A comparative study of the HR function between the public and private sectors in Malta

Abstract

The objectives of the research study was to analyse the differences in the HR Function between the Public and Private organisations in Malta. The study looked to explore how different tasks of human resources are being implemented amongst different organisations in Malta such as performance management, training and development as well as strategic human resources management. The analysis of these tasks would show the effectiveness as well as the extent of detail and precision made by each organisation in the particular sector. Research for the study was done through interviews with human resources managers in the organisations. The participants of this research study were all HR managers in their respective organisation with lots of experience in the field of Human Resources. Their views change due to the different natures their organisations are setup in. Data was collected by doing four fully-structured interviews. The participants’ responses were transcribed verbatim and their responses were developed further by the researcher for the purpose of the research study. Results from the findings suggest that in Malta the private sector is ahead of the public sector when it comes to Human Resources. Furthermore, the results show what could be the causes of the weaknesses in the organisations in terms of human resources and what can be done to fix those weaknesses. Overall, the organisations in the Maltese private sector are evidently more efficient than the Maltese public organisations. The study concludes by coming up with possible improvements that can assist the organisations in both public and private sectors for when it comes to Human Resources. Comparisons with foreign organisations and other countries is a good demonstration of how to adapt new practices in the local scenario.