Ho Chi Minh City is urgently finalizing proposals regarding job positions and staffing levels for the 2027–2031 period, systematically determining human resource requirements based on the volume and nature of work, as well as the specific demands of the tasks involved.
In line with the Politburo’s Conclusion No. 107-KL/TW, the city aims to link job positions with Key Performance Indicator (KPI) assessments, ensure that personnel are assigned according to their competencies, optimize the use of staffing resources, and move toward a compensation structure commensurate with responsibilities and work outcomes.
Local officials struggle under growing workload
Every day, specialist La Minh Hoang in the Economic Division of Long Dien Commune, Ho Chi Minh City, processes approximately 30–50 files related to business households and construction, while also providing guidance and handling administrative procedures for citizens who visit in person.
Beyond processing files during official working hours, he is also responsible for preparing reports, updating data, attending meetings, and addressing ad-hoc tasks that arise locally. On some days, Hoang does not leave the office until nearly 8:00 p.m.
According to leadership in Long Dien Commune, the increasing workload requires civil servants to coordinate with numerous municipal-level departments. Certain tasks involve five to six different specialized agencies, resulting in extensive requirements for reporting, information updates, and operational execution.
In addition to tasks that can be quantified, such as the number of files processed or system-based assignments, there are many other responsibilities that emerge during public interactions, inter-departmental coordination, and the resolution of local-level issues.
With a population of approximately 250,000, Di An Ward faces a wide range of administrative responsibilities and a substantial workload. Key sectors, including land management, construction, industry, finance and accounting, and digital transformation, are experiencing significant staffing pressures. These fields require specialized expertise, yet the ward lacks dedicated personnel to adequately cover these areas.
Meanwhile, the digital transformation process imposes increasingly rigorous demands, such as the standardization and digitization of data, the operation of software systems, and the simultaneous handling of both paper-based and electronic records, placing greater pressure on civil servants and public officials, particularly those directly involved in processing administrative procedures or providing advisory support for state management.
According to leadership at the Di An Ward People’s Committee, the local administration is allocated 70 staff positions but currently has only 66, with several specialized roles remaining vacant. Based on an assessment of the actual workload, the ward has proposed a more appropriate allocation of human resources, prioritizing specialized areas that are currently overburdened to ensure that operational requirements can be met in this new phase.
In Tan Hung Ward, just three civil servants are responsible for healthcare and social welfare, despite the substantial demands of the sector. The ward currently manages 2,348 social welfare case files, while the unit processes an average of 150 health insurance cards and 30 funeral assistance applications each month, in addition to handling various ad-hoc tasks.
An assessment of job responsibilities suggests that the sector requires a staff of approximately seven to manage its workload effectively, more than double the current workforce.
Staffing shortages are also evident in other areas. The administrative procedure oversight unit has five civil servants, although its workload calls for around ten. Similarly, the construction, urban affairs and apartment complex management sector requires nearly ten staff members but currently operates with just five.
Data-driven staffing model helps match workforce to workload
Practical experience at the local level demonstrates that determining human resource requirements must fully account for the volume of files to be processed, the time required for handling, the level of complexity, the need for inter-departmental coordination, and any ad-hoc tasks that may arise.
Guided by these requirements, Tan Hung Ward conducted an inventory of every task, specific job, expected output, and the time required for completion to determine staffing needs for each position. Selected by the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee for a pilot program, the ward reviewed 377 tasks and 2,451 individual jobs across 40 job positions to calculate its human resource requirements.
Data on actual tasks and outputs were collected over a 12-month period, from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026. Based on this, the ward calculated the time required for each output—adjusting for efficiencies gained through digitalization and then converted these figures into a standard workload of 1,904 hours per person per year.
Furthermore, the ward developed instructional videos covering an 8-step process and 9 operational forms. It also utilized artificial intelligence to identify redundant tasks and any gaps when compared against official regulations. The findings were reviewed and verified by both civil servants and leadership before being finalized.
This approach has enabled the ward to clearly identify overburdened positions and instances where tasks were not appropriately assigned. The calculations indicated a staffing requirement of approximately 94 individuals for professional roles.
Ultimately, the ward developed a staffing plan for 86 personnel—eight fewer than the initial calculation—achieved through the reorganization of tasks, the implementation of appropriate concurrent roles, internal reassignment, and continued digital transformation. For the People’s Committee apparatus, the ward proposes a phased approach to increasing personnel, aligned with overall staffing management policies. This includes ongoing reviews and the reallocation of staff from roles with reduced workloads to areas with greater demand.
Determining staffing needs based on functions, duties, and actual workloads is also a requirement set forth in Conclusion No. 107-KL/TW, dated October 17, 2026, issued by the Politburo, which concerns refining the system of job positions within the political structure—an initiative linked to both the development of the workforce and the management of staffing levels.
The Conclusion calls for a fundamental shift away from a management model based on headcount, fixed staffing quotas and formal ranks towards one centered on job positions, professional competencies, performance and contributions. It also stresses the need to clearly distinguish between defining job positions, determining staffing requirements and formally allocating staffing quotas, while ensuring that authority and responsibility are directly linked to performance outcomes.
In implementing Conclusion No. 107-KL/TW, Ho Chi Minh City is urgently finalizing proposals regarding job positions and staffing for the 2027–2031 period. This process adheres to the principles of recruiting and assigning the right people to the right roles, thereby maximizing the potential of the city’s officials, civil servants, and public employees.
According to Director Pham Thi Thanh Hien of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Home Affairs, the city’s various departments, agencies, and local authorities have completed the definition of job positions. The city is now focused on conducting in-depth reviews, appraising documentation, and standardizing human resource data in accordance with the latest regulations and directives from the central government.
This serves as the foundation for further refining the deployment and utilization of human resources to meet specific operational requirements and enhance the overall efficiency of the administrative apparatus.
