During the webinar, Aaron Maniam, Former Deputy Secretary at the Singapore Ministry of Communication and Technology, and McKinsey Senior Partners Eoin “Owen” Daly and Gretchen Berlin discuss seven ways, including staff training, process streamlining, and tech adoption, an organization can use to drive productivity gains and organizational efficiency. Several key themes arose:
- Hindrances to tackling productivity: Some hindrances are real, while others may be perceived; both are important. To remedy hindrances a first step can involve periodic review of agencies' priorities. Agencies could consider the following two questions:
- When was the last time the agency streamlined their priorities?
- What are our priorities today?
- Leadership driving productivity: Agencies could recognize the critical link between productivity and their core mission. In the public sector, both organizations and individuals can be motivated by purpose. Therefore, building a compelling business case for productivity enhancement can become paramount in achieving more effective outcomes while optimizing costs. Leaders could engage those within their reporting chain by asking two key questions:
- What is it that they like about the organization and would not want to change?
- What are the things they think could benefit from change?
- The role the center of government plays in driving productivity at agencies: First, the allocation of funding to agencies is an important lever that can be underutilized to promote productivity. Second, the government could commit to keeping leaders in position long enough to complete their tour of duty and deliver outcomes and promote accountability. Lastly, the central government can help set standards, parameters, and common training as a coordination function and reduce inefficiency.
- Role of technology and potential unlocks: Agencies may need to have an honest conversation on when bespoke technology is required and when off-the-shelf technology can meet their needs. Agencies could avoid the mindset of being different from other agencies, and instead consider areas of commonality that could allow technology sharing and avoid investing expensive and complex bespoke requirements. Technology investment can be more effective when it is linked to the agency’s core mission.
Answers to these questions can help embed productivity in the financial planning process. At the leadership level, strategy can set the vision and targets, while operations and implementation handle day-to-day activities. Understanding this distinction could empower leaders to define objectives and identify areas for improvement.
By doing so, agencies can identify inefficiencies, gain valuable insights, and responsively address real-world feedback.
