A crisis in people management is threatening the delivery of public services, according to a report released this week.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) says the sporadic and inadequate quality of front line management is resulting in high levels of absence and an inability to tackle poor performance in the public sector.
 
The Institute says that compared with the private sector, on average, public sector employers are three times less likely to discipline staff, rate their line managers’ conflict management skills poorly and take longer to manage formal disciplinary and grievance cases.

Ben Willmott, CIPD senior public policy adviser, said: “Delivering ‘more with less’ is precisely what many organisations have had to do in the recession – and it is perfectly achievable where there are high levels of employee engagement and shared purpose. 

“But the public sector is heading for extremely tough times and political and taxpayer expectations are high.” 
 
The report reveals worryingly low levels of trust and confidence in senior management among public sector employees, as well as their dissatisfaction with the level of consultation over change. 

The CIPD says these factors must be addressed to build the employee engagement necessary to deliver on political and public expectations of public service reform.
 
And it is calling for a review of public sector management training to identify how to improve people management capabilities among front line managers.

It is also urging action to ensure that professionals involved in the delivery of public services are equipped with people management capabilities that are recognised and valued as highly as their professional skills.

This, the CIPD says, is necessary to ensure public sector leaders at all levels understand the dynamics of organisational change in large organisations and are able to take and implement tough decisions while carrying people with them.
 
Willmott says the challenge for policy makers is to chart a course that can motivate and engage the public sector workforce in the delivery of change, despite the need for pay restraint, redundancies and pensions reform.
 
“Success could bring a productivity dividend and public applause. Failure risks derailing efforts to reform public service delivery and get a grip on the public finances,” he concluded.

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