Working Horizontally in Shared Services

Trish Shwart, ADM, Client Services

Ministry of Labour and Citizens’ Services

Some background…

• What is Shared Services?

• Why are they created?

• What is the real value?

Public vs. Private: the differences

Public Sector Goals:

• Meet financial targets

• Contribute to the public good

• Act as a steward of public resources

Private Sector Goals:

• Grow market share

• Reduce costs without noticeably impacting the quality of the service

BC Shared Services: a short history…• Formed 5 years ago as a ministry• New service lines implemented in 2006 and 2008 • Largest public sector shared service• Delivering on the financial targets • Standardization – Payroll, technology, Corporate Accounting system

The challenge…

• Organization used to working as separate entities

• Need to become more client-focussed

• What does that look like and what do we do about it?

What about the BC Shared Services?Ministry of Labour and Citizens’ Services

• How do we encourage horizontal connections?

• How do we promote innovative solutions and connections?

• How do we adopt good ideas from the private sector?

What about the customer relationship?

How are public sector shared services formed?

– Policy change– Mandate– Repatriation of budgets– Outsourcing

Our customer’s perspective

• Communication concerns• Products are good• Service delivery experience• Difficult to navigate• Demographic shift increases

pressure

Coordinated Client Relationship Management Project

“What do we need to do differently to provide our customers coordinated service delivery?”

• 6 cross-ministry project teams• Each team sponsored by an ADM• 150 staff involved• 85 recommendations• Have spent 18 months • Will take 36 months +

Actions Taken

Process Changes• Strategic Projects Coordinated• Client Budget • Navigators – Pilot for Transactional

Projects • Communications Strategy

People Changes• Sector Teams for 7 Client Segments • Strategic Account Management Plans

Governance • LCS Service Council

What are we doing now?

• Shared Goals• Common Processes• Changing the “guts” of the

organization• “Positive rumour mill”• Making it easier for customers

to do business with us

What’s next?Communication Flow

(Relationships)Business Process Org. Structure

Connectivity Interactivity Sharing

Role

Working Horizontally means Working Innovatively

• Creativity, Collaboration, Communication

• Develop shared vision• Provide tools to allow team to

work collaboratively • Trust the team • Reward different behaviors