What do civil servants really think about the state? |
Civil servants feel stifled by cumbersome processes, weak talent progression and ineffective procurement, according to a new survey that casts doubt on the government’s ability to deliver on the transformative “missions” it’s promised, says Joe Hill
The Government took office a year ago pledging to change the country with five big “missions”. This approach was heralded as more than the sum of its parts – not just a new set of priorities, but a new way of governing the nation, based on their frustrations with a state which felt like it couldn’t deliver for the public.
Having been a civil servant, I know that the things which frustrate people outside of the civil service are just as frustrating on the inside. But it’s often hard to explain why – so recently we asked civil servants what they thought about the state of the state.
Missions are meant to be defined by a laser focus on key priorities, and gearing the whole of government to deliver those. The Prime Minister said it was a “gauntlet thrown down” for the civil service to pick up. But based........