Optimizing Performance, Minister of Social Affairs Mapping the Competence of The Employees

BANDUNG (August 29, 2023) - The high dynamics and complexity of social problems require every profession to be more adaptive, including the State Civil Apparatus (ASN). ASN competence is the key to answer this challenge because ASN competence affects organizational performance if it is not developed.

To optimize this performance, Indonesian Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini mapped employee competencies through talent pool activities for ASNs within the Ministry of Social Affairs spread throughout Indonesia. This activity was facilitated by the National State Civil Service Agency (BKN).

"Thank you to BKN for giving chance for the Ministry of Social Affairs to map and select prospective leaders who can be assessed, not based on closeness, but professionalism and technical ability," said the Minister when opening the talent pool activity in Bandung via virtual connection, Monday (28/8).

According to her, the main task of the Ministry of Social Affairs is closely related to services to the community of Social Welfare Service for Persons in Need (PPKS), "So the main thing that must be owned by the ASN of the Ministry of Social Affairs is goodwill and the ability to be a servant of the state, a servant of the community, in accordance with the ASN oath," she said straightforwardly.

The Computer Assisted Competency Test (CACT) based talent pool activity or computer-based competency test is carried out to assess the extent of ASN's ability and knowledge in various fields of duty or certain jobs with the aim to obtain a competency profile for each ASN.

Risma said the talent pool using the CACT method made it easier for her to see the hidden potential of all employees within the Ministry of Social Affairs spread throughout Indonesia.

"This makes it very easy for me to see potentials that may be far from me so that I can be fair as a leader, not seeing who he is and where he comes from, but based on the ability of the test results," she said.

Virtually, Risma also motivated the Ministry of Social Affairs Technical Unit employees before starting the test which will last for four hours without a break.

"For all my friends, congratulations on working on the talent pool. Give your best and be sure that this is for the benefit and good for you too," she said.

Meanwhile, BKN Principal Secretary Irma Sukmariah explained that the competency profile data that will be obtained from the implementation of CACT-BKN consists of managerial and socio-cultural tests, digital literacy tests and emerging skills (potential) tests.

The competency profile data, explained Irma, will be submitted to the Minister of Social Affairs for the purposes of developing the competence of employees, who will later sit as officials in accordance with the potential needed in the Ministry of Social Affairs. Then, this data will be integrated into the Employee Information System (Simpeg).

"Well, this is used as supporting data in decision making for determining ASN career development. The ultimate goal is to optimize performance, especially with so many tasks carried out by the Ministry of Social Affairs," said Irma.

Irma also hopes that the data will be able to accelerate the career certainty process of employees within the Ministry of Social Affairs and accelerate succession planning.

"Of course, it is also still supported by the performance of the employee concerned. So, this data is not only the main source, but the performance and track record of employees who take the test also need to be considered," she said.

On this occasion, the talent pool was conducted simultaneously for 297 Ministry of Social Affairs ASNs at BBPPKS Bandung, Bandung Social Welfare Polytechnic (Poltekesos), "Wyata Guna" Center in Bandung and "Abiyoso" Center in Cimahi at the Regional Office III BKN Bandung for three days, from Monday (28/8) to Wednesday (30/8).

Meanwhile, 34 ASNs from the "Mahatmiya" Center in Bali and 29 ASNs from the "Darussa'adah" Center in Aceh Besar also began carrying out tests on the same day as the Ministry of Social Affairs UPT in Bandung, respectively at the BKN Denpasar Regional Office X and BKN Banda Aceh Regional Office XIII. The talent pool in Bali and Aceh lasted for two days, namely Monday (28/8) and ended on Tuesday (29/8).

In the previous period, the talent pool was held for all Ministry of Social Affairs ASN employees at the head office and UPT in Jakarta, Bekasi, Bogor, and Sukabumi last November 2022. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Social Affairs UPT in several other regions followed in the August-September 2023 period.