On behalf of the Politburo, Permanent Member of the Secretariat Tran Cam Tu signed Conclusion No. 40 on amendments and additions to regulations governing workforce management within the political system, the allocation of staffing quotas for 2026 and strategic directions for the 2027-2031 period.

Under the conclusion, the Politburo assigned the Party Central Committee's Organization Commission to incorporate feedback, finalize draft regulations on staffing management and complete the 2026 staffing allocation plan for the political system. The commission was also tasked with carefully reviewing all data to ensure accuracy before submitting the documents to the Secretariat for approval.

Regarding staffing allocations for 2027-2031, the Politburo emphasized the continued implementation of workforce reductions across the political system, targeting a decrease of approximately 5-10%.

The reductions will be carried out based on specific plans, roadmaps and accountability commitments from ministries, agencies, organizations and local authorities in implementing decentralization, delegation of authority, digital transformation and the application of science and technology.

Shift from headcount management to performance management

The Politburo also called for streamlined work processes, fewer intermediary administrative layers, leaner internal organizational structures, restructuring of public service units and a reduction in leadership positions across agencies and organizations.

Authorities were instructed to adopt data-driven management methods and quantify workloads in order to determine actual staffing needs.

According to the conclusion, workforce management should gradually move away from focusing solely on staff numbers and instead prioritize quality, efficiency and performance outcomes. Officials and employees should be periodically assessed using measurable indicators.

The Politburo stressed the need to remove underperforming personnel from the system and recruit qualified civil servants and public employees with the necessary skills and capabilities.

At the same time, agencies and organizations must develop plans for reassignment and position conversion to ensure an adequate number of civil servants are available to perform state management functions, while preventing situations in which public employees occupy positions intended for civil servants.

Government bodies and local authorities were instructed to proactively review and adjust workforce structures to match practical needs and assigned responsibilities. Requests for staffing adjustments must be submitted to competent authorities for consideration, particularly in areas facing shortages of specialized personnel.

Organizations where the current number of civil servants and public employees exceeds the staffing quotas allocated for 2026 are required to urgently develop realistic implementation plans and timelines to gradually align staffing levels with approved quotas by the end of 2026.

Major metropolitan areas and special-status cities, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, that have been granted special mechanisms for staffing management by the Politburo will continue implementing those arrangements in accordance with existing policies and conclusions.

No room for protecting positions or vested interests

The Politburo instructed the Organization Commission to conduct a comprehensive review and propose reforms to workforce management and staffing allocation mechanisms throughout the political system. The objective is to ensure substantive effectiveness and consistency with Party policies on job-position frameworks and salary reform.

The conclusion suggests a fundamental shift in thinking, awareness and methods used to determine staffing levels. Rather than relying on fixed long-term allocations, workforce planning should move toward a three-year review cycle that allows adjustments based on changing realities.

Staffing levels should be determined scientifically and objectively according to clearly defined norms, criteria and standards, helping address long-standing shortcomings that have persisted through multiple terms.

The allocation of staffing quotas must be closely linked to digital transformation, technological adoption, administrative reform, decentralization, organizational functions, job-position frameworks and measurable performance outcomes.

The Politburo also stressed that staffing management should not result in situations where agencies facing personnel shortages are unable to recruit additional staff while organizations with low efficiency continue to maintain stable staffing levels.

A stronger mechanism is needed to screen and replace personnel who fail to meet job requirements. The principle of both entry and exit must apply to positions funded by the state budget, ensuring that recruitment into the public sector does not guarantee lifetime job security.

"The situation of seeking additional staffing quotas, protecting positions or preserving organizational structures for parochial interests must never be allowed to occur," Conclusion No. 40 stated.

Tran Thuong