The Change Management Award Shortlist

Peter Hull, Deputy Director, Design and Change Division, Department for Work and Pensions

On 27 May 2010 the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions announced a radical shake-up of employment support offered to claimants, including reference to a new Work Programme. There was little detail about what this groundbreaking new initiative would look like except that it would replace most of the current complex range of programmes. And that providers would be paid by results, with responsibility for getting those results across all claimant disciplines. Just 252 working days later, on 31 May 2011 the first referrals to the Work Programme were made.

Led by a project team, staff across DWP worked together – closing down programmes, ensuring staff and providers were aware of the cessations, working on contracts, determining any legal and HR implications, guidance and communications. At the same time the team designedand developed this new cutting-edge programme. This included delivering a new procurement framework (reducing the time for future exercises by around two thirds), delivering the right messages to support the changes and developing supporting products for staff and providers.

Sound project management and good team work ensured the overall project was expertly managed to deliver the on-time, on-budget results necessary for successful implementation. The project has delivered a ‘win, win’ approach – for providers who can carry out the most appropriate support for their customers with less Government direction; claimants, with individually designed provision and more support for those deemed harder to help; and taxpayers, with better value for money and solid assurance of the investment