The civil service is set to undergo a significant transformation with a new code aimed at fostering a high-performance culture. Recently, Dame Antonia Romeo, the cabinet secretary, outlined her goals for this year, prominently featuring the renovation of the civil service code. This initiative aims to ensure the code is current, comprehensible, and consistently applied throughout the civil service.
New Civil Service Code: Vision and Goals
A report from the think tank Re:State, released today, presents a vision for the revamped code. It emphasizes the need for a document that reflects a dynamic, bold, and innovative civil service. The existing code, which was initially created in 2005 and revised in 2015, is criticized for its focus on the civil service’s status as impartial and objective. The report articulates that the current text primarily outlines prohibitions instead of championing desirable values.
Critique of the Existing Framework
- The report highlights that many civil servants, both past and present, view the core values of integrity, honesty, objectivity, and impartiality as restrictive.
- These limitations may undermine the focus on achieving public good through innovation and high performance.
Proposed Core Values of the New Code
Re:State’s proposed “oven-ready” redrafted code introduces five core values:
- Integrity: Commitment to serve the government and the public honestly and impartially.
- Excellence: Striving for the highest standards and encouraging the same from others.
- Ownership: Taking responsibility for transformative actions that contribute to public good.
- Courage: Embracing innovation and questioning the status quo.
- Openness: Welcoming new ideas and collaboration across various sectors.
The report posits that these values can establish a foundation for a proactive and engaged civil service culture. It also suggests that civil servants should formally agree to the refreshed code, underscoring accountability in performance management linked to these values.
Expert Insights
Charlotte Pickles, chief executive of Re:State and co-author of the report, emphasized the importance of these foundational values in the civil service. She remarked that the current code is inadequate and needs a comprehensive overhaul. Pickles noted that many civil servants feel it hinders action and innovation.
The revitalized code aims to promote a more agile and responsive government, ensuring individual civil servants are accountable for their contributions. With this initiative, the government aspires to usher in a new era characterized by high performance and service excellence.
