The
man behind Government plans to relocate thousands of civil service posts out of
London has reiterated the fact that good HR is at the heart of the process.
Sir
Michael Lyons, who’s review
of public sector relocation was published earlier this year, said he was asked
to pay particular attention to the people aspects of relocation. "The
Government had a strong idea that the people side of things was important; it
was on the initial agenda," he told Personnel
Today.
Lyons
recommended that 20,000 civil service posts should be relocated to the regions
by 2010, with the possibility of that figure rising to 60,000 by 2015.
He
said the current agenda for relocation was more radical than ever before and
there should be an emphasis on moving posts, not post-holders.
"[Government]
departments need to be more disciplined about who needs to move," he said.
"London
and the South East has a
flourishing jobs market and more people can stay and find alternative
employment.
"A
good relocation process is about engaging staff at an early stage and
understanding that people have different opinions about what should
happen," he added.
Lyons
said recognition that HR is vital to the process was demonstrated by the fact
there was a chapter in his report devoted to the human dimension of relocation.
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Speaking
at the Public Sector Relocation Conference in London
last week, Lyons
told senior civil servants that changes in working practices were essential
within their sector as there was still a meetings-dominated view of business.
He also encouraged the increased use of both tele– and video-conferencing. "The status quo
is open to challenge." he said.
