The ridiculous practice of holding meetings during office hours should be stopped immediately. Some government officials insist on summoning staff for meetings they choose to hold during the working day. By doing so, the public is not served and is kept waiting longer than is necessary.
Paper work which requires immediate action is often delayed and neglected and work comes to a standstill because managers and department heads are attending a meeting.
Many citizens have complained of being kept waiting for hours in a public service department in Jeddah. When they complained, they were told that the manager was at a meeting with members of a special committee. Delayed and frustrated, the citizens asked to see the assistant manager only to learn that he too was at the same meeting. With no one delegated to take action in the absence of the managers, work stopped completely as the public justifiably grumbled and complained.
The irony is that though many officials know very well that their absence will result in confusion in their departments, they insist on holding meetings during work hours with no regard at all for the needs and feelings of the public.
These managers consistently tell us that the meetings are intended to improve performance and remove obstacles faced by the public. How can this be? The meetings themselves are one of the main obstacles faced by the public. It is nothing less than a lie when someone says that a meeting which harmed the public’s interests was meant to benefit them.
Another issue needs to be addressed is private visits by friends and relatives to employees during office hours. This is an unacceptable practice that should end because it causes more harm than benefit.
It is time both these practices were stopped. The meetings should be held outside working hours so as not to waste people’s time and energy.
Private visits should be forbidden so that when people go to a government office to attend to business, they don’t find doors closed while the individual they came to see is busy receiving personal guests.