The civil service is getting older and younger – what does that mean?

Of the many intriguing facts in our Whitehall Monitor 2020, one that stands out is the increase in the number and proportion of older civil servants. Of the total workforce, 40% are aged 50 or over – up from one in three in 2010. At the same time the percentage of civil servants under 30 has risen to 14%, from 9% in 2014, returning to the level it was in 2010. Older officials tend to be in the big “delivery” departments like HM Revenue and Customs, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Ministry of Defence. Younger recruits join the central policy teams in the Department for Exiting the EU, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and the Treasury.

While this speaks well of an institution that is making the most of its full cohort of workers, there are indications that the civil service should do more to think about what this changing profile means for its leadership and management. There are few references in the civil service’s diversity and inclusion strategy, and the Cabinet Office is still developing the civil service approach to age.

To respond to potential internal conflict, and to maximise the opportunities of this demographic change, the leaders of the civil service should reflect more activetly on what it means. There is a chance to recognise the circumstances of different age cohorts, from training and development to caring responsibilities and options around retirement – while being fair and consistent to everyone. The recruitment drive that Brexit has demanded requires the civil service to do much more to respond to a new generation of officials, to reform its management and human resources processes, to promote and embed its values, and to equip managers to lead teams with a wider span of age profiles.

Does the traditional civil service model work for Generation Z?

For decades the civil service has comparatively smoothly incorporated successive generations, attracting talented people directly and through graduate recruitment schemes like the Fast Stream. The culture quickly draws in new entrants, emphasising the importance of the civil service values of integrity, honesty, impartiality and objectivity. The interest and excitement of working with ministers and being able to directly influence policy keep staff engaged and enthusiastic.

However, that is all part of a traditional compact: work hard, bide your time, keep your political views to yourself, and if you perform well then you will advance. While that approach may no longer force talented young civil servants to wait for “Buggins’ turn”, it does mean that beyond some exceptional individual teams there is a linear progression where time served and experience – of the civil service as an institution, if not expertise on individual subject areas – is valued.

That model is being challenged by the latest generation of civil service recruits. We should be wary of Generation Z caricatures, but it does seem to be the case that the first Gen Z arrivals into the workplace, now in their early- to mid-20s, consume media differently, express themselves on social media more openly and particularly value individual expression. Generation Z are total digital natives; they came of age after the financial crisis and are looking for work in a more competitive market without expecting jobs for life – or even the long term.

Rising retirement age and pressures for rapid promotion will collide in the civil service

In some respects, the civil service culture is an excellent fit for these new recruits. It offers a chance to work for the public good, in a values-driven, dynamic environment, often using cutting-edge engagement techniques. The energy and forward-thinking culture in OneTeamGov, a global community working for radical public sector reform, and UKGovCamp, an annual gathering to debate how the public sector works on digital projects, would rival any Silicon Valley firm. Conferences and meetings in these environments are less hierarchical, structures break down and innovation comes from the free circulation of ideas. People working outside the core central governments, in arms-length bodies and local authorities, or who have developed particular expertise, have more licence to speak in their areas of interest.

But in other ways there is conflict. The civil service has a system of promotion which works on strict grades: rapid advancement can cause resentment among colleagues, but slower promotion leads to disillusionment and frustration. And the constraints of a civil service culture that insists on impartiality and protects the privacy of advice to ministers also requires extreme moderation in public expression.

The increase in the number of older civil servants with more experience behind them, who have presumably served their time, are (sometimes only too) aware of pitfalls and are savvy about working with ministers, exacerbates these issues. As retirement ages rise, and the pressure for rapid promotion for new entrants grows, mutual misunderstanding and frustration lies behind a coming crunch in the middle and senior ranks of the institution. The disbanding of the Department for Exiting the EU – which will see a large number of senior, relatively young civil servants come onto the internal job market with departments needing to accommodate them – will present a significant test.

The civil service needs to combine new approaches with established values

Reconciling these different trends is a challenge, but certainly not impossible. The civil service should accommodate and adapt to get the most from its new recruits where it can, building on its successes with an innovative and energised workforce. It should get better at recognising different career paths, valuing outside experience more and making it easier to leave and join over long careers. That involves specific changes on pension flexibility and capability-based pay structures as well as a cultural shift.

At the same time it needs to reinforce its values, more actively explaining the importance of an impartial and loyal cadre of advisers. Clarifying the rules, and supporting civil servants at all levels to make the right judgements in an ever-more online world, helps motivate those who want to make a more public contribution.

Perhaps most importantly, the civil service can do more to equip managers, who might have very different professional and life experiences to their teams, to get the most out of the people they lead. A synthesis of energy and experience, with “traditional” values complementing innovation could be one of the Brexit dividends for the next generation of civil servants.