Automation will need to be handled with sensitivity by managers – but any upgrade in public services must start with the workforce, argues Alexander Hitchcock of the Reform think tank

As Donald Trump is inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States, Kings College London research fellow Joe Devanny looks at the tensions that arise between administrations and considers parallels with Whitehall

Reducing sickness absence is a vital task for leaders, and it must start with some difficult conversations if real progress is to be made 

Worrying projections about our “unsustainable” public finances mean the rhetoric around decentralisation must now become a reality

Having cut the calendar of major fiscal events from two a year to just one, chancellor Philip Hammond must now use his extra time and energy to add some grit to the tax policymaking process

CSW editor Jess Bowie responds to concern over the lack of ethnic diversity on CSW's December cover

The "guided distribution" constraints put upon HMRC officials can worsen the financial hardship of tax credit claimants, argues Bangor University's Sara Closs-Davies

 As Whitehall comes under attack, Downing Street needs to lead from the front, argues Sue Cameron

Exactly why the UK's EU ambassador resigned will remain a mystery for some time. But, says former special adviser Dan Corry, top officials usually quit when subject to constant criticising, whispering and gossip from politicians

The recent attacks on the civil service paint it as being incapable of making Brexit work. But senior officials are increasingly alarmed that the government is forcing them into positions that make them look stupid and out of control

Many talented civil servants have stepped forward to work on Brexit, says Dave Penman of the FDA union. So why aren't ministers doing more to defend them?

Opening up the government's data sets will make public service commissioning more effective as well as helping service users, argues Andrew Weston of charity think tank New Philanthropy Capital

Complaints are an opportunity for public services to learn and improve, says Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Dame Julie Mellor, as the watchdog publishes fresh research on how departments respond to public concerns

From social mobility to industrial strategy, the new prime minister must act now if she wants her big priorities to get off the ground, says the Institute for Government's Emma Norris

Whitehall has retained its objectivity as beyond dispute since the referendum result. But in 2017, officials will need to help ministers manage public expectations of what Brexit will achieve

Whitehall's annual people survey provides a moment of catharsis – but, Jane Dudman wonders, is it asking the wrong questions?

Newly-appointed first civil service commissioner Ian Watmore on why the Civil Service Code matters – and how you can put your questions to his team

Short stints in top jobs make firefighting a more rational career plan than pushing for systemic changes – and may make it harder for outsiders to break in

Reaching an agreement on thorny issues like redundancy pay is never easy – but it’s always better than the alternative

The drive to achieve greater consistency in the relationships between departments and ALBs is welcome, says Chris Banks of the Public Chairs' Forum – but it's time to move away from the "parent-child" model

As an organisation, we seem content to recruit from among the ranks of the poor and those of humble origin – but less content with placing them in important positions

Cabinet Office executive director Lesley Hume reflects on the need for a Government Counter Fraud Profession to recognise the work of people in the field and increase the government’s ability to identify and deal with fraud

With the new government focused on Brexit, Theresa May and Philip Hammond have not voiced their support for making government digital – but the potential for savings is huge

Steve O'Neil went from being a civil servant in the Department for Education to helping the Liberal Democrats draw up their 2015 manifesto as the party's deputy head of policy. He tells CSW what he learned on the journey – and why he believes good policymaking requires both public consent and rigorous planning