Events

What does the Government’s new direction mean for your organisation, workforce and leadership team?

A research-led executive briefing for Chief Executives and senior HR and OD leaders

The direction of public sector reform is changing quickly.

Devolution, the growth of strategic authorities, public service reform, Local Government Reorganisation and the Government’s ambition to “rewire the state” are reshaping expectations of how public services are organised, delivered and led.

But while much of the debate focuses on structures, governance and policy, some of the most significant implications are about people.

What capabilities will organisations need in the years ahead? What will effective leadership look like in a more complex and interconnected public sector? How will organisational cultures need to evolve? And how can leaders build workforces that are equipped not simply to cope with continued change, but to perform through it?

This research-led executive briefing will look beyond individual reform programmes to explore the wider direction of travel for the public sector through the lens of workforce, culture, leadership and organisational capability.

Drawing on Government priorities, emerging sector trends and organisational psychology, we will consider:

• How devolution, LGR and wider public service reform are changing expectations of public sector organisations
• What this could mean for workforce strategy, talent and organisational capability
• The leadership behaviours needed to operate effectively through complexity and uncertainty
• Whether traditional public sector cultures remain fit for the environment ahead
• What high-performing public sector organisations may need to look like in the future

Designed for Chief Executives, HR Directors, OD Directors and other senior organisational leaders, this session provides an opportunity to step back from immediate operational pressures and consider a bigger question:

What do you need to start building now to ensure your organisation is ready for the public sector of the future?

The psychology behind lost momentum - and what leaders can do about it

An executive briefing for CEOs, Transformation Directors and programme sponsors

Most transformation programmes don’t fail because of poor plans. They fail because organisations underestimate the human side of change.

So why do some transformation programmes build momentum while others stall? Why do people resist some changes but embrace others? And what causes initial energy and commitment to fade over time?

As public sector organisations navigate devolution, public service reform, financial pressure and digital transformation, these questions are becoming increasingly important.

Yet transformation programmes still tend to focus heavily on structures, governance and delivery plans, while paying less attention to the psychological factors that shape behaviour, engagement and momentum.

This executive briefing will explore the human dynamics that can make or break transformation, including:

• Why people resist some changes but embrace other
• How change fatigue develops – and what organisations can do about it
• What creates genuine ownership rather than passive compliance
• Why transformation programmes lose momentum
• How organisational culture can accelerate or obstruct change
• The leadership behaviours that build confidence through uncertainty

Designed for CEOs, Transformation Directors, programme sponsors and senior HR/OD leaders, this session will look beyond the mechanics of transformation to consider a more fundamental question:

What does it take to keep people engaged, confident and moving when transformation gets difficult?

Understanding the human factors that make or break organisational change.

Even the best-planned transformation programmes can stall when leaders underestimate how people think, behave and respond to change.

Resistance, disengagement and a lack of ownership are often signs of underlying organisational challenges that programme plans alone cannot address.

In this session, Organisational Psychologist Lucy Trueman will introduce three psychology models that can help leaders better understand these challenges and create the conditions for successful transformation.

We'll explore:

• Why people resist change and what leaders can do differently
• How organisational culture influences transformation success
• What makes some organisations more adaptable than others
• How psychological insights can inform better transformation decisions

Designed for Transformation Directors, Chief Executives and senior HR/OD leaders, this session will offer practical insights to help you anticipate challenges, strengthen engagement and maintain momentum throughout transformation.

A research-led briefing for Chief Executives and HR/OD Directors

Council workforce strategies reveal a great deal about the challenges facing local government today. But are they preparing organisations for what comes next?

Recruitment, retention, leadership, skills and wellbeing remain familiar priorities. Yet devolution, Local Government Reorganisation and wider public service reform are changing what councils may need from their people, leaders and organisational cultures.

Drawing on original analysis of council workforce strategies, Organisational Psychologist Lucy Trueman will explore where councils are focusing their attention, what may be missing and whether current approaches are ambitious enough for the changes ahead.

We'll consider:

• The priorities dominating council workforce strategies – and what's receiving less attention
• Whether current strategies are preparing councils for fundamental change or simply addressing today's challenges
• What devolution and public service reform could mean for future skills, roles and leadership capabilities
• How workforce strategies can support greater collaboration, adaptability and organisational change
• What councils should be thinking about now to prepare their people for the future

Designed for Chief Executives and HR/OD Directors, this session offers an opportunity to step back from immediate workforce pressures and consider a bigger question:

Are we building the workforce we need today, or the one we'll need tomorrow?