DWP

Issue

The January 2004 Phillis Report was commissioned by the Cabinet Office. It said of government communications that "the Civil Service has not grasped the potential of modern communications as a service provided for citizens". It went on to recommend that all government departments make major improvements to their approach to communications. This presented a significant problem for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). It is one of the largest government departments and deals with some of the nation's toughest issues (e.g. employment, pensions, child support). Recently formed from a number of previous departments, DWP inherited a collection of communications teams, skills and processes. It was struggling to meet the challenges posed by the Phillis review and a Treasury originated Efficiency Review. The Director of Communications needed help to develop a more strategic approach, restructure the communications network across the Department, devolve much of its operations, get closer to internal and external customers and improve its processes.

Solution

Setanta provided a three-person team of people skilled both in communications and managing complex projects. Our approach was to work closely with internal experts to devise and implement an approach that would solve the technical questions and build organisational commitment to the eventual solution.

Early diagnosis phases involved quantitative analysis (existing structures, budgets, headcounts, existing processes) and qualitative work (interviews with key stakeholders, developing priorities, establishing agreement with other parts of the business). A detailed project plan, reviewed on a weekly basis by the Communications management team, guided the work of the Setanta consultants and the internal project members.

Guiding principles were drawn up for the project (better customer focus, greater efficiency and flexibility, stronger risk management, higher professional standards, more decentralisation and coordination). Work streams for Strategy, Structure, People and Communications were established to ensure the direct involvement of DWP people in the design and delivery of the necessary changes and thus create a stronger sense of ownership. Small groups were set up across the communications network to put in place the building blocks of the new organisation. Supported by change agents, senior managers attended special workshops to explain the new structures and work patterns to staff across the network and address questions and concerns in open discussion.

Results

Within twelve months of beginning this challenging project a number of milestones had been achieved:

The Director of Communications role had been given full departmental board status, reflecting its new importance
A new strategy had been devised and communicated. Processes for revising and implementing it had also been put in place.
Structures had been redesigned, numerous roles redefined or described in detail for the first time. Related key competencies were also specified
Hiring or redeployment for all managerial and functional roles had been successfully completed
Key processes had been mapped and more efficient ones devised in many cases
The stage was set for the change management workshops that would be held to bed down the structure.

The Director of Communications was delighted that so much progress had been achieved in potentially contentious areas. More efficient management processes were already delivering results and the departmen's Executive Team were commenting on the emerging improvements.

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