ABSTRACT
In this chapter we describe a government agency whose role is to administer the national labor market. This case study is based on the personal experience of one of the current authors (TI). We describe and illustrate the agency’s structure, work processes, and personnel. In combination, these attributes shape the agency’s organizational culture, which in turn influences the productivity and performance of its exceptionally dedicated employees. Of particular relevance are issues of performance measurement, especially how the agency chooses to view and measure success. At the core of the agency’s work is its effectiveness in placing job seekers in employment. In essence, this is a key performance indicator (KPI) for the agency as a whole and for its officers. Success can thus in part be measured through customer satisfaction: Is the employer happy with the person who fills the job vacancy, and is the job seeker happy in the job he or she receives, or does the agency receive frequent requests to arrange changes of jobs? We would term this the macro-level of the agency’s work. At the micro-level is the work effort and performance of individual officers in working with their job-seeking clients, for example, to provide work-related counseling and to place people in suitable seminars and workshops.
