Alexander Evans

2 months ago | civilserviceworld.com | Alexander Evans |Jim Dunton

It’s tempting to buy the line that the civil service has lost prestige and has become a less attractive career. But is that true? Salaries remain challenging, particularly for lower-paid civil servants (especially those in London). Pensions aren’t as generous as they were, although a career average defined-benefit scheme is worth more than most private sector defined-contribution plans. Yet graduates in their tens of thousands still want to be civil servants.

Oct 11, 2024 | civilserviceworld.com | Katherine Merrifield |Alexander Evans

‘Mission’ is now a word deeply embedded in the vocabulary of policymakers and commentators across the country. According to the Institute for Government, there were no less than 52 events at the Labour party conference that included mission in their title. And many column inches since the election have been dedicated to the opportunities missions pose. But as we reach 100 days of the new government, are the missions laying the foundations for meaningful change?

Sep 23, 2024 | civilserviceworld.com | Alexander Evans |Jim Dunton

A persistent friction for the civil service is around how to connect the dots across departmental, policy and operational boundaries. This is not just true of central government, but of engagement and learning from arm’s-length bodies, devolved administrations, local government and the NHS. Central government officials rarely move across these de facto silos, which can distance civil servants from citizen experience.