When the political landscapes demand you reshape your public offering, how do you decide what those changes should be?
The chief executive of a large local authority facing impending elections, felt that the authority was not completely fit for purpose and wanted to explore radically different ways of transforming the service portfolio. He felt that an external organisation could provide the capability to supplement skills within the authority; the tools to transfer those skills to the workforce; and the validation and urgency that would make change happen.
TEN LTD organised a series of senior leaders’ workshops to analyse key strategic issues facing the local authority and used scenario planning to examine options, following different election outcomes. This informed a wide-reaching organisational change programme looking at processes, new ways of working, management restructuring, corporate planning and workforce engagement.
The local authority then embarked on a series of directorate-level reviews, drilling down into each department and exploring how different operating models – including outsourcing and merging departments – could help to reduce costs while maintaining community engagement.
The executive leadership now has a common vision and the ability to respond effectively to a changing financial climate with robust and reasoned arguments for change. Better-informed decisions alongside more integrated, collaborative working practices enable the right services to be offered in the most efficient way.
“TEN provided the capability to supplement skills within the council; the tools to transfer those skills to the workforce; and the validation and urgency that would make change happen.” William Montgomery