Developing a Change Culture in Local Government

1. Developing a Change Culture in Local Government Commentary on the Strategic Framework - Outlining Governance Arrangements, Links to the ICE Programme and Reform of Local Government Ashley Boreland

2. A personal perspective • Chief Executive of Ards Borough Council • Local projects • Member of Local Government Staff Commission • Awareness of increased need for sector-wide solutions • Chair of Local Government Training Group • Need for sector-wide development • LGTG support for implementation of framework • Role in ICE Programme • Drive for sector-led improvement, collaboration and efficiency Local Regional

3. People and OD Strategic Framework • A route map to develop our most important resource and deliver excellent services • Common platform for development across the sector and at council level • A work of partnership – LGSC, SOLACE and PPMA • Consultation on draft complete and supported by the sector • Implementation from January 2012 onwards

4. Putting it into context • 26 Councils, 26 ways? • Reform in local Government • ICE • RPA • Increasing public expectations • New legislation • Squeeze on resources – especially money • Recognition of people as the largest and most important resource • Increasing focus on working together • SOLACE initiative to align regional officer groups

5. Why People & OD? • Coping with challenges • Customer expectations • Limited resources • Managing risks • Preparing our people • Increasing change resilience • Building a foundation for reform – ICE/RPA • Taking control of change • Leading design of transferring or new services • Improving current services • Creating structures for the future • Developing a change culture

6. “I know about People but what is Organisational Development?” • It isn’t just training! • Concept is over 60 years old (Kurt Lewin) • Improving performance through strategic, linked, development of the whole organisation – people, processes, technology, communications etc • Shifts the HR focus from the transactional to the strategic Plannedinterventions of Positive, sustainable, whole-system change, delivering Performanceimprovements for the organisation

7. The Six Pillars

8. The Six Pillars • Initial priorities • Leadership • Performance Culture • Employee Relations • Longer-term culture-shift enablers • Pay and Reward • Talent Management • Learning Organisation • Goals are deliberately “big, hairy and audacious!” (Penna, 2011)

9. Leadership Leadership • Strategic Goal: • Local Government will be led by courageous, innovative, ambitious and proactive leaders at all levels who inspire others to maximise their potential in a strong and dynamic localgovernment sector • Why? • Foundation for progress at all levels • How? • Define • Supporting processes • Recognition • Career progression • Building reputation • Building networks

10. Performance Culture Performance Culture • Strategic Goal: • Local Government will create an environment where, individual, team and council goals are aligned; individuals will receive continuous development and feedback on performance and will be recognised for excellence in service delivery. • Why? • Supporting efficiency, productivity and innovation. • How? • Performance Management System • Staff understanding of performance and career progression • Focus on customer and community needs • Clear expectations on standards and behaviours • Appropriate and timely feedback • Underperformance managed • Recognition for accountability of performance

11. Employee Relations Employee Relations • Strategic Goal: • Local Government will agree on and establish an Employee Relations Framework and environment that delivers results, enables change to happen smoothly at sector and council level and provides consistency. • Why? • Supporting relationships to deliver positive change • How? • Effective and agreed negotiating model • Climate of trust, respect and co-operation • Early recognition and resolution of issues

12. Pay and Reward Pay and Reward • Strategic Goal: • Local Government will ensure the effective management of Pay and Reward across the sector to support achievement of a flexible, motivated workforce. • Why? • Motivation to deliver high quality services whilst managing costs • How? • Focus on productivity and motivation • Reward supporting performance culture and talent management • Promotion of total reward package • Managed workforce costs to support efficiency and cost control • Effective and consistent pay and grading processes • Promotion of flexibility and mobility to create opportunity

13. Talent Management Talent Manangement • Strategic Goal: • Local Government will create the culture, systems and processes which ensure the right people with the right capabilities are in the right place at the right time to develop and support a strong and dynamic sector. • Why? • Developing the individual and the organisation • How? • Sector-wide approach to join up processes around employee lifecycle • Supporting policies, processes and systems based on transparency and fairness • Sector-wide succession management • Building reputation of sector as being progressive in talent management • Culture of differentiating on performance • Leaders accountable for talent management • Collaborative working • Perception of talent ‘owned’ by sector, not by individual council • Developing the talent management culture across the sector

14. Learning Organisation Learning Organisation • Strategic Goal: • Local Government will create learning environments where leaders equip individuals to take ownership of their learning and development which supports their performance in delivering excellent service • Why? • Shift from training to business performance-linked learning culture • How? • Deliberate shift from training focus to performance and learning • Continuous learning culture fostered at individual, team and organisational levels • Recognition of leaders who create learning environments • Motivational conversations on learning and development • Understanding of individual impact on achievement of team and organisational goals • Culture that supports efforts to continually improve performance • Clear link between learning culture and performance, including return on investment

15. Success/work to date

16. Making it happen • Action Planning • Defined actions for year 1 • Programme management • LGSC • Specialist knowledge within sector • Resourcing • Leaders and cross-sector teams and support • Reviewing • Overall progress reviewed annually • Using OD principles/values…

17. OD Principles • Respect and Inclusion • Collaboration • Authenticity • Self-awareness • Empowerment

18. Regional Governance Group Reporting on Progress PROGRAMME BOARD ie SOLACE, PPMA, LGSC, TU, DoE, Independent HR rep., and Working Group Leads LGSC and LGTG Oversight, Resources and Programme/Project Management STRATEGIC PILLAR WORKING GROUPS Leadership Performance Culture Employee Relations Pay and Reward Talent Management Learning Organisation Governance structure

19. Resourcing

20. Your sector needs you! • Our progress relies on your support and input • So please volunteer for the upcoming workshops

21. Final thoughts • Change isn’t coming – its here • “Everybody has accepted by now that change is unavoidable” - Peter Drucker • We must take control of it • “It is not the strongest of the species that survives…it is the one that is the most adaptable to change” - Charles Darwin • The foundation to effective, sustained change is driving it from within • “Peter Senge introduced the idea of the 'learning organisation‘. Now he says that for big companies to change, we need to stop thinking like mechanics and to start acting like gardeners” – Alan Webber

22. Final thoughts We’ve done some great things so far... …now let’s create something outstanding!