Canadian Government Executive - Volume 25 - Issue 04

10 / Canadian Government Executive // October/November 2019 Public Service • Against this backdrop of a shifting work environment, executives suggested that internal factors, mostly under the con- trol of the public service, were the main drivers of recent changes in their work. The three main drivers identified were: Government priorities and organization; Management policies, procedures and systems; and Technology. Additionally, we asked executives to eval- uate the impacts of management reform initiatives – both positive and negative – through two lines of enquiry. • First, executives considered if the ef- fectiveness and efficiency of 24 broadly defined key functional areas, common to most departments, improved or wors- ened in the past five years as a result of management reforms or similar initia- tives. Overall, more executives reported a decline across most functions, but they decisively rated six areas as the worst (see Figure 2.). While no key ar- eas were conclusively rated “improved”, for a few there were marginally more executives who noted them improved (versus worsened): Values, ethics and wrong-doing disclosure; Internal audit and audit committees; and Grants and contributions funding. • Second, we looked at the cumulative out- comes ofmanagement reforms of the past five years. The results were both conclu- sive and disturbing. Overall, for most ex- ecutives reforms have not improved their Figure 2. Figure 4. Figure 3. S ELECTED S URVEY Q UESTIONS – R EFORM O UTCOMES R ESULTS (% OF EXECUTIVES ) Executives assessed if key areas' effectiveness / efficiency Improved: - in the last 5 years - � Information technology management and services; 61% reported Worsened � Expenditure management, systems and processes; 57% reported Worsened � Procurement management and processes; 53% reported Worsened � Facilities and accommodation standards and services; 51% reported Worsened � HR classification and staffing processes; 48% reported Worsened � HR and business planning 48% reported Worsened S URVEY Q UESTIONS – R EFORM O UTCOMES R ESULTS (% OF EXECUTIVES ) Executives Agreed or Disagreed that recent management reforms: - of the last 5 years - A] Overall, positively impacted the work of executives. 48% Disagreed deergasiD %36 .ytivitcudorp krow 'sevitucexe devorpmI ]B C] Improved the work productivity of your organizational unit or personnel. 59% Disagreed D] Improved your capacity to deliver key functions, programs or services. 56% Disagreed E] Helped improve the quality/outcomes of functions, programs or services. 52% Disagreed F] Helped improve your work environment (e.g. morale, work-life balance, participation, inclusiveness). 57% Disagreed S ELECTED S URVEY Q UESTIONS – R EFORM M ANAGEMENT R ESULTS (% OF EXECUTIVES ) Executives assessed if the public service is Effective or Ineffective at: � Aligning its management reform agenda and initiatives with the priorities of the elected government. 62% noted Effective � Allowing sufficient capacity and resources to implement reforms, while maintaining ongoing operations, programs and services. 79% noted Ineffective � Defining the roles of central agencies, departments and other key players to ensure good coordination of reforms. 51% noted Ineffective (vs. 22% effective) � Setting clear performance objectives and intended outcomes for reform initiatives, and monitoring results accordingly. 48% noted Ineffective (vs. 19% effective) � Overseeing the overall reform agenda to ensure consistency and coordination between individual initiatives. 46% noted Ineffective (vs. 24% effective) � Staffing executive positions to ensure the capacity, expertise and stability needed to successfully manage and implement reforms. 42% noted Ineffective (vs. 27% effective) work, productivity or environment. The majority agreed there were no improve- ments to any of the survey’s six defined outcomes, while only a small minority ( ≤ 15 per cent) held the opposing view and others neither agreed or disagreed (Figure 3.). Finally, executives considered the public service’s implementation and manage- ment of its reform agenda and initiatives. Most executives were pessimistic regard- ing the public service’s capacity and abili- ties to effectively manage and conduct horizontal initiatives, based on defined criteria (Figure 4.). The Way Forward Throughout the survey, executives also provided many insightful comments, which were typically critical of different aspects of their work and environment. Clearly, the combination of the survey’s re- sults and comments portrays a dire work environment for executives and, by exten- sion, for public servants more generally. The survey also substantiates the propo- sition that, while the far-reaching effects of a major failure (like the well-publicized fed- eral pay system – “Phoenix”) may be more readily apparent, the combined impacts of a number of less notorious and partially in- effective initiatives may be less obvious but just as consequential. A prerequisite to better progress is bet- ter understanding. Many have empha- sized the need to evaluate the cumulative impacts of the many changes occurring government-wide, in order to identify more effectively broader systemic issues and lessons. In a similar vein, the former Auditor General noted: Michael Ferguson. Photo: Ontario Ombudsman