A. Introduction
Human resource is the foundation of any organization. Just like the “Lifeblood Theory,” they are the lifeblood of the organization as, without them, the organization can neither exist nor endure. In line with this, it is the primary duty of the organization to look into the welfare of their personnel by taking into account their career advancement and professional growth through proper career management which covers the milestone of the personnel from womb to tomb, that is, from recruitment to retirement.
Career management, as defined by Klatt, Murdick, and Schuster (1985, p. 380), is the process of designing and implementation of those goals, strategies, and plans that allow an organization to satisfy its own need in respect of human resources, and the individuals to achieve their career goals. So why does career management system important in an organization specifically the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)?
It is known to us that in 1998, when the PCG was transferred from the Philippine Navy to the Department of Transportation, its strength was only over 3,000 personnel. As such, managing the career of the personnel is an easy job. However, after almost two decades, from 3,000, we have already 18,358 strong Coast Guardians. Further, with the enactment of the PCG Law of 2009 or RA No. 9993 which provides for its fifty four (54) functions, there is an increasing demands in the PCG’s role in national development, particularly, its contribution to the national economy and maritime security. Accordingly, with the increase of personnel, new technology, and the evolving role of the PCG in nation building, it is important to have a career management system that addresses the needs of the Officers in particular in terms of career planning and achieving career goals, and at the same time use this career system for the PCG to meet its mission and functions.
In the past, the planning and management of careers was seen as the major responsibility of the individual (Baruch, 2006). Later, the focus of career development has shifted from the individual to the organization (Baruch, 2006 [as cited in Gutteridge, Leibowitz, & Shore, 1993]).
According to Baruch (2006), the values of the organization may be determined whether it takes a traditional career developmental mentality or contemporary career developmental mentality approach to careers. The former speaks of applying certain practices such as traditional career paths and career development activities while the latter aims to gain employability for employees, introduce outsourcing, secondments, etc. However, the change in career systems does not mean that the organizations need to change their role in managing the careers of its employees. Instead, it has a new important role that is being supportive, enabler, and developer of its human assets. The organization therefore can arrange its system from the traditional “command and control” approach to become “supportive and developmental” approach.
The PCG, being an armed and uniformed service, still follows the traditional “command and control” approach due to its nature which strictly observes seniority, chain of command, and command responsibility. Contrary to this, Hall and Mirvis (1995) as cited in Hedge, Borman, Bourne (2006) stated that careers no longer belong to the organization but rather to its employees. It further stated that organization will be unable to meaningfully plan an employee’s career as the latter must assume the responsibility for their own career management. Nonetheless, it is in the best interest of the organization particularly the PCG to balance the management of the career of its Officers by adopting both the traditional “command and control” and “supportive and developmental” approach.
It is therefore the objective of this study to develop a system in managing the career of the PCG’s Commissioned Officers that will serve as a guide for career advancement and professional growth. Through this study, the career path of every Officer will be monitored through a system of: a. Education and Training; b. Assignment; and c. Promotion. By monitoring means, determining when should the personnel undergo training or schooling, to what position or assignment he/she will be assigned thereafter, and to ensure that he/she has all the qualifications as to eligibility requirements at the time he/she is recommended for promotion.
B. Methodology
The study was conducted using a mixed method of research which was defined by Burke Johnson et. al. (2007) as cited in Almalki (2016) as “… the type of research in which a researcher or team of researchers combine elements of qualitative and quantitative research approaches (e.g. use of qualitative and quantitative viewpoints, data collection, analysis, inference techniques) for the broad purposes and depth of understanding and corroboration.” This approach will use survey through questionnaires and interviews to determine the perception of Officers on the importance of proper career management and how career management may be described in terms of education and training, assignment and designation, and promotion. It will also utilize document analysis to determine what are the documents used by the PCG relative to managing the career path of its Commissioned Officers.
The study’s target population will comprise the Commissioned Officers of the PCG including those who holds the rank of Probationary Ensign. There is a total of 2,011 Commissioned Officers and Probationary Ensigns during the conduct of the study. On the basis thereof, the researcher will select a representative sample of approximately 66 respondents using stratified sampling technique based on their ranks/grade in the PCG. The convenience sampling will then be used to select Officers from each rank/grade to participate in the study conveniently located around the location or internet service due to the present threats of the COVID-19 pandemic. The representative sample of 66 respondents has a margin of error of ten percent (10%) and confidence level of ninety percent (90%).
As to the survey questionnaire, the researcher used a four-point Likert scale wherein the respondents asked to indicate the degree to which they agree or disagree from a given statement. Meanwhile, the interview guide questions used an open-ended question to elicit information from the participants on career management. The answers of the respondents were obtained through google form while the semi-structured interview was done via online platform due to the threats of COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition, the data obtained were analyzed using the descriptive statistics specifically the population mean, percentages and frequency distribution in the statistical analysis of the results of the quantitative/metric data. Meanwhile, the open ended responses or the qualitative/non-metric data will be analyzed using content analysis wherein the key issues/points will be identified in the pool of diverse responses.
C. Results
The findings of the study are divided into four parts, namely: (a) the demographic profile of the respondents; (b) the perception of the PCG Commissioned Officers with the importance of proper career management in terms of implementation of the PCG’s mandated functions, career development, and the effect of the absence of career pattern; (c) how the management of the career of Commissioned Officers be described in terms of Education and Training, Assignment and Designation, and Promotion; and (d) the presentation of semi-structured interview data. The findings are presented in tables and figures.
Based on the findings, 53% of the respondents were male while 47% were female. The study involved both male and female Commissioned Officers and it showed that the majority of the respondents were male. As to the personal profile of the respondents which includes rank and years of active service in the PCG, the highest rank frequency of 14 or 21.2% of the total respondents are those holding the rank of CG LTJG while the lowest frequency of one or 1.5% are those holding the rank of CG RADM. Meanwhile, 2 out of 66 or 3% have worked with the PCG for less than one year, 29 or 43.9% have worked for one year to nine years, 28 or 42.4% have worked for ten years to 19 years, and 7 or 10.6% have worked for 20 years and above. It can be gleaned from the findings that the respondents had enough knowledge about the PCG.
As to the perception of the PCG Commissioned Officers on the importance of proper career management, they perceived the same as very important and has direct effect in their career development and the accomplishment of the PCG’s mandated function. Moreover, the Officers described that the existing policies/circulars on career management of the PCG in terms of Education and Training, Assignment and Designation, and Promotion are only partially implemented. These findings were also supported by the answers of the interviewees and further mentioned that although the PCG was able to carry out its mandated functions, it failed to develop experts in a specific field and failed to acknowledge the competence of some Officers in a specific field since they are required to be rotated in different assignments in just a short span.
D. Analysis
Accordingly, it was concluded that proper career management is very important to both the PCG and its Commissioned Officers in fulfilling their respective goals. Specifically, the PCG will be able to hire, train, develop, and designate Officers to the appropriate position/job in line with its objectives and strategic goals to attain its mission and functions as well as utilize the skills, competencies, and expertise of the Officers in the accomplishment thereof. In return, the Officers will be able to proactively take part in career development planning wherein each stage will be clearly defined.
Without proper career management, Officers with knowledge, skills, competencies, and expertise appropriate for the job will not be properly utilized/underutilized which may lead to the nonrealization of the desired goals and functions of the PCG, and their morale will be affected which may result to lack of motivation to work, low job satisfaction, and low productivity.
As stated in Chelimo (2014), organizational career management significantly changes the nature of an organization providing numerous benefits such as enhanced employee engagement levels where employees become committed to high performance, it leads to a more effective succession planning which in turn leads to organizational stability, and it will enable the management to understand individual’s aspirations and create opportunities for individuals to obtain exposure to new opportunities, among others.
Meanwhile, it was revealed that the existing policies/circulars of the PCG pertaining to career management particularly on education and training, rotation of Officers (assignment and designation), and promotion are not fully implemented and although the PCG were able to carry out its mandated functions, it failed to develop experts in a specific field. Also, career management practices such as career planning is not implemented in the PCG, hence, Officers are not actively participating in managing their career/professional development until they attain a certain rank.
In view of the above discussions, it can be safely assumed that the development of the PCG Commissioned Officer’s career management system will help both the Officer and the PCG in achieving their career goals and objectives, respectively.
E. Discussion
The core highlight of this research is to develop a system in managing the career of the Commissioned Officers of the PCG. It was supported by the results of the survey questionnaire as well as the answers of the participants during the conduct of interview showing the importance of proper career management to both the organization and its Commissioned Officers. On the basis thereof, three courses of actions were formulated, to wit:
1. Prescribe a policy establishing a system in managing the career path of the PCG Commissioned Officers;
2. Outsource the services of a Third-Party for the development of software for career management setting the career map of each Officer using self-assessment tools; and
3. Designate a Human Resource Management Specialists preferably from the Non-Uniformed Personnel responsible for the implementation of career management practices of the PCG.
In order to determine the most possible or superior solution to the problem, the three Courses of Actions (COAs) were subjected to these three classic tests namely: (a) Suitability Test [S] which answers if the solution will indeed solve the problem; (b) Feasibility Test [F] which answers if it can be actually done or implemented; and (c) Acceptability Test [A] which answers if it is worth the cost in terms of money, equipment, etc. Relative thereto, the researcher conducted interviews to find out the best possible solutions to the COAs formulated. The interviews were conducted to one of the Officers of the Philippine Navy (PN), the Chief, Civilian Affairs of the PCG, and a representative from a Software Developer Company.
It was concluded that the superior solution to resolve the problem is the creation of a policy establishing a system in managing the career path of the PCG Commissioned Officers as it provides a holistic approach aimed at developing the Officers based on his/her capabilities and performance and the organizational requirements, and set forth rules, guidelines, direction, consistency, accountability, efficiency, clarity, and system on how the organization implements its career management practices. Lastly, it is suitable, feasible, and acceptable most especially in this time of COVID-19 pandemic.
This study and the policy created as a result thereof will be a catalyst for change in the human resource of the PCG. Through this, the career path of the Officer will be aligned with the strategic goals of the PCG for it to attain its mission and functions. Both the organization and the Officer will be able to benefit from it, as the former can take the wheel towards accomplishing its functions by utilizing the skills and competencies of the Officers appropriate for the job; while the latter can enhance their skills and knowledge into achieving their goals through promotion and holding higher positions.