Government transformation: why leadership and people strategy must be at the core

As the UK public sector faces ongoing transformation, Pam Parkes, president of the PPMA, argues that success will depend not just on structures and strategies, but on leadership, culture, and a people-first approach -- and that HR must be central to driving meaningful, sustainable change

For the next four years, and probably for some time beyond that, change will be the permanent state of the UK public sector. Local government reorganisation, plans for cross-disciplinary service models, and efficiency demands in central government are features of the landscape we operate in.     

These ongoing transformations bring financial constraints, political considerations, and operational challenges that public sector leaders navigate daily. Yet amid the discussions about structures, shared services, digital transformation, and efficiency targets, there is a significant gap in how transformation is understood and implemented: a failure to properly account for the people driving change.

The foundation of effective change

Transformation programmes in the public sector tend to prioritise structural redesign and financial projections, with careful attention to governance models and programme plans.   

While these elements are important, they are merely the framework which providing guardrails for the change process.     

What’s consistently overlooked is the underpinning foundation that determines whether change actually works: people, in the form of their capability to lead, the culture of the organisation, and the skills of the workforce.     

These human dimensions rarely receive equal weight in transformation planning. HR is typically brought in late, after key decisions about structure have already been made. Culture is expected to evolve naturally. Leadership capacity is assumed to be sufficient because the people are already in post.     

This approach isn’t just ineffective, it creates unnecessary risk. In the context of public services, where trust and long-term impact matter, we need to do better.

Different skills for different challenges

The changes required for us to do achieve this are not complex but they do require a different mindset.     

This starts with understanding that transformation requires different skills to “business-as-usual” leadership and that managing a stable organisation effectively is not the same as leading one through change.     

It also requires the recognition that operational management skills don’t automatically translate into the ability to reimagine systems, drive cultural shifts, and carry staff through periods of uncertainty.     

Government transformation – whether it is national or local – needs leaders who are adaptable, emotionally intelligent, and forward-thinking. They must inspire without complete clarity, challenge established practices, and move beyond legacy thinking.     

These qualities aren’t guaranteed by seniority or experience alone. They must be deliberately identified, developed, and supported.     

This means acknowledging that some current leaders may not be best positioned to lead future change. It requires building leadership teams based on transformation capability, not just tenure or technical expertise.

HR as strategic partner, not service provider

This is precisely where HR and organisational development functions are essential. Unfortunately, they are still underused with a tendency still to treat HR teams as a fulfilment department for decisions already made. Job design, recruitment, and consultation processes matter but they are only part of what HR should deliver.     

In successful transformation, HR must be present at the planning stage. Alongside finance and strategy, it helps shape the vision, define leadership requirements, and ensure the future organisation isn’t just affordable but that it can perform. HR brings an understanding of how to align capability with ambition, build engagement through disruption, and embed sustainable new ways of working.     

The challenge is for leaders – and for those who chose them – to recognise HR as a strategic partner, not a transactional function. When HR is sidelined until implementation, the result is a workforce poorly aligned to the new structure, cultural inconsistency, and a slower route to achieving impact.

Culture requires deliberate focus

One insight understood by the best leaders – but overlooked by many – is that culture will not align with new structures and operational expectations unless there is a laser like focus on it from the start of the change process. The act of reorganising teams or departments will not automatically create the behaviours needed for success.     

Culture is the glue which binds people together. It is a reflection of what an organisation sees as important and is reflected in the behaviour of teams and individuals. But when change is implemented without attention to culture, the result is reduced performance: lower engagement, increased resistance to new ways of working, and poorer service delivery.

Every reorganisation carries this risk. Without deliberate cultural leadership, these problems become embedded. Leaders must therefore become active shapers of culture.     

This is not simply about communicating plans. It requires listening, addressing resistance, and being transparent about what will and won’t change. It demands persistence, honesty, and a willingness to adapt throughout the process.

The practical impact on people

The consequences of neglecting the people dimensions of transformation are well known: burnout, disengagement, loss of institutional knowledge, and staff departures. But they only become visible when an organisation is already in crisis following change. As organisations contemplate changes, it’s therefore critical that this dimension is not underestimated.     

Public servants have demonstrated remarkable resilience but this doesn’t mean they’re inexhaustible. Many have weathered years of austerity, reform, and increasing scrutiny. Expecting them to adapt to another wave of transformation without meaningful involvement or investment in their development isn’t just counterproductive, it’s unsustainable.

For transformation to succeed, it must be people-centred. This means designing with those affected, not just for them. It requires investing in leadership development that prepares people for change. And it means measuring success partly through how people experience the organisation, not solely through financial metrics.

Building the right team for change

One of the most critical decisions in any transformation is selecting who leads it. Too often, leadership of change is assigned to those already in senior positions, regardless of whether they possess the mindset or skills required.     

The alternative is to build a transformation leadership team intentionally, bringing together people from across the organisation with the ability to collaborate effectively, think systemically, and communicate authentically.     

These may not be the usual candidates. They should be individuals who understand that change has both emotional and technical dimensions, that resistance often stems from rational concerns, and that bold vision must be matched by practical delivery.

From challenge to opportunity

When people, leadership, and culture are prioritised in transformation, potential performance issues can be mitigated or even turned into advantages. Engagement improves, desired innovation emerges, trust is strengthened. These outcomes aren’t accidental. They result from deliberate, people-focused planning.

Making the right choice

Government faces important decisions about how to approach transformation. One option is the familiar path: structure-led, finance-driven, with people considerations as an afterthought. The alternative is an approach, built on leadership capability, strategic HR involvement, and intentional cultural development.     

The first approach risks repeating established patterns. The second offers the opportunity to build public institutions that are fit for purpose, responsive, resilient, and connected to the communities they serve.     

Government will continue to transform. The question is whether leaders will recognise the need to transform their own approach, and whether they will allow people strategy to guide, not follow, the change process.     

The evidence is clear: transformation that puts people first is transformation that works.

www.ppma.org.uk