Making public sector productivity practical

Productivity is all about how our resources are turned into outcomes.  It’s a key driver of economic growth and the current recovery from the pandemic, and plays a big role in improving living standards, wages, skills of the workforce and wellbeing.

Whilst most of the UK’s productivity is in the private sector, the public sector is a key enabler of productivity growth for the private sector. Government expenditure accounts for about 40 percent of GDP and during the pandemic in 2020 it was even close to 50% of total spending. The public sector accounts for about 20 percent of UK GDP and slightly less than that of UK employment.1

Official productivity statistics, produced by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) show that productivity growth in the public sector has in fact improved markedly over the past decade, however it’s critical that as well as supporting private sector productivity, that the public sector improves its own productivity performance and become a direct contributor to productivity nation-wide. 

In our Practical Guide to Public Sector Productivity, a report written in partnership with The Productivity Institute, we reveal:

  • how to make productivity part of the public sector quality narrative
  • how to identify a framework for measuring public sector productivity
  • practical steps for putting productivity into practice

We also define the three key levers of productivity in public sector organisations:

  1. innovation and digital transformation - there is much potential for digital technologies to simplify, streamline and enhance public sector delivery
  2. an agile workforce - any transformation requires a reset of the skills and competencies of the workforce
  3. adaptive business design – adopting a culture of continuous improvement within the organisation.

Pre-register for a copy of our report with insights about how to put public sector productivity into practice.

1 The Office of National Statistics defines the public sector as comprising central government, local government and public corporations. This definition therefore does not include most charities, including most UK universities or private museums, which are often seen as a public service but are formally part of the third sector.