Can the Millennial Generation Rescue Government?

By Beth Bell, Vice President, Canadian Public Sector, IBM Global Business Services

Connect with Beth Bell – email / Twitter / LinkedIn

(Beth Bell pictured below with Andrew Treusch, Commissioner of the Canada Revenue Agency, as she presents him with the inaugural 2016 IPAC IBM Social Leadership Award for his inspiration and engagement of millennials and new professionals in the Public Sector) 

I recently had the opportunity to speak at an IPAC conference and share a thought leadership piece I had a part in writing. It was on a topic that is a point of passion for me – how does IBM help our public sector clients transform faster to meet the ever-changing needs of their citizens and employees?  

As the leader of a large team, I’m faced with the differing needs and wants of many generations of employees.  So while it’s important to address the needs of all generational segments, I feel the Millennial generation has skills that can be encouraged by public sector organizations in new and innovative ways. 

Despite significant efforts to transform government services through technology, it’s no secret that government organizations continue to trail behind the private sector in the digital revolution. Today, citizens increasingly expect government to provide them with the same conveniences and level of service they experience as consumers. This means having access to relevant information when, where and how they want it.

It’s also no secret that, as digital natives, Millennials can bring some unique skills and perspectives to any organization looking to stay relevant in this fast-paced digital era.

Recently, my team at IBM asked itself:  Can Millennials meaningfully help government to keep pace? Can they truly help lead the charge in transforming governments into this new digital era? In essence-- Can Millennials rescue government?  While the title of the report is a bit “cheeky”, I think you’ll find that the findings are worth considering for your transformational projects.

 

Earlier this year my team embarked on some fascinating research in collaboration with the IBM’s Institute for Business Value which also included insights from an IPAC New Professionals workshop and a social media study.  It revealed that Millennial-aged government employees both can and want to actively engage in transformation projects.

Our research was detailed in a report titled Can the Millennial generation rescue government?  Leveraging digital natives in your transformation efforts which concluded that--while there is never just one quick fix to any complex transformation issue-- there are a few key things that governments can and must do to better leverage the insights of Millennials to transform government for the better in this new digital era.  I encourage you to read the whole report, but here are the highlights of our recommendations:

1. Use an approach that yields citizen-centered outcomes at speed and scale.

What successful digital transformations today really reinforce is that adoption of new technologies and processes is what really matters. Adoption occurs by appealing to the user and putting the user at the center of the design process. A design thinking approach, which focuses on user needs, provides a framework for teaming and action. It helps teams not only form intent, but deliver outcomes – outcomes that advance the state of the art and improve lives. This approach puts users’ needs first and uses multidisciplinary teams to collaborate across disciplines to move faster and work smarter. It also instills a discipline of restless reinvention. By optimizing systems and interactions for the users, we can truly transform how people interact and perform tasks to create a friction-less experience.

2. Make sure Millennials are represented equally along with seasoned employees, users and citizens when staffing transformational initiatives.

Multidisciplinary teams aren’t just faster – they’re smarter. Seeing the world through each others' eyes drives unique insights, advancing the whole team’s thinking. Put people new to the problem alongside those with deep working knowledge. Ensure all ideas are considered regardless of the seniority of the person tabling them.

3. Ignore the traditional immovable objects – and consider wild ideas in the ideation process.

While issues of security, regulation and legislation must be considered, try not to encumber creative thinking by these policies – in fact, foster the wild ideas. While this might be considered heresy to most long-term government employees, it frees design teams from being tied to the way things are done today. This ensures that they look at all the best ideas when designing for the user’s needs and don’t discount the possibility of making security, legislative, or regulatory changes necessary to accommodate a transformational idea. Remember, industry disrupters like Uber are not concerned by the immovable objects – even though they realize these objects can and do appear. Disrupters focus on the user needs and experience.

4. Re-evaluate hiring practices to make acquisition of Millennial top talent easier.

Faster paths to permanent positions based on value delivered to the organization, shortened

hiring cycles, clear career paths, promotion and skill-building road maps, and the ability to

make a difference from where they are in the organization will make an incredible difference in

attracting and retaining top talent.

5. Improve collaboration tools and transparency to enable greater efficiency within government.

Millennials use technology in their everyday lives and, in many cases, as a way to improve communication and efficiency. As an extension, they expect better technology and digital collaboration tools to help them do their jobs and connect with others. There is often frustration with the silo approach of many governments today. Millennials want to collaborate across government to deliver the best possible service to citizens and expect modern tools to facilitate that.

Embracing Millennials in large numbers, including them in transformation projects and embracing collaborative techniques and technologies in the business of government will bring fresh new thinking from a generational group used to rapid transformation. These disrupters, if embraced and leveraged for who they are, just might rescue government.

Ready or not? Ask yourself these questions…

Government organizations looking to harness the ability of Millennials to help “re-imagine” the way they engage with both employees and citizens alike would therefore be well-served in asking themselves these questions:

• Is my organization actively recruiting and using creative approaches to retain top-talent Millennials?

• Are we actively engaging and including the Millennials in our workforce in transformation projects?  Are we fully leveraging their digital skills and fresh insights and ideas?

• Are we embracing agile and design thinking approaches in our transformational projects to put the user at the center of our design?

• Are we sufficiently enabling an environment of creativity and collaboration to help generate innovative ideas that may positively disrupt the way we provide services today?

For organizations that manage to get this right, the payoffs in terms of innovation and productivity can reap benefits for years to come. 

[IPAC invited Beth to guest blog after a series of workshops and conferences for IPAC garnered wide interest in the combined research and outreach that IPAC and IBM have partnered to produce. namely: the New Public Servant Survey by IPAC, the New professionals Workshops and Leadership Conference, the IPAC annual conferences in Halifax and Toronto, and the Social Leadership Award. Beth Bell is the Vice President responsible for the Canadian Public Sector IBM Global Business Services team. She is responsible for assisting government and healthcare organizations in Canada achieve their transformation objectives. Beth is a diversity champion within IBM Canada and speaks regularly on government transformation challenges and leadership.]

Beth can be reached by email at: bethbell [at] ca.ibm.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/itsbethbell

LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/bethbellwinnipeg

See the results of IPAC's New Professionals Survey, Facing the Future: Exploring the Recruitment and Retention of New Public Servants in Canada, here: English / Français

ANALYTICS IN ACTION - Kimberly Nevala from SAS Canada

ANALYTICS IN ACTION

By: Kimberly Nevala Director of Business Strategies for SAS Best Practices 

I recently had the opportunity to moderate a session examining the rewards and realities of the analytics journey in public sector. The executive panel was overwhelming positive about the opportunity for data and analytics in both the government of Alberta and the public sector in general. In fact, most agreed that Alberta has some of the best data in the world, particularly in the health, energy and natural resource sectors. They were equally frank about the real and perceived barriers to making the most of this rich resource.

Here are some of the key considerations and cautions they shared about what it will take to create a culture of evidence and make analytics a core decision-making tool in government.

Start With WHY (in their terms)

Why analytics? Too often, we answer this question generically, without explicitly identifying the need, pain or problem to be solved.

Why analytics or an integrated data ecosystem? Not because the data is in siloes, duplicated, hard to access and understand. The real why comes from the application of information to improve the business. In the case of health and human services, it’s literally to save lives.  For policy makers, analytics arms deputy ministers with tangible, tactical evidence to drive good policy decisions while also establishing a body of evidence and record of why key decisions were made. 

Of course, the why isn’t the same for every constituent. Making the case requires linking analytics to the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations and outcomes which define their success. 

Begin with the end in mind

Although the public sector still largely operates top-down, panelists suggested an organic, bottom-up approach is required for analytical innovation. Front-line staff understand the micro-climate in which they operate. In the case of health delivery, this involves the clinicians who are intimately aware of the pain points and opportunities in the incumbent care delivery process.  They are also the people who ultimately must change clinical pathways and models to incorporate new insights.

That said, the panel cautioned against over-engineering data-driven improvement programs. There can be a tendency to try predetermine the system from soup to nuts: here’s what we’ll measure, here’s what you will do to change the process based on the data, here what we’ll…ad infinitum. A better approach is to expose the evidence and engage those in the know to determine how to respond. In fact, the earlier the engagement the better. Build a solution without your customers’ involvement and not only will they not come, they may actively oppose the solution on principle.

Go to the Light

Rather than worrying about universal acceptance, educate audiences on the art of the possible. Engage with those who see the potential and have a problem they are willing and ready to solve. Finding them is easy: they will raise their hands. Focusing on early adopters and small, tangible problems allows for early wins making the case with less enthusiastic constituents.

Worried people won’t engage? Evidence to the contrary abounds. Clinicians exposed to departmental quality measures have proactively asked for data on their own performance.  One large US-based health-care provider reports that quality improved – without any systematic program intervention – after key metrics were routinely published.

Evidence is the START of the Story

With the advent of digital everything and always-on communication channels, the decision-making cycle has sped up exponentially. Have answer, will act? Not so fast. Buckets of data do not evidence make. Nor do buckets of evidence create knowledge. 

Time and space are required to not only cultivate but appropriately consider the evidence. The onus here is largely on the senior tier to slow down the decision-making cascade enough to allow for such deliberation. Management must also be trained to demand and appropriately interpret information once found.  One panelist recounted how a new perspective introduced at the eleventh hour led to a heated, last-minute rethink of a proposed policy. In the end, the right answer, rather than the convenient one, emerged.

Evaluate, Implement, Adapt

The best analytics will only create expensive trivia if the organization isn’t prepared to act on found information. That requires a disciplined approach to analytic discovery and information delivery. This starts with asking not just what are we looking for, but what we will we do with the information once we find it. Followed by a systematic process that allows hypotheses to be tested and interventions to be implemented, monitored and adapted based on discovered results.

Organizations must also mindfully architect and design future systems based on found insights. This includes proactively identifying information requirements during business process and system design. Thereby ensuring data required to monitor performance and adapt is created and captured from the start, as opposed to considering data a happy byproduct or derivative of running the business.

Practice Open Data

While data access is often cited as a primary barrier to analytic progress, some suggest this is really a cultural and managerial issue, not a legislative one. It is based on a historical legacy that errs on the side of not sharing data, for fear of what someone might do with it once it leaves the nest.

Panelists suggested the onus must shift from measuring data producers on creation and access, to how effectively information is shared; judging data consumers not on access but on usage. What do they do with the information available to them?

Such a shift would make data producers obligated and accountable for sharing data while holding consumers accountable for appropriate use, thereby governing value and risk based on information use, not the mere presence of data. 

Make the Facts Known

The points above make a simple assumption: that evidence is published. While this sounds a bit tongue-in-cheek, panelists pointed to a common reticence to share not just raw assets, but found insights. Perhaps that’s from fear of being proven wrong or provoking strong opposition, particularly when the evidence belies standard beliefs or operating practices.

However, the alternate is arguing on shifting ground, rather than using information to support a particular position or counter an argument of those armed with fervently held beliefs, but few facts.

Exposing the data comes with risk. But often practitioners view evidence and facts as a means to persuade or change another’s mind, rather than using those facts as a basis to engage others in a substantive discussion-- even when the discussion turns to the basis of the evidence.

Facts alone may not change the opinion of a dedicated naysayer. Facts do, however, provide a common basis for discussion. And isn’t that the real point? 

Great Artists Steal – Let Them

When it comes to cultivating a shared purpose, cross-pollinating key skills and spawning new perspectives on the importance of communities of practices for analytics was top of mind. It need not be over-architected. Creativity spawns creativity. While innovation can’t be mandated, the right environment can encourage out-of-the-box thinking. 

Creating time and a safe space for analysts from different departments within and among ministries has multiple benefits. Companies that have adopted this approach have reported increased returns on analytic investments and more engaged and motivated analysts, not a small victory given the current premium on core data science resources.

Such collaborative teaming models become particularly important as new business and service models transcend historical departmental or ministry boundaries. Simple examples include the integration of different episodes of care to account for a holistic patient experience and treatment and the interplay of adult, child welfare and juvenile justice systems.

Partner Up  

Of course, the need for partnership isn’t limited to the data science or analytic community. To maximize shared assets it will be imperative for like-minded ministries to work together on common problems rather than reinventing the wheel each time. Areas such a fraud and risk are often great starting groups for this type of initiative, which are most effective with broad data sets culled from across ministry boundaries. 

And while communities of interest help maximize incumbent analytic/data science skill sets, third-party partners can also play a role. Universities in particular are fertile grounds for collaboration. Engaging aspiring data scientists to work on projects with live data provides two-fold benefits. Students gain real-world experience and more interesting projects while helping bridge the talent gap (be it lack of available resources or specific skill sets required). Not to mention, it’s never too early to plant seeds with the up-and-coming generation of leaders and data scientists about the power of using data for good in public service. 

Conclusion 

This broad-ranging and thought-provoking discussion also touched on the need for a collaborative information governance model, cultivation of analytical not just statistical literacy, creation of a shared data infrastructure and analytic lab environments, and the need to incorporate data and analytic competencies into the GOA’s workforce development models. 

While the challenges appear daunting, participants unanimously agreed that the opportunity far outweighs these impediments. The GOA in particular and the public sector in general are well-positioned to create a rich data resource that is properly governed and available for public good. But as Zig Ziegler once opined: “the key to getting ahead is getting started”. Why not now?

As the Director of Business Strategies for SAS Best Practices Kimberly Nevala balances forward-thinking with real-world perspectives in business analytics, data governance, analytic cultures and change management. 

IPAC invited Ms. Nevala as a guest blogger, in advance of her panel at the 68th IPAC Annual Conference in Toronto, June 26-29th. To find out more about the panel, please visit: http://www.ipac.ca/2016-Program 

If you are interested in learning more about SAS Canada's work in the Public Sector or to organize a similar Public Sector Breakfast Series panel in your city or province, please contact IPAC at manderson@ipac.ca

Café Pracademique – ‘Solving Real World Challenges’

by Samreen Khan

 

Public policy is an integral part of our society. In a country like Canada, which has many traits of a social welfare system, public policy takes on a life of its own, impacting thousands of lives each year. Yet, many community members feel unable to influence or engage in this very important aspect of their lives. The newest IPAC Edmonton initiative, Café Pracademique, aims to solve this issue by bringing together public servants, students, citizens, and community leaders all together in one space.

CaféPrac is an innovative initiative that brings academia and practitioners together on the same platform in order to solve complex issues of our society. It represents a revolutionary way of designing, delivering and studying public policy in Canada by engaging attendees with exciting thought leaders and providing action-based results.

There will be four, day-long café sessions spanning over March and April.

o   Public Sector Leadership: “Building Our Future, Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders”

-          What news ways of learning, particularly in higher education, will Canadians need in order to thrive in an evolving society and labour market?

-          March 7, 2016

o   Environment and Sustainability: “Green is the New Black, Mobilizing Eco-Citizens”

-          What effects will the quest for energy and natural resources have on our society and our position on the world stage? How do eco-citizens overcome (socio)psychological barriers to pro-environmental action on an individual basis?  What role can governments play in supporting individuals to do so?

-          March 22, 2016

o   Digital Public Service: “#GovConnect, Advancing Inclusive Digital Services”

-          How can emerging technologies be leveraged to benefit all e-citizens including persons with disabilities?

-          April 12, 2016

o    Indigenous Affairs: “Connecting Our Futures, Building Reconciliation Today”

-          How are the experiences and aspirations of Aboriginal Peoples in Canada essential to building a successful shared future?

-          April 28, 2016

-          ALSO, check out IPAC-NWT’s Northern Governance Conference – “Learning from One Another” in early March in Yellowknife.

Each café will look to provide unique solutions that may be carried forward by the members of each session into their real lives where they can be implemented in real time. For example, the café on Environment and Sustainability will aim at encouraging individuals to consider environmental impacts they can have at the individual and collective levels. This will be promoted by creating impactful storyboards of movies and videos.

Volunteering with CaféPrac has been a fulfilling and challenging experience in many different ways. I would recommend anyone who is interested in public policy, or just looking to expand their skillset, to get involved! We are always looking for new volunteers. I hope the cafés will impact many more people and communities across Edmonton and Alberta in an extremely positive and proactive way. I am hopeful that these events will spread awareness and create conversations amongst practitioners and citizens alike regarding local actions affecting large societal changes.

If you need more information on CaféPrac, you may do so by visiting our website:

www.cafepracademique.com OR you may email us at cafeprac@gmail.com.

Women as a growing percentage of the IT workforce

Women as a growing percentage of the IT workforce

And other technology predictions for the public sector in 2016

What percentage of the total Information Technology workforce is comprised of women in Canada and in the USA?  It is a field that is dominated by men, so it might not surprise you that the figure is 22% in Canada, and 24% in USA.  In many other countries, women represent less than 1 in 5 in their IT workforce.

But why is this? You might not be surprised to learn that women face an educational barrier to entering the IT workforce, because educators and career counsellors don't necessarily encourage women to study IT-related educational programs. But you might be very surprised to learn that some job search websites are programmed with algorithms that ignore resumes from female candidates who have the right educational credentials and expertise. These types of unfortunate systemic barriers contribute to fewer women being a part of the IT workforce.

And yet there is hope. In many countries like Canada and Sweden, the percentage of women in the IT workforce in the public sector is much higher than in the private sector.  For example, 33% of the public sector IT workforce are women, compared to 21% in Sweden's private sector IT workforce.  Simply put, public sector organizations are leaders in bringing in more women into their IT workforce, and can role model this behaviour for their private sector counterparts.

Women as a growing percentage of the total IT workforce is but one of the many technology predictions that Duncan Stewart, Deloitte's Director of Technology, Media and Telecommunications Research, will be speaking about at an event on January 27^th in Toronto. Deloitte is one of Canada’s leading professional services firms, with a long history of providing audit, tax, consulting and financial advisory services to many of Canada's public sector institutions. As one of IPAC's partner organizations, Deloitte is dedicated to IPAC's mission in advancing and understanding the study and practice of public administration in Canada.

Date and time

January 27, 2016

7:30 am - 9:45 am

Location

Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel & Suites

9005 Leslie Street

Richmond Hill, Ontario, L4B 1B2

Registration

Register today.  A light breakfast will be served.

Howard Yeung

Senior Manager, Deloitte Public Sector & Immediate Past Chair, IPAC National Capital Region