Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 6
6
Rejected
Civil Service People Plan lacks target performance levels and robust workforce data metrics
Conclusion
However, the commitments and metrics in the Civil Service People Plan do not set out target or expected levels of performance against which the Cabinet Office can measure and evaluate the success of the Plan. For example, recruitment times will be measured using a common time to hire metric, but the Cabinet Office told us it was not yet able to specify a benchmark for how many days it should take departments to hire staff.9 The People Plan also does not say how it will improve the poor state of much departmental workforce data, such as recruitment costs. The Cabinet Office said it was working to improve the data picture, for example by benchmarking all of the costs involved in recruitment.10 However, it acknowledged the broader point that departments were at different stages in terms of the quality of their HR systems and the quality of data in those systems.11 Recruitment times
Government Response Summary
The government rejects the observation, stating the Civil Service People Plan does outline specific actions, commitments, timescales, and metrics, with an evaluation strategy in development and a new People Data Dashboard implemented.
Government Response
Rejected
HM Government
Rejected
1.1 The government disagrees with the Committee’s recommendation. 1.2 The Civil Service People Plan 2024-2027 outlines the specific actions that will be taken, the 45 commitments that will be delivered, and timescales for delivery. It identifies a set of metrics that will be tracked to measure the Plan’s overall impact. 1.3 An evaluation strategy is in development, which will measure the combined impact of the commitments for each priority area. Further detailed information is publicly available on the key commitments, for example the Places For Growth Programme, Civil Service Diversity & Inclusion Strategy and Shared Services Strategy for Government. 1.4 Formal governance is in place, which includes quarterly progress reporting to the Civil Service People Board (commencing in April 2024) and the Cabinet Secretary. A new People Data Dashboard has been implemented to monitor progress and respond to emerging priorities.