Lietuvos valstybės tarnautojų atrankos sistemos skaidrumo analizė
The analysis of transparency of civil servants’ selection model in Lithuania

Summary/Abstract: Transparency of civil servants’ selection system is an important factor contributing to the formation of a modern civil service and improvement of management quality. However transparency is still limited in the application in the practice of employee selection due to the emerging challenges to combine transparency with efficiency. This research seeks to answer the questions how transparency is installed into the selection system of Lithuanian civil servants, how it is perceived by applicants, and which practices and how contribute to the transparency of Lithuanian civil servants’ selection process. In June 2013 a new model of civil servants’ selection was introduced in the Republic of Lithuania and that was a significant change seeking to modernize the civil service, to make it more attractive and more transparent to the public. From 1 June 2013 new amendments of the Civil Service Act established partly centralized civil servants’ selection, composed of two stages: the first stage - the general skills (hereinafter - GS) and, applied to managerial positions, leadership skills (further - LS) assessment, organized by Civil Service Department (hereinafter - the CSD), the second stage - the interview in an institution (during the interview an applicant can also be asked to perform a practical task). Thus two years after the partially centralized civil servants selection model was introduced, the evaluation of the new civil servants selection system transparency has been performed. The separate steps of the selection process and the selection process as a whole was analyzed. The purpose of this analysis was to assess the transparency of civil servants’ selection system established from 1 June 2013, to and to make suggestions on improvements to it. During the analysis process these data collection and analysis methods were used: 45 semi-structured interviews with applicants, HR specialists of civil service institutions and employees of CSD; expert evaluation; the analysis of documentation, the analysis of scientific literature. Results. After the introduction of changes some important aspects of centralization successfully contribute to the transparency of the selection process, such as the coordination of specific requirements for candidates between CSD and institutions, a standardized tender notice form, centralized and compulsory publishing of all notices, applicants’ registration and administration throughout the selection process in the electronic space. New selection system has also increased objectivity of foreign language knowledge testing procedure, and added GS and LS assessment which are professionally administered. Transparency of the selection process in civil service institutions still remains a challenge: a threat for objectivity and transparency exists due to interviews and practical tasks being organized and evaluated in institutions, an applicant eligibility assessment scale in points allows contest committee members to manipulate the points awarded.

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