Exploring Modernisation of Public Services and Employment Relations
This content delves into the modernisation of public services and its connection to employment relations, featuring insights from various perspectives such as government initiatives, challenges in recruitment, and the role of the public sector. It discusses the transition from traditional approaches to new frameworks, emphasizing the importance of enhancing service quality, efficiency, and societal impact through modernisation efforts across different sectors. The content also highlights the evolution of public sector employment in the UK over specific years.
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Presentation Transcript
The Modernisation of the Public Services and Employment Relations Ian Kessler, King s College, London
Lamming (2003): LB Brent Social Services Recruitment Difficulties Uncompetitive Salaries Agency Staff Poor Inductions Supervision and Monitoring Workload
New Labour: Modernising Government, Cabinet Office, 1999 Government matters. We all want it to deliver policies, programmes and services that will make us more healthy, more secure and better equipped to tackle the challenges we face. Government should improve the quality of our lives. Modernisation of government is vital if the government is to achieve this ambition.
David Cameron, Speech of Modern Public Service, Jan. 2011 I want one of the great achievements of this Government to be the complete modernisation of our public services
Questions What is meant by modern (public services) ? How might the modern connect to employment relations? How has this connection played itself out in practice?
Structure A Traditional Approach A New Framework The Framework in Action
The Public Sector Role of government in delivering good & services Ideological Rational BIG STATE SMALL STATE Directly funded& provided: Public sector Directly funded Private sector Independent sector Neither directly funded nor provided Law making Enforcement Defence Emergency Welfare benefits Education Environment Rail Utilities Housing Health Social Care Others ?
UK Public Sector Employment (000) Construction Forces Police (incl. civilians Public admin. Of which: civil service Education National Health Service Other health and social work Other (incl. Corps.) Total public sector 1999 111 218 231 1,175 502 1,394 1,207 393 730 5,456 2001 110 218 229 1,196 513 1,418 1,231 400 732 5,531 2003 80 222 249 1,257 557 1,528 1,402 344 792 5,871 2005 75 213 273 1,290 563 1,595 1,515 367 779 6,106 2007 62 200 282 1,285 543 1,630 1,492 360 743 6,052 2009 53 196 293 1,220 525 1,664 1,554 356 974 6,312 2011 46 194 281 1,176 513 1,651 1,591 349 891 6,177 2012 42 187 262 1,091 464 1,600 1,561 323 833 5,899
The Public Sector Employer: Distinctive? Public money Essential services Political imperatives Distorted/opaque markets forces Distinctive workforce
Profiles of Public and Private Sector Workers (Audit Commission, 2001) Workers in the public sector Have more qualifications - 44% have at least one degree or NVQ 5. Are more likely to be female and work part time - 63% are female /30% part time Are more likely to be on fixed term/temp. contracts - More than 10% of such contracts Are older - 16% are aged 29 are below - 27% 50+ Are more likely to be in a union - 59% are union members More the ethnically diverse - 15.6% of ethnic minority workers are in health/social work Workers in the private sector Have few qualifications - 24% have at least one degree or NVQ5 Are less likely to be female and work part time - 42% are female/23% work part time Are less likely to be on fixed/term contracts - Under 6% on such contracts Are younger - 31% are aged 29 or below - 21% 50+ Are less likely to belong to a union - 19% trade union members Less ethnically diverse - 11.2 of whites in health and social work
The Public Sector Employer: Distinctive? Public money Sovereign Essential services Political imperatives Distorted/opaque labour market Distinctive workforce Model
A New Framework
Definition of modern: Relating to the present or recent times as opposed to the remote past (OED)
ER & Public Management I945-79 1979-97 1997- 2010 Public Management: Values/Assumptions User Recipient Sovereign Citizen/Consumer Professional Knight Knave Pawn Provider State Private Mixed Modern State Hands on Hands off Handy Structures Hierarchy Markets Networks Public New Public Management Management Governance Administration ER: No Agenda Short Agenda Long Agenda (?) Industrial Relations Work Relations Employment Relations 16
Blair (2010) Bureaucracies are run by people. People have interests. And whereas the market compels change, there is no similar compulsion in the public sector...I had worked out the crucial failure of the first term: the mistaken view that raising standards and performance could be separated from structural reform...I was now clear that public service reform need major structural change.
Framework in Action New Labour Government Work Relations A (Laudable?) Experiment that Failed How they tried How they failed
Work Relations as a Key ER Domain Job regulation relates to the social organisation associated with production processes, including the allocation of tasks and responsibilities, as well as the rules governing the determination of the terms and conditions of employment and their implementation. (Martin, 2003) 19
New Labour Modernization & Work Relations New Labour Modernization Efficiency Prudent Consensual Accountable Targeted Effectiveness Choice Voice Inclusive Joined up Values Network Governance Local Govt (incl. Social Care/Education) Healthcare Civil Service Diversity (High-Low) Control (Tight-Loose) Structure/ Management Work Relations Professions Roles Ways of Working Actors Infrastructure 20
Professions: From Knave to Pawn? TEACHER SOCIAL WORKER NURSE Dilemma Knave Knight Pawn Choice Voice Control Tough Jurisdictions Capability not Status Diluted Authority Love Reward Return to Core: Re-Modelling Deepen Professionalization Outcomes Crisis of Identity Removed Neutered 21
Work Roles Efficiency Effectiveness NEW ROLES Recast Teaching Assistant HCA CSO Gateway Workers Novel Support, Time & Recovery Emergency Care Practitioner Parent Support Advisor Community Development Worker Outcomes? 22
New Ways of Working Community Engagement Outreach Crisis Resolution Family-Nurse Practitioner Integration Every Child Matters Team Work Multi disciplinary Cross Agency Efficiency Lean Production Outsourcing 23
New Actors: Service Users CHOICE VOICE CONTROL User Driven Services Co-Design Co-Production Co-Supervision Users as: Employer Worker Partner ? ? 24
Supportive Infrastructure New Ways of Working New Roles New Actors New Professions INFRASTRUCTURE Planning Demand/Supply Sector skills agreement Training Accreditation Regulation Safety Registration Capabilities Formal Flexible Generic Transferable 25
ER & Public Management Public Management: Values/Assumptions Coalition? Citizen/ Consumer User Recipient Sovereign Citizen/Consumer Professional Knight Knave Pawn Knight (?) Open: Any Qualified Provider State Private Mixed State Hands on Hands off Handy Hands-Off Networks (Bottom Down) Networks (Top Down) Structures Hierarchy Markets Public New Public Management Management Governance (1) Governance (2) Administration Confused Agenda ER: No Agenda Short Agenda Long Agenda (?) Industrial Relations Work Relations Employment Relations 26
Summary What is meant by modern (public services)? - - Of the time Different times How might the modern connect to employment relations? - - Interface between ER/PM Closer links between disciplines How has this connection played itself out in practice? - New Labour and Work Relations: A Failed Experiment?
