Columnist Mark Owens Managing Director (NI) at Civica
Art of the Digitally Possible An unforeseen consequence of the Covid pandemic has been the rapid acceleration in public service digitalisation. From online GP appointments to virtual classrooms, over the past two years, we’ve seen physical shutters come down and new digital ones open. The rapid embrace of digital technologies across the public space was, of course, fuelled by a global crisis. But the pandemic also put the art of the digitally possible firmly in the spotlight and this has in turn completely changed our expectations as citizens. As our public services adjust to the realities of the new post-pandemic world, with hybrid and remote working increasingly the norm, we’ve got a unique opportunity to take what we’ve learned over the past two years to the next level. As well as ensuring that our public services are meeting the needs and expectations of a population with unprecedented levels of digital literacy, we can also tackle some of the longstanding efficiency and productivity challenges that have long beset our public services. To do so, the public sector needs to challenge some of the things it once took for granted, including its common understanding of the ‘workplace’. REDEFINING THE DIGITAL DESK A shift away from the traditional static desk office environment isn’t by any means a radical new idea in the public sector. ‘Government Hubs’, the first of which opened in 2017 long before the pandemic hit, have already made it easier for public servants to “choose where, when and how they work” as the then Cabinet Office Minister Chris Skidmore put it. One of these flagship Hubs, based in Belfast City Centre, now houses the Northern Ireland Office,
supporting its vision to become a more “accessible, open and modern. CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT”. With the right suite of digital tools, underpinned by high-quality, easily accessible data, public servants can deliver the same (or better) services regardless of whether they are based in Belfast or Ballycastle. Digitally enabled collaboration will not only improve efficiency within public bodies – it can also help to blur the boundaries between them, ensuring that public servants are making smarter, more informed decisions, shaped by data and insights from right across government. PLUGGING THE SKILLS GAP A shift towards digitally enabled working will also make public sector jobs that bit more enticing, including amongst those with the skillsets which are most sought after. With geography no longer a factor, our public services can recruit from a much wider and more diverse talent pool in every corner of the province. In much the same vein, data-driven digitally enabled public services will be far better positioned to help deliver on the ambitions of the Levelling Up agenda, a policy which offers enormous potential for both the public and private sectors in Northern Ireland and across the UK. DOING MORE WITH LESS – AND DOING IT SMARTER Many public bodies across Northern Ireland have faced substantially increased workloads on account of Brexit and the administrative challenges it has created. Lacking the scale and resources of much larger Whitehall departments, our public services are being expected to deliver more, with the same – or even less – resource. Data-driven
digital technologies offer a solution to this challenge, through automation of routine tasks, effective data sharing across departments and the pooling of common functions to drive greater efficiency. MAINTAINING THE MOMENTUM During the pandemic, we proved that the crucial business of government could continue seamlessly without the need for everyone to be in a physical office environment. The critical enabler, of course, was digital technologies. As we settle into new forms of hybrid working, it’s vital that we build on what we learned over the past two years. By exploiting digital technologies and data to their full potential, we can create a truly flexible, agile working environment for public servants across Northern Ireland, new employment opportunities for those in rural and remote locations and, ultimately, the best outcomes for our citizens and communities.
“During the pandemic, we proved that the crucial business of government could continue seamlessly without the need for everyone to be in a physical office environment. ”
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