HR staff numbers in the Ministry of Defence will be reduced by half over the next two-and-a-half years but, at the same time, the austerity measures facing the public sector present the profession with a “phenomenal opportunity”, according to Jonathan Evans, director, civilian personnel.
“Gus O’Donnell [head of the civil service] described the challenge we face as the leadership challenge of a generation. I think it is not just a generation but a number of generations,” he said. “It is important that HR leads from the front. HR is uniquely placed to make a difference and we have got to make that difference now.”
Currently there are 85,000 civilians in the MoD but, as announced in last month’s Strategic Defence and Security Review, over the next three to four years this will be reduced by 25,000 – nearly 30 per cent.
“This is against a backdrop of pay restraint, pension changes and in some cases a negative media,” said Evans. “Many people have been here their entire career. They feel they have a contract with the country and it is being undermined. This is a real challenge because we have got to keep performance going.”
Evans pointed out that while downsizing a workforce is “not difficult to do”, it must be done the right way. “The first job is to ensure we have a sustainable organisation,” he said. “If there is a way to upset those who are staying it is by treating badly those who are going. We have to ensure that people we need for the long term want to stay with the organisation.
“There has never been a time when emotional intelligence has been so important. If we are to lose a third of the workforce we must be fair to individuals and fair to the workforce.”
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“Gus O’Donnell [head of the civil service] described the challenge we face as the leadership challenge of a generation. I think it is not just a generation but a number of generations,” he said. “It is important that HR leads from the front. HR is uniquely placed to make a difference and we have got to make that difference now.”
Currently there are 85,000 civilians in the MoD but, as announced in last month’s Strategic Defence and Security Review, over the next three to four years this will be reduced by 25,000 – nearly 30 per cent.
“This is against a backdrop of pay restraint, pension changes and in some cases a negative media,” said Evans. “Many people have been here their entire career. They feel they have a contract with the country and it is being undermined. This is a real challenge because we have got to keep performance going.”
Evans pointed out that while downsizing a workforce is “not difficult to do”, it must be done the right way. “The first job is to ensure we have a sustainable organisation,” he said. “If there is a way to upset those who are staying it is by treating badly those who are going. We have to ensure that people we need for the long term want to stay with the organisation.
“There has never been a time when emotional intelligence has been so important. If we are to lose a third of the workforce we must be fair to individuals and fair to the workforce.”