20 ways to improve the civil service

Almost a month after the general election, new ministers and advisers are settling into their roles. Departments have already issued a stream of announcements and new initiatives, and the policy programme is becoming clearer.

But ministers have inherited a civil service in urgent need of reform. If Keir Starmer’s government is to deliver its priorities, there will need to be radical improvements to Whitehall.

The civil service needs to manage its workforce more effectively, tackle damaging levels of staff turnover, reform pay structures and recruitment processes, access and utilise the full range of expertise outside of government, and open itself up to more challenge and scrutiny. 

This paper therefore sets out 20 tangible actions that the new government should take to radically improve the civil service – aiming to:

• Improve the way the civil service workforce is managed 
• Ensure the civil service values and retains diverse talent and expertise 
• Improve performance management and talent development across the civil service 
• Open the civil service up to external expertise and collaboration outside government

Not all of the actions we recommend will be easy. Some will take time and effort to get right. Many are interlinked. But they can all be instigated immediately, without the need for legislation, enhancing the civil service’s ability to deliver for the new government.