Why are these awards so important to you and the civil service?
I think they are very important for two reasons. Firstly, because the one thing the civil service has not been very good at over the years is blowing its own trumpet, giving recognition to people who have succeeded and done something very inspiring.
This gives us an organised, non-embarrassing moment once every year to address that and make sure that people who have done great work right across the civil service – whether its serving the public, overcoming some personal obstacles, or advising ministers on the most complicated issue and times – whatever the contribution is, we find a way to recognise the success and really shout about it.
I’m also passionate about opening up the civil service and making sure more people understand what it is that we’re about. It’s not full of closed doors, it’s not a secret place – of course we have to be private and confidential about some things – but by and large the civil service is 400,000 people working their hearts out every day of the year to serve the public. People need to know what the civil service does in order to retain legitimacy.
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What effect do you think the awards have had over the last 10 years?
I think the awards have been really quite inspiring, actually. We heard a couple of great stories [at the launch of the 10th awards] from people who have won in the past, and they have explained how much it meant to them and the teams working for them, how it helped them to get more resources in departments for the projects they were pursuing, how it developed them personally.
On a personal level, it’s really fantastic for the award winners, and for the people who work for them or with them, just to see that recognition. And I think it’s great for the civil service – great for morale and for engagement – for people to see that we have got some multi-talented people right across the service, doing small things, doing big things. For people just to celebrate what their colleagues are achieving, and to also see that they are getting recognised for that, is really important. And I think it definitely improves productivity and efficiency.
Given the cuts and changes facing the civil service, how can the awards contribute to meeting those challenges?
Obviously we are going through tough times at the moment, the public sector needs to play its part in the fiscal consolidation. We understand that – the government was elected on that mandate, and that’s very, very clear.
But all the civil servants I meet on a daily basis – and I do try and get out from behind my desk in London – are really up for the challenge. For the last five years we’ve delivered more for less in many, many different ways. We’ve saved billions of pounds for the taxpayer, we delivered the vast majority of the coalition’s commitments – so we’re up for it.
Morale is high. People are resigned to the toughness that is bound to happen. Obviously, they would prefer it wasn’t like that, but it is and so they recognise that. I think the awards, and recognition for people who have done brilliant work, play an important part in helping people get through that process.
This is one way that we in the senior level of the civil service can show to everybody that we really appreciate what they are doing.
What message would you give to civil servants who are thinking of nominating in this year’s awards?
I would strongly support anybody who wants to nominate. We had 699 nominations last year from 79 different government agencies and departments, so you are in good company if you are nominating!
I am sure we’ll do even better than that this year. It’s nice to win an award, of course, and it’s nice to be shortlisted for an award – but it’s also brilliant to be the person that nominates. It’s a really nice thing to recognise one of your colleagues or a team that’s done some really brilliant work.
Nominations are open until midnight tonight and you can cast your votes here http://www.civilserviceawards.com/