Topic Guide: Corruption in Service Delivery

Corruption, particularly in the form of favouritism, nepotism and abuse of authority, can affect all human resource (HR) management processes, notably recruitment and promotion, compensation, conditions of service and personnel records. Improving HR management is therefore an important way to combat corruption in service delivery, with a view to sanctioning corrupt officials and attracting and retaining qualified and scrupulous staff along the service delivery chain. While evidence is inconclusive on the extent to which salaries can reduce or increase incentives for corruption, there is an emerging consensus that increasing salaries above subsistence level may contribute to reducing corruption, if combined with effective controls and management of staff and resources.[1]

Preventing corruption in HR management involves merit-based HR and recruitment policies, transparent pay packages and internal controls, as well as integrity management systems, including the implementation of codes of ethics, ethics training and whistleblowing mechanisms.[2] Information management systems can also improve organisational efficiency and the effectiveness of financial and operational administration. Pay management systems also need to be in place to eliminate ghost workers or leakages of salary-related financial flows.

Raising public officials’ ethical standards by establishing or improving codes of conduct and providing adequate training on the interpretation and application of these codes and standards is also an approach which is gaining momentum to address corruption in service delivery.[3]