Prospect: Ergonomics
From Future of Local Services to the Public
Contents |
Summary
The Prospect of “Ergonomics” in the context defined by the work undertaken by Ipsos MORI and the LGA means the provision of services that are designed to yield the greatest productivity, with the greatest user satisfaction, for the minimum possible outlay of resources and effort. It therefore encompasses and focusses on issues such as the efficiency agenda, funding shortfalls and service design and performance management.
The path to realising this Prospect entails a focus on partnership working to make cost savings, early anticipation and influence, personalisation of services where possible, and the encouraging of voluntarism.
Definition
Throughout the study undertaken by Ipsos MORI and the LGA, stakeholders who were consulted consistently highlighted an ongoing, and deepening funding crisis in local government funding as one of the key drivers of the future of local services (see “Powershare”). This was thought to be the result of a range of long and medium term trends such as demographic (e.g. ageing, migration) and climate change, a plateau in Government spending, and rising public demand, amidst rising global economic competition. Stakeholders also cited the current financial climate as cause for concern.
Despite shorter term fluctuations, it is expected that over the long term local residents and businesses will feel the pressure of rising utility, food and fuel costs as global competition for these resources grows. With their bills rising, and incomes struggling to keep pace they may therefore be much less willing to accept, for example, 5% rises in council tax. Areas with particular residential and geographic profiles will face differential challenges in trying to extract maximum value for minimum cost: to deliver unprecedented efficiency in the way local services are planned and delivered, or what we might call “Ergonomic” services.
Related Issues
Among the study’s participants many see the externalities of tightening budgets and scarcer resources as being a spur towards greater ingenuity and innovation in the local services over the next decade, as well the catalyst for a more “grown-up” relationship between authorities and citizens. Many stakeholders in the study are keen to see a frank national discussion about what is really feasible with public money, and to thereby manage expectations of the role of the state with regard to the individual.
It is hoped that this will enable more sensitive, realistic and effective prioritisation and expenditure of collective effort at a local level.
In particular on the opportunities for efficiency and cost saving through more effective partnership working to spread and reduce costs
The promotion of a more positive engagement with services is also thought by a few to be required as part of the “Ergonomics” drive, in which a tailored and well-targeted arrangement is made around the finite resources of both the citizen in need of support, and the authorities charged with offering this support. This is part of the wider argument advocated by many in the study towards the increased personalisation of services as part of an efficiency agenda, rather than seeing it as an unaffordable luxury. Linked to this more active engagement, as part of the efficiency agenda, some participants in the study argue for redoubled efforts to encourage volunteering as a positive way to reduce isolation and promote positive well-being.
Another major strand to the Ergonomics theme was the importance placed on increasing efficiency through early anticipation and prevention i.e. intervening in low-cost ways today to avert bigger clean-up costs tomorrow. This links into the Prospect about “Collective Intelligence” in terms of using futures work and other collaborative approaches to strategy that help to direct effort where it may be most effective.
