One major challenge for the PES Network is to promote a learning culture within public employment services. Improving internal benchmarking can be a step forward in this direction, as shown in this thematic review workshop hosted by AMS, the Austrian PES.

© Tashatuvango/Shutterstock.com

Benchmarking, comparing PES performance from all over Europe, is an important driver for the PES Network’s activities. To learn from each other, we must first know the state of play and what needs improving.

But beyond benchmarking on the European level, it can also be interesting to compare regional and local units of the same country. This workshop in Austria brought together representatives from 18 countries to see how they organise such internal benchmarking.

Countries have widely different approaches to this topic, depending on the institutional context and the level of decentralisation within the country. In this sense, there is no “one size fits all” approach.

One key finding pointed out by the Austrian experts is that “internal benchmarking works best if a suitable culture is formed and fostered. This is far more important than specific procedures”. Essentially, benchmarking should be practised as part of a wider ongoing commitment to modernise PES.

A thematic report on internal benchmarking in PES will be published in the third quarter of 2019, incorporating the findings of the workshop discussions for other PES to learn from.