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Using business psychology to overcome public sector challenges

As the UK emerges from recession with significant national debt, public sector bodies are facing the challenge of driving up productivity and quality, while simultaneously moving into a period of fiscal austerity.

To maintain agility, innovation and productivity in these times, it is vital that teams are well managed. Yet the CIPD reports that under-investment in developing line managers in the public sector has damaged their ability to guide their teams through change.

These challenges are amplified by concerns over job security, increased workload and organisational restructures – all of which impact staff morale, retention and efficiency.

How can you prepare to deal with these challenges? 

Selection and assessment

  • Every selection decision represents a risk, and getting the decision right means ensuring high performance for the organisation, and job satisfaction and motivation for the individual. Having the best people in your teams will ensure higher team performance and productivity, and will help to reduce the pressure of resource constraints.
  • Research has shown that using a range of assessment methods in conjunction with structured interviews makes you four times more likely to select right people for your organisation.
  • By adopting a rounded approach to selection that acknowledges the importance of both ability and personality in the workplace, you're ensuring you've exercised due diligence in your people investment.

Our selection solutions are powered by the 16PF® and the ABLE® series, giving you accurate and fair data to support selection decisions.

 

Find out more about our selection and assessment instruments > > 

Learn more: call 0845 603 9958

 

High-performing teams

  • During periods of change and re-organisation, teams can become disconnected and trust can be destroyed. Psychological insight is the most effective way to put teams back together.
  • OPP can work with you flexibly to create high-performing teams:
      • Learn to do it yourself
      – Qualify in the world's most widely used personality tool – the MBTI instrument.
      – Qualify in the FIRO-B® instrument to really understand and develop productive relationships at work.
      – TKI is a simple yet powerful tool for managing conflict at work. No training is required.
            
      Do it with OPP
        – Our consultants have vast experience of working in the public sector delivering team development experiences.
      OPP does it for you
      – Our experts can design and deliver development programmes, providing teams better able to perform in the workplace. 

Learn more: call 0845 603 9958

 

Motivated staff

  • During recession, corrosion of the traditional employment relationship may occur as employers reshape the 'psychological contract'.
  • This will affect employee's overall engagement with their employer, and ultimately their willingness to go the extra mile for them.
  • There is a potential opportunity to shift the psychological contract in a positive way, by retaining those who are hard working, effective and committed. Introduction of a more focused and performance-managed culture can in turn create positive engagement.
  • OPP can help boost team performance at whatever stage your team is at:
      • – Improve team communication
      – Enhance decision-making
      – Manage pressure better
      – Reduce and manage conflict

Learn more: call 0845 603 9958

 

Leadership

  • Leadership is crucial in meeting current challenges.
  • A shortage of leadership capacity and capability in many cases holds organisations back from implementing successful change.
  • OPP can help you to find answers to every unknown in the process of finding, developing and keeping talented leaders.
  • We work with you to design leadership development programmes that can help you to identify and create self-aware, job-ready leaders, faster.
  • Our expertise in personality insight unlocks your leaders' strengths and development needs, directly contributing to your organisation's talent-management plans for the future.

Read about how we helped shape leaders at the British Library > > 

Learn more: call 0845 603 9958

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