What is Next Generation/civil service HR?

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What is Next Generation/civil service HR?

What is Next Generation civil service Human Resources?

The Next Generation Human Resources (NGHR) project - which from April 2011 has been given the title of Civil Service Human Resources (CSHR) - is part of the Efficiency & Reform programme controlled by the Cabinet Office under the direction of the CO Minister, Francis Maude. It is designed as a vehicle for cuts in expenditure and HR jobs, and reflects the emphasis of general government policy of seeking external providers.

Its aim is to reduce the ratio of HR staff to civil servants from the current average of 1:50 to a ratio of 1:100. Centres are being set up – at a limited number of locations across England – to design and deliver “expert services” but there will be fewer jobs in departments.

The concept of Next Generation HR originated as research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) into “the best and emergent practice work that HR functions are engaged in” designed “to stimulate debate about how HR will develop over the next 10 to 15 years”.

The concept was adopted by the Cabinet Office and Permanent Secretaries under the previous government and is being taken forward with increased energy by the Coalition. The extent to which the model being developed in the civil service reflects the original CIPD research is questionable – if debate has taken place it has been within a closed circle and it is apparent from the government’s own statements that cost effectiveness is the driving force behind the programme.

The first three expert centres – Employee Policy (EP), Civil Service Learning (CSL) and Resourcing - will begin to take on their new work from April 2011. Other centres are due to be set up between 2011 and 2013 and are likely to include complex casework; international; equality and diversity; organisational design; management information and shared services.

The focus is on developing standard policies and electronic solutions and using learning products and services from outside the civil service. The Employee Policy expert centre is discussing priorities with the Cabinet Office (“strategic centre”) and departments in the light of ministerial direction and legislative changes. Central consultation channels are being discussed with trade unions and PCS is aiming to influence the topics selected as well as negotiating on the content of the revised policies.

The stated intention of NGHR/CSHR is to create “rationalised, simpler and standard” policies that all departments can use. PCS is aware of a number of topics, such as sickness absence procedures and sick leave/pay, where the government has indicated that it wants to see changes and where proposals are likely to be unacceptable compared to those currently in place.

Combined with the reduced spending allocations for departments, these plans will mean that HR and learning will become more remote from workplaces and that pressure on managers and union representatives will increase as they try to support employees through a period of immense structural change and deep cuts.