Ministers vow to end civil service 'merry go round of mediocrity'
Cabinet Office minister John Glen today vowed to end Whitehall’s ‘merry go round of mediocrity’ as he outlined plans to tackle underperformance in the civil service.
In a speech to the Reform think tank, Mr Glen unveiled a new pilot scheme to link senior officials’ pay to the successful delivery of pre-agreed projects.
He also set out his intent to attract the best talent from the private sector to Government departments, and to allow civil servants to root out poor work.
Mr Glen announced the Government would introduce ‘clear operational frameworks’ on how to deal with underperforming staff.
He said the difference between Whitehall and the private sector was the ability to ‘move on those people that fall short of expectations’.
The Cabinet Office minister insisted departments should be able to ‘take swift action when performance falls below expected standards’.
Cabinet Office minister John Glen vowed to end Whitehall’s ‘merry go round of mediocrity’ as he outlined plans to tackle underperformance in the civil service
Mr Glen said the difference between Whitehall and the private sector was the ability to ‘move on those people that fall short of expectations’
Speaking at Reform’s annual conference at the BT Tower in London, Mr Glen said: ‘To build a world-class civil service that truly delivers for the public, we must start with the people.
‘We need to recruit the brightest minds, ensure they have the tools and skills to succeed, and take swift action when performance falls below expected standards.
‘The measures I’ve set out today will help to meet today’s productivity challenge head on, building a resilient and high performing civil service that is fit for the future.’
He added: ‘It cannot be the case that we allow a culture to develop which incentivises poor performance and shuffling of poor performers sideways or even upwards.
‘Instead of tackling problems head on this just perpetuates them creating a merry-go-round of mediocrity.’
A new pilot scheme, due to begin this summer, will test ‘milestone-based pay’ for senior civil servants.
This will see them rewarded for the delivery of pre-agreed milestones for projects they manage.
The Cabinet Office said this would ensure that pay and reward is more closely aligned to how staff are performing and delivering for the public.
By focusing on performance-related pay, ministers also hope to make reward packages more attractive to potential new hires, without increasing basic salaries.
They also see it as a means of tackling ‘Whitehall churn’ where senior staff leave their roles before projects are completed, and to ensure there is full accountability for long-term results.
Mr Glen used his speech today to announce that work to improve the performance management system for senior officials would conclude next month.
He also said there would be a review to ensure the external-by-default recruitment policy for top Whitehall roles – which ensures all senior roles are open to external applicants – is being properly implemented.
Mr Glen’s work is part of Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s push to boost Government efficiency by capping civil service headcount and reducing staffing numbers to pre-pandemic levels by the end of the next spending review.
At a separate conference today, a top union leader was expected to urge the Government to stop ‘trashing’ the civil service.
Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA, which represents senior civil servants, was due to attack Government plans to cut 70,000 jobs from Whitehall.
‘Like Stalin announcing tractor production in a five-year plan, ministers have decided on a number, for political purposes,’ he was expected to tell his union’s annual conference.
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