii) Have strict regard for working hours and ensure they do not come to work late;
(iii) Take absence from duty only with permission from their supervisor and the absence should be for a genuine cause;
(iv) Avoid situations and behaviour which can be reasonably construed to cause sexual harassment;
(v) Serve customers with fairness, transparency, promptness, clarity, respect and courtesy with a view to ensuring customer satisfaction and enhancing the image of the institution;
(vi) Avoid situations of conflict of interest and where they envisage there is likely to be conflict of interest, they should inform his supervisor;
(vii) Hold the office in trust and be accountable to the public, clients, and the institution; and
(viii) Avoid engaging in active politics, canvassing political support for candidates, participating in public political debates and displaying party symbols.
Instruction 422: Employment processes for FMIs should seek to employ foresters who are members of the professional body for foresters to the extent that such members meet the other employment requirements of the employing FMI. It should also be an employment requirement for non-forester employees to express a commitment to these SFPs through their terms of employment.
Instruction 423: A professional FP shall be in possession of a nationally recognised academic qualification and is able to plan and implement specific forestry operations in an effective, efficient, and safe manner. Depending on the job position, he/she may be required to possess quality work experience necessary for the job specifications.
Instruction 424: FPs have a responsibility to manage forests and forestland for both current and future generations. They shall practice and advocate management that will maintain the long-term capacity of the forests to provide the variety of materials, uses, and values desired by the citizenry. In their various roles as practitioners, teachers, researchers, advisers, and administrators, FPs shall seek to sustain and protect a variety of forest uses and attributes, such as aesthetic values, air and water quality, biodiversity, recreation, timber production, and wildlife habitat.
Instruction 425: Sound science has been and shall be the foundation of the forestry profession in Uganda. Foresters shall strive for continuous improvement of methods and personal knowledge and skills to perform only those services for which they are qualified and use the most appropriate data, methods, and technology.
Instruction 426: Forest management requires making choices and gauging the short and long-term consequences of those choices on the forest, while seeking to meet the diverse demands of society. Forest management choices and decisions shall be made with consideration for the multiplicity of values of forest resources including their ecological, economic, recreational, aesthetic, cultural and spiritual values. Decisions shall include the consideration of public concerns and use of sound ecological principles as their basis.
Instruction 427: Impacts resulting from management decisions shall be examined, fully considered and mitigated to the greatest extent possible. The goals of society, as expressed by citizens and their various levels of government shall be met, in the context of legislation, valid and current information, sound science, pertinent experience, responsible economics and rational planning.
Instruction 428: There are additional canons that shall be observed by especially those in charge of FRs and Community Forests. Observance of these canons secures decent and honourable professional and human relationships, establishes enduring mutual confidence and respect, and enables the profession to give its maximum service. These include:
(i) Accountability for work, resources and actions while behaving ethically at all times;
(ii) Producing work and results that reflect a sense of pride often exceeding expectations.
(iii) Using time productively at work while ensuring value for money.
(iv) Taking initiative and innovation;
(v) Full application of personal potential;
(vi) Prioritising, planning and effectively managing assignments;
(vii) Practicing professional communication skills on-line, in person and interpersonal;
(viii) Accepting and reflecting on feedback to expedite learning and growing;
(ix) Working in teams and collaborating effectively;
(x) Honesty of purpose and deed;
(xi) A strong sense of professional, technical and personal integrity, discipline and behaviour;
(xii) Being result-oriented.
(xiii) Leading by example;
(xiv) Compliance with relevant policies, laws, regulations and procedures while ensuring pragmatism;
(xv) Exchanging information and experience through contribution to the work of forestry societies, associations and publications;
(xvi) Not using association with a non-forester, a corporation, or partnership as a cloak
for unethical acts, but must accept responsibility for individual acts; and
(xvii) Clearly presenting the consequences expected if professional forestry judgment is overruled by non-technical authority when they are responsible for the technical adequacy of forestry or related work.
Instruction 429: Sanctions for any breach of the CCE shall be those prescribed by the institution Regulations, Standing Orders and other administrative instructions issued from time to time by the institution.
Instruction 430: It is important that new staff are taken through an induction exercise to familiarize them with the work environment. It is during this induction that the new person is given or made aware of the procedures and tools that are available for the job, the members of the team he/ she is joining, and a host of other things that identify the institution’s work culture. The induction may take the form of working with the guidance of a peer, apprenticeship, internship, meetings at the work place and/or short skills training events or a combination of any of these.
Instruction 431: During orientation, newly appointed FPs shall be exposed to the contents of the CCE, and each staff shall be provided with a hard copy of the Handbook.
Instruction 432: All government institutions involved in forest management shall emphasise the CCE during staff recruitment and performance appraisal.
¶ Performance Management Systems
Performance management systems foster accountability to the public, institution, and employees through setting of goals, objectives, and standards of service delivery. The performance management system begins with the mandate and commitments of the institution to the public which will guide other players in their roles and responsibilities.
Instruction 433: FMIs shall have a Client Charter and review it on regular basis to align the charter with the mandate of the institution and the demands of the public in the changing economic, social and ecological environment.
Instruction 434: The Client Charter shall present the institutions mandate, vision, mission, value principles, key results areas and commitments with a view to improving the standards of services, productivity and quality of staff.
Instruction 435: The Client Charter shall form the basis for setting of performance goals, objectives, tasks, responsibilities, and roles by the FP on which they shall be appraised.
Instruction 436: The FPs of the institution shall refer to the institution’s Client Charter in the performance of duties to ensure the clients are given excellent service and products.
Instruction 437: It shall be the responsibility of all Responsible Officers to manage the performance of the institution to ensure that performance of the institution and individuals directly contribute to improved service delivery and the attainment of national development objectives.
Instruction 438: Each Ministry Department Agency or District LG shall establish a results-based framework or Theory of Change that shall:
(i) Specify the mission/purpose for which it exists;
(ii) Indicate the national and sector outcomes that the institution contributes to;
(iii) Outline the objectives that it aims to achieve;
(iv) Specify the key outputs and outcomes; and
(v) Define the performance indicators that will be used to measure how well the organization is performing and delivering the expected outputs.
Instruction 439: The results framework/ theory of change shall be subject to periodic reviews in line with changes in the national and institutional development priorities.
Instruction 440: MPS has issued a Staff Performance Appraisal Form for the Public Service (PS Form 5). An expanded version of this form should be used to assess performance of Government FMIs, taking into account the provisions of this SFP Handbook
Instruction 441: Staff Performance Appraisal shall be conducted according the institutions guidelines. The appraisal shall assess the performance of an individual in relation to the objectives, activities, outputs and targets of a job over a specific period.
Instruction 442: A staff performance appraisal report form shall be completed for each officer and a copy submitted to the Head of the institution. For public servants;
(i) For a confirmed officer and those on contract terms in Ministries Departments Agencies or District LGs, by 30th of June of every financial year;
(ii) For an officer on probation every three (3) months with effect from the date of assumption of duty.
Instruction 443: Annual salary increase shall be based on merit earned through annual performance appraisal (APA)
Instruction 444: The performance appraisal should be linked with recognition and rewards, promotions, transfers, job rotation, secondment. The FMI Head shall constitute an Employee Awards Committee to receive, evaluate the nominations, and approve the awards.
Instruction 445: FPs who fail to meet their performance standards and targets, due to factors outside their control, shall be helped to improve through training, mentoring, coaching, and attachment to other better performing officers, among others. However, if failure is as a result of culpable behaviours, the officer shall be sanctioned in accordance with the law governing the officer.
¶ Competency Frameworks for Forest Management Institutions
A competency is generally defined as a combination of skills, knowledge, attributes and behaviours that enables an individual to perform a task or an activity successfully within a given job. Competencies are observable behaviours that can be measured and evaluated, and thus are essential in terms of defining job requirements and recruiting, retaining and developing staff[5].
On the other hand, competencies enable the staff of an organization to have a clear understanding of the behaviours to be exhibited and the levels of performance expected in order to achieve organizational results. They provide the individual with an indication of the behaviours and actions that will be valued, recognized and rewarded[6] .
A competency framework broadly describes performance excellence within an organization. Each competency defines, in generic terms, excellence in working behaviour. The framework establishes the benchmark against which staff performance is assessed. It ensures that staff, in general, have a common understanding of the organization’s values and expected excellent performance behaviours. Competency frameworks are useful in[7] :
• Ensuring that new staff share the organisation’s values and demonstrate the core and functional competencies through competency-based interviewing. The organisation is then able to get the right person for the job by focusing on demonstrated skills and behaviours, as well as on qualifications and experience.
• Providing a common language to describe good performance. The behaviours outlined in each of the competencies provide an agreed upon and transparent way to discuss both our strengths as well as the areas where we need to develop. The framework is indispensable in the organisation’s performance management and appraisal process.
• Enabling a shared understanding of the practitioner’s learning priorities so that personal development opportunities can be sought out. The competency framework provides a clear description of the skills and attributes required to build a successful career.
• Integrating competencies into job descriptions. The job descriptions will then specify the minimum requirements, technical expertise, experience, and competencies needed to perform a given job.
Competencies are usually grouped as core and functional. Core competencies provide the foundation of the competency framework, describing behaviours to be displayed by all staff members. They are defined by occupational roles for a given job, for example the roles may be policy implementation and high level supervision, mid-level supervision, and implementation of forest-level activities.
Functional competencies are defined by duties and responsibilities assumed by staff members for a given job. Based on the job complexity and level of responsibility, and the seniority of the occupational role, an average of three to five functional competencies are normally assigned to a given job[8] .
Zundell, et al, 1996[9] described the core competencies of a professional forester which have been adapted as outlined below:
(i) Comfortable spending a great deal of time in the forest
(ii) Has the technical/scientific credibility
(iii) Able to apply basic forest operational practices
(iv) Demonstrates an understanding of economic and resource values
(v) Demonstrates effective horizontal and vertical communication
(vi) Interacts successfully with people within the FMI and outside;
(vii) Demonstrates good judgment in solving problems and taking decisions;
(viii) Effectively supervises forestry operations
(ix) Able to manage a working unit for a given forestry operation;
(x) Demonstrates an understanding of the relevant policies and legislation,
(xi) Demonstrates a commitment to continuous learning
(xii) Commitment to continuous improvement of forest management processes
The functional competencies are then described for each job position. For example, a District Forestry Officer should be able to:
• Maintain effective working links with actors in forestry in the district
• Communicate effectively within the LG structure, and the forestry fraternity as a whole
• Provide credible forestry advisory services
• Effectively supervise private forest owners
• Demonstrate the common technical skills in forestry
• Prepare credible forestry related plans at various LG levels
A hypothetical example of a competency framework based on selected NFA Job positions is given below
Competency: Technical Credibility
Instruction 446: FMIs shall prepare and keep updated detailed competence frameworks that will guide recruitments, promotions, performance appraisals, and development of individual staff capacities. The frameworks shall be prepared in a participatory approach involving internal and external stakeholders
¶ Selecting Contractors for Forestry Work
Outsourcing forestry work in Uganda is becoming more widespread, even among Government FMIs. Institutions are increasingly required to operate with a business approach. Instead of employing many full time employees, they tend to hire contractors to reduce the high overhead costs.
Instruction 447: When outsourcing a forestry activity becomes the preferred option, the FP should consider the following basic aspects in evaluating prospective contracting entities[10]:
(i) Is the entity competent and reputable? Ask the contractor about jobs they have done around your area.
(ii) Does the entity have safety management systems in place? These are things such as holding daily safety meetings, having safe systems of work to identify and manage workplace risks, and processes to handle changes that can affect the safety of the work being done). For example, changes in the weather, broken machinery or absent crew.
(iii) Availability of the relevant educational qualifications and skills gained in practice among the entity employees. They should have documents that prove the qualifications and practical skills
(iv) Does the entity have the right plant and equipment for the job? Some jobs are bigger than others and require specialised or heavier equipment. Check that the entity has what it will take to do your job properly and safely
(v) Wages the entity pays its employees can be shown to provide the basic necessities of life in the region in which the contracted work is located, e.g. provides a decent breakfast, lunch and supper to a family of at least 3 people, enable the payment of rent, and enable the employee meet the basic cost of treatment in a government health facility.
(vi) The entity has signed contracts with individual employees in line with national laws
(vii) To what extent do they prefer employing people living in the region in which the work is located
(viii) Extent to which the work technique is safe for the environment and technically appropriate
(ix) Extent to which the entity keeps records that are appropriate for type of work
(x) Entity does not employ child labour as defined in the national laws
(xi) Minimum employment conditions are those enshrined in national laws
(xii) Where employees stay in labour camps, standards of living should not threaten the health and safety of workers and adequate facilities for eating, sleeping, washing, cooking and where possible, communication, should be provided. There should always be access to sufficient drinking water and food
(xiii) Where required, the contractor should have been registered as an entity according to the national laws
(xiv) Does the entity have the necessary insurance? Is the contractor insured to cover your losses if a fire or other damage is caused by their operations?
With the advancement of forestry in Uganda, it may become necessary to certify contractors, especially with respect to internationally recognized certification of forest management. Certification of contractors helps:
• Forest owners and management companies to find contractors that meet industry standards
• Workers and their families to choose professional contractor entities that will advance their wellbeing and promote personal improvement
• Forestry contractors know what good standards look like and provides an opportunity to demonstrate professionalism and advance their business
Instruction 448: When the forest industry begins to demand for certified forestry contractors, the certification standard developed by Safetree New Zealand[11] may form a good starting point for the development of a home-grown contractor certification standard.
Republic of Uganda, 2010. The Uganda Public Service Standing Orders ↩︎
https://www.deputy.com/blog/20-rules-for-effectively-managing-people ↩︎
Forest Stewardship Council, 2018. The FSC National Forest Stewardship Standard of the Republic of Uganda ↩︎
Ministry of Public Service, 2005. The Code of Conduct and Ethics for Uganda Public Service ↩︎
International Atomic Energy Agency: The Competency Framework – A guide for IAEA managers and staff ↩︎
ibid ↩︎
FAO, 2014. FAO competency framework ↩︎
Ibid International Atomic Energy Agency ↩︎
P.E. Zundell and T.D. Needham, 1996. Abilities required by professional foresters in practice ↩︎
Adapted from: Forest Stewardship International, 2016. FSC Group Certification Toolkit; International Labour Organization, 2005. Guidelines for labour inspection in forestry; Safetree New Zealand (www.safetree.co.nz) ↩︎