23RD ANNUAL NATIONAL HRM CONFERENCE

THE PUBLIC SERVICE OF THE FUTURE

Presentation by:

FCS. Simon M. Indimuli, OGW.,

16th October, 20191

Background/Context

In the context of this presentation, I confine ‘Public Service’ to PUBLIC SECTOR’ since there are some public services that are private.

The ways in which public sector organisations differ from private ones include:

The organisational environment – issues of complexity, openness, stability and the absence of competition;

Organisational goals, such as issues of equity and accountability

Organisational structures, such as

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Background/Context contd…

Organisational structures, such as bureaucracy, red tape and the reduction of managerial autonomy, and

Differences in managerial values – the “public service ethos”.

Generally the public sector of the future is a Technology driven enterprise. Therefore the 1st part of the presentation examines how the transformation of the future public service shall be technology centred.3

1. INTERNET OF THINGS (IoT)

The Internet of Things, or IoT, refers to the billions of physical devices around the world that are now connected to the internet, collecting and sharing data. Thanks to cheap processors and wireless networks, it's possible to turn anything, from a pill to an aeroplane to a self-driving car into part of the IoT.

This adds a level of digital intelligence to devices that would be otherwise dumb, enabling them to communicate real-time data without a human being involved, effectively merging the digital and physical worlds.

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INTERNET OF THINGS (IoT) contd….

The public sector often rules itself out of being an early adopter of such emerging technology. This can be due to a range of factors:

Perception of high cost,

Perception that IoT cannot manage sensitive or complex processes,

Concerns about risk and cyber security, and

Political implications of reducing government workforces.

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INTERNET OF THINGS (IoT) contd……

One way of considering how to make the best use of the new technologies is to think of them as a member of an organization’s team that can help staff to be more productive.

Technology can augment a work team; relieving them from mundane repetitive tasks and empowering them with analytics drawn by accessing huge quantities of data in just seconds.

In Kenya, for instance, Public Service has realized phenomenal transformation of service delivery in regards to various services eg:6

INTERNET OF THINGS (IoT) contd……

Ownership & transfer of vehicles,

Tax payments, etc.

The HUDUMA concept through various centres across the country similarly leverages IoT to provide one-stop services to the citizenry.

In a rudimentary way, the above realities are a pointer to the future public service

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2. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)

Artificial intelligence (AI) is an area of computer science that emphasizes the creation of intelligent machines that work and react like humans.

Simply put, Artificial Intelligence takes the role of an experienced clinical assistant who helps doctors make faster and more reliable diagnoses.

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ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) contd…

WHY USE AI?

A ) EFFICIENCY

There is a prevalent notion that the public service is more often than not too slow to respond timely. They are slow on the uptake, and even slower on delivery.

With the use of AI technology, governments are becoming increasingly more efficient both in the time it takes for them to respond and in the allocation of resources.9

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) contd…

b) PERSONALISED

The time that is saved when AI technology is utilised in public services can help public servants personalise government towards each citizen.

A no-show predictive model applied across various public hospitals in Singapore helps predict the no-show rate of patients using AI and thus personalises patient interactions. A reminder text is sent to patients with a high rate of no-shows. 10

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) contd…

c) PREDICTIVE

The UK Home Office has funded several developers to create an artificial intelligence programme that takes down content uploaded from terrorist organisations, and learns these patterns to help prevent them from being uploaded in the first place. This makes terrorist propaganda harder to access, and reduces the radicalisation of individuals. AI technology therefore provides public service an edge over rapidly changing and developing security threats.11

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) contd…

In Malaysia, the police force and the national ICT agency have teamed up to create an AIsurveillance system in prisons that can detect and predict inmates’ aggressive behaviour as well as escape attempts. Once triggered, the system will alert officers on duty and direct them to the potential breach.

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3. PERFORMANCE DASHBOARDs

A business dashboard is an information management tool that is used to track KPIs, metrics, and other key data points relevant to a business, department, or specific process.

The whole point of a dashboard is that it lets you visualize the Key Performance Indicators and other strategic data for your organization at a glance.

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PERFORMANCE DASHBOARDs contd..

It is the dashboard tool that presents management with the information for the practical end of the organization.

There are 3 types of dashboards:

Operational dashboards - tell you what is happening now.

Strategic dashboards - track key performance indicators.

Analytical dashboards - process data to identify trends.14

PERFORMANCE DASHBOARDs contd..

The main virtue of a dashboard is that it produces a piece of information almost instantaneously and makes it possible for the main people in charge to act in due time.

The HUDUMA Secretariat, in Kenya, has such a Dashboard that captures on real time (from NAIROBI):

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PERFORMANCE DASHBOARDs contd..

The Manner in which any CUSTOMER entering a Centre is received

The manner He/She is Served

The duration it takes to serve each customer

The on-the-spot satisfaction rating of the service by the customer

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4. BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING (BPO)

Thanks to IoT, it is possible for any public Sector organization to receive real time services relating to its operations from another organization, afar off.

Business process outsourcing, or BPO, is a business practice in which one organization hires another organization to perform a task (i.e., process) that the hiring organization requires for its own business to successfully operate. Such services in public sector can even include Procurement; some HR processes like Payroll processing, psycho-socio counselling, Grievance handling, etc17

BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING (BPO) contd..

Business Process Outsourcing Benefits for future Public service include:

Lowered Costs. The most popular and talked-about benefit for outsourcing is the significantly lower expenses.

Focus on Core Functions & Improved Support.

Impartiality in provision of services that require such

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THE BIG QUESTION ????

So? Will technology then take the place of Human Resource in the future public service?

NAY!

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WAY FORWARD FOR HR

Remember our people are human & despite the emergence of technology humans will always cherish & reward human service with its attendant "humanness"- Humility, diligence, patience, love, faith which technology doesn't avail.

That's why the place of HR in public service of the future is engraved on stone. However such Human services shall require a transformation and a relative predictability.

How?20

5. LEARNING ORGANIZATIONS

The future public service shall facilitate vision-driven learning of all staff & require that they continuously improve and reinvent themselves

It shall require the staff to continually learn newways of doing things and also moot mechanisms of

eliminating obsolete ways of doing things

It shall seek infusion of short term solutioncentred-skills (contracts) as opposed topermanent & pensionable careers

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6. WORK CULTURE

The future public service shall have to re-orient and spell out a work ethic woven around:

preferred behaviors that support citizen centredservices

Openness & transparency & not SIRI KALI

Stiff sanctions for breach of citizen focused work ethos

Fair rewards for excellence in citizen service

Move out from the illusion of functions to clearly delineated services targeting ‘WANJIKU’

Peter Drucker: Culture eats strategy for breakfast.22

“It is not the strongest of the species that

survives, nor the most intelligent; but the

one most responsive to change”.

Charles Darwin.