The United Kingdom’s public sector is a bustling hub of activity. Today, an estimated 5.3 million individuals are working within this space across a portfolio of emergency services, educational bodies and government authorities. Recognising how strong leadership can have a real impact in managing the challenges facing the sector is important, yet one of the main issues here, the skills gap in leadership, needs our urgent attention.
Successful leaders operating in the public sector are required to have a wide range of dynamic and transferable skills in order for them to keep pace with the changing nature of business in this highly competitive space. High-profile figures working on behalf of the public such as Simon Stevens, Cressida Dick and Baroness Zahida Manzoor – the faces of nationwide organisations – understand the importance of forging key partnerships between the public and the industry they operate within.
Impactful change is a driver for success
Implementing change and delivering impactful change within the public sector is an ongoing challenge for leaders. Across a breadth of different services there is no longer an abundance of resources or continued financial investment, meaning we need to find new ways of approaching leadership or supporting the workforce.
As demand for talent increases, there is the potential for individuals to continue to further their personal development, with The Institute for Fiscal Studies outlining that public sector workers are more likely to be highly educated professionals who command higher wages in the labour market. By 2025, roughly 75 per cent of the global workforce will be millennials, with this new generation of talent next in line to drive the public sector forwards.
In order to address this challenge, we need to focus on developing a cohort of skilled future leaders and individuals, with the potential to develop their skillset to bridge the gap. As well as recognising the importance of investing in organisational infrastructure, there too needs to be equal investment in employee training and development. The leadership skills gap can only be closed if leaders look to the future workforce for support, through programmes such as reverse mentoring and workshops, and continue to engage and support their progression. With a wealth of talent operating in the public sector, what does a good a leader look like?
Aligning today’s leadership with the skills of the future
Our view of leadership continues to change, and therefore what we might consider good leadership qualities has developed too. In a society where different groups can push in different directions, we need people in these positions of command to bring everyone together, particularly if they are working in an organisation that is in the spotlight. The public sector is spending £14 billion on ‘inflated salaries’, temporary staff, training and recruitment – highlighting the need for leaders to be able to attract and retain staff who are highly skilled and qualified. We also need to understand that diverse perspectives and backgrounds can enhance the way in which organisations operate. As a voice within the public sector, Doniya Soni, Principal Policy Officer of the Greater London Authority said: “Future leaders must champion diversity to reflect the makeup of their workforce”. And she was right.
The evolving leadership skills in the public sector that are driving change are defined by certain key characteristics that need to be pinpointed to maximise a successful hire. This can take the form of being open, honest, approachable, genuine and a positive role model, ensuring that their values are aligned with the public body they are serving. Tackling the skills gap in leadership that the public sector is facing can come from individuals pinpointing areas for their own continued development. The broader ability to be a dynamic and agile leader, with horizontal movement across departments can be invaluable when organisations are under pressure. It is not enough for leaders in this space to operate with tunnel-vision. Addressing the skills needed to thrive in this space is necessary, not only to bridging this skills gap, but also to ensuring that the organisation and public body runs with great efficiency.
The need to recognise the power of digital
Deloitte suggests that staying on top of new technologies and the possibilities they represent is integral to successful leadership in the public sector. Those heading up a business need to take ownership of the shift in uses and services technology can provide. A significant part of successful leadership within the public sector and a key place to start when addressing the skills gap here is predicting the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the automation of jobs – managing workforces and ensuring that organisations have the talent required to fulfil these roles.
36.3 per cent of employers see use of technology and AI as leading to the greatest change in their hiring procedures. New and disruptive technologies will force individuals to adapt the way they lead projects, teams and organisations. However, it’s essential that investments are made now in the development of leadership and management skills. The adoption of new technology to automate low-level processes should become standard practice for organisations in the public sector; it is no longer an optional extra. In doing this, organisations can adopt efficient methods of utilising technology, as well as using this to ensure that they can streamline processes and focus on their role in the sector.
There is a need for the ongoing reskilling, training and development of future leaders. This is to ensure that as we continue to move forwards into the digital age, we have the right people leading our governing authorities and bodies. In addition to this, leaders need to be aware of how to advance and upskill their own workers in order to drive change, plug talent gaps and establish a successful and productive business.