Politics hindering delivery of change in public sector

Delivering change is made even more of a challenge for public sector leaders by the political environment in which they work, according to the president of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

Speaking at a CIPD event comparing the challenges facing leaders in the public and private sectors, Lord Richard Wilson said: “The management of change is a key part of leadership today.

“But in the public sector, leaders face the challenge of trying to deliver change against the background of political priorities, which can be different from management priorities.”

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Wilson said HR has a critical role to play in bringing about change, and can help with the ‘story-telling’ to the rest of the organisation.

“Their role is not just to manage redundancies,” he said. “It is also to ensure that those who remain or arrive afresh are motivated and clear about what they are there to achieve. HR professionals are an essential part of the leadership of any organisation.”