Under-performing civil servants could be encouraged to leave their jobs and senior officials will have their pay linked to performance, in a new government bid to “fundamentally reshape” the civil service.
Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden, who is appearing on Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, said “the state is not match-fit to rise to the moment our country faces”.
The plans have been criticised by a union, however, who described them as a “retreading of failed narratives”.
The general secretary of the FDA, a union for civil servants, accused the government of delivering a “soundbite, not a credible plan for change”.
“If the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster wants civil servants to focus on delivery, while at the same time government departments are cutting resources, then ministers need to set realistic priorities,” said Dave Penman.
“Government should get on with the difficult job of setting those priorities rather than announcing a new performance management process for civil servants every other month.”
Next week, Mr McFadden will promise a new “mutually agreed exits” process, in which civil servants who cannot perform at the level required of them are incentivised to leave their jobs.
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The system will give bosses more tools to address bad performance.
Alongside the exit processes, senior civil servants who are not meeting standards will be put on development plans.
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If there’s no improvement within six months, they will be sacked.
Most senior officials will also now have their pay linked to performance outcomes.
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Mr McFadden will also pledge to increase the government’s digital capabilities, with more staff to be employed in relevant roles, and more public services to be digitised.
