Applying KPIs to civil servants

The Ministry of Interior is studying the implementation of KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) in the public sector, hoping to create motivation and healthy competition among officials and civil servants, aiming to build a professional and efficient administration. However, alongside these positive expectations, there are still many concerns about the feasibility and practical effectiveness of applying KPIs in the public service environment.

Officials in An Khánh commune handle administrative procedures for residents. (Photo: Provided)

KPIs have proven effective in the private sector, serving as a "guide" to orient, measure, and motivate work performance. When applied to the public sector, this indicator also aims to quantify effectiveness, increase transparency in processes, and reduce subjective factors in evaluations, thereby motivating civil servants.

The draft Law on Cadres and Civil Servants (amended) is being studied with a view to evaluating civil servants based on results and products according to their job positions, the level of task completion, and public service ethics. This is considered a fundamental step towards modernizing the public service and overcoming the formalism in the performance of work.

Some localities, such as Khanh Hoa, have pioneered the application of KPIs across the entire political system since April 2025, following a pilot phase, demonstrating a concrete commitment to implementing this policy. KPIs will help evaluate performance based on clear indicators, limiting subjectivity and bias.

This will motivate civil servants to improve by clearly understanding their goals, thereby encouraging them to strive for enhanced capabilities and performance. Implementing KPIs will also provide specific data for leaders to make more accurate decisions regarding training, rewards, and disciplinary actions.

Despite generating high expectations, the application of KPIs in the public sector also faces numerous challenges. The biggest difference lies in the nature and objectives of operations: the private sector focuses on profit, which is easily quantifiable through specific indicators, while the public sector prioritizes serving society, ensuring fairness, welfare, and law enforcement – ​​objectives that are difficult to quantify clearly and objectively.

The biggest challenge today is changing the mindset of civil servants. KPIs need to be seen as a tool for measuring performance and developing capabilities, not as a source of pressure or control. The mentality of "egalitarianism" also needs to be eliminated to encourage individual effort.

To be effective, KPIs in the public sector must be designed to suit the specific characteristics of each position; they cannot be simply copied from business models. Each agency or unit needs to develop its own set of indicators, based on its functions and responsibilities, harmoniously combining quantitative and qualitative factors.

Applying KPIs in the public sector is an inevitable trend aimed at improving the efficiency and professionalism of the administrative apparatus. However, successful implementation requires thorough preparation, flexibility, and especially a shift in mindset throughout the entire system. Most importantly, KPIs must be viewed as a tool for development, not as pressure or a formal achievement target.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/xa-hoi/202508/ap-kpi-cho-cong-chuc-6f16f1a/