The Analysis Of The Phenomenon And Cause Of Supernumerary Staff In Government Departments

Since 1978,China has undergone eight government agency reforms.Although the urgent need on the organizational streamlining was already indicated in previous institutional reforms,government departments have continued to employ more staff to engage in the work field of government management through the form of extra-curricular employment.Not only did this fail to meet the stated expectation of down scaling the workforce,but instead a growing trend in this field is being observed.Thus,it has resulted in the "Institutional reform cycle" of "streamlined-expansion-and then streamlined-and then expansion”.So why does supernumerary staff exist in government departments? This article is based on the field survey of Housing Construction Bureau of S District.From the perspectives of the two main bodies of government departments and supernumerary staff,it is believed that the government departments are willing to hire supernumerary staff due to the surge in their work and the convenience in management in comparison to permanent staff;soft budget constraints make it possible to hire supernumerary staff.On the other hand,the supernumerary staff regard the extra status as a “stepping stone” to enter the system or to seek better job opportunities in future,therefore,they are willing to be hired temporarily.On top of that,the nepotism based on human relationship society makes it possible and easier to enter government departments.To curtail the trend of expansion of supernumerary staff in government departments,the most efficient way is to to start with the two main bodies namely the government departments and supernumerary staff and weaken their subjective intentions so as to institutionally block the possibility of hiring.