Imagine if a tax authority's human resource management system could function like a precision engine, perfectly matching talent to roles and unlocking employee potential. How much could tax collection efficiency improve? The Lesotho Revenue Authority (LRA) is moving decisively toward this vision, recognizing that its workforce is the key to operational excellence, revenue growth, and stronger stakeholder relationships. Now, with a modernization initiative underway, the LRA is poised to transform its HR framework into a strategic asset.
A Collaborative Leap Forward
To support this ambitious goal, the World Customs Organization (WCO) facilitated a pivotal five-day workshop on competency-based human resource management (HRM) for LRA staff. Conducted under the WCO's Executive and Professional Competency-Based HRM Programme, the April 2022 session brought together 34 participants from the Human Capital Management (HCM) department and cross-functional teams. Led by certified experts from Liberia—a deliberate choice to foster South-South cooperation—the training built on prior virtual capacity-building efforts. Its objective was clear: equip attendees to serve as strategic partners in developing and implementing competency-based HRM tools across the organization.
Strategic Pillars of Transformation
The curriculum addressed six critical dimensions of modern HRM:
- HR's Role in Customs Performance: Demonstrated how talent development directly correlates with organizational effectiveness in revenue administration.
- Strategic HRM Principles: Provided methodologies to align human capital strategies with the LRA's broader institutional objectives.
- HRD Functional Architecture: Clarified the Human Resource Development unit's mandate across recruitment, training, performance evaluation, and career progression.
- Competency-Based Frameworks: Delivered practical techniques for creating competency models, conducting assessments, and applying insights to talent decisions.
- HR Project Management: Covered end-to-end project execution from planning through risk mitigation and outcome measurement.
- HR Leadership: Cultivated essential competencies for HR professionals in strategic thinking, change management, and team leadership.
From Theory to Implementation
Under the guidance of HCM Head Khopotso Liphoto, participants developed a concrete action plan structured around five phases:
- Needs Assessment: Systematically identifying current HR challenges and opportunities.
- Competency Modeling: Defining role-specific knowledge, skills, and attributes across LRA positions.
- Tool Development: Creating practical instruments for recruitment, performance management, and career development.
- Operational Rollout: Implementing tools with iterative refinements based on real-world application.
- Validation: Rigorously evaluating the impact of new HRM systems.
Institutional Commitment
The LRA's executive leadership has pledged comprehensive support for the initiative, including dedicated funding, staffing resources, policy adjustments, and cultural transformation to facilitate adoption. Concurrently, the WCO has committed to ongoing technical assistance through expert consultations, specialized training, knowledge sharing of global best practices, and technological support for HR information systems.
This collaborative effort represents a significant stride toward professionalizing Lesotho's tax administration workforce. By institutionalizing competency-based HRM practices, the LRA aims to cultivate a highly skilled, strategically aligned team capable of meeting the complex demands of modern revenue administration.