Better Public Services - Shaping the future of Ireland’s public sector workforce

How the Civil Service is partnering with the CIPD to shape a public service for the future

The Irish Government’s 2030 Better Public Services strategy calls for a workforce that is skilled, motivated and supported by modern policies and inclusive cultures. The Civil Service recognised that to achieve this it would need to support its people professionals to act as true strategic enablers of transformation. The need was identified for a common language and a benchmark to guide consistent practice across the service. The CIPD’s internationally recognised standards and expertise made it the natural partner.

In early 2024, the Civil Service and the CIPD set out a four-pillar plan to professionalise its HR community and grow capability. Their aim was to give HR teams the tools, confidence and consistency they need to help government departments build a workforce fit for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

1. People standards framework

More than 300 people professionals helped shape a Civil Service People Standards Framework, aligned to the CIPD Profession Map. This framework sets out the knowledge, skills and behaviours expected across the people community and underpins clear career and development pathways

2. Policy review

To bring the Civil Service’s HR policies up to date, the CIPD audited almost 80 central policies. The expert team highlighted where guidance could be modernised, simplified and made more accessible, prompting the design of a new digital People Hub with AI capability.

3. People Impact Tool

The Civil Service used the CIPD’s People Impact Tool to get a clear picture of capability across its people community. This survey gave leaders a benchmark of current strengths and areas for development. It offered the heads of HR an invaluable view of where their teams were in that moment, and what they needed to do to be ready for the future.

4. Learning and development

More than 800 people professionals now have access to the CIPD’s evidence-backed resources and learning opportunities through a Group Affiliate Subscription. We are also working with the Institute of Public Administration (IPA), a CIPD-approved learning centre, to roll out new accredited qualifications. These give people professionals clear pathways to build expertise and grow their careers, whether they’re CIPD members or not. The approach broadens access to high-quality learning and fits perfectly alongside the new standards framework.

The Civil Service/CIPD collaboration is now seen as a blueprint for the wider public service, proving that when we invest in people, we invest in better outcomes for everyone.

“Partnering with the CIPD has given our HR teams access to knowledge, skills and qualification opportunities that ensure we’re successful in our roles. We’ve prioritised strengthening HR effectiveness in our people strategy, acknowledging that the function is central to the success of our organisation, now and into the future.”

Denise Kennedy, Head of HR and Corporate Affairs, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The Civil Service is now embedding the people standards framework across departments, using it to shape recruitment, career pathways and professional development. Work also continues on the new People Hub, including the development of an AI-driven tool, which will house modernised policies and help make the Civil Service an employer of choice.

This partnership between the Civil Service and the CIPD is working to shape a public sector workforce for the future, helping to achieve its goal to build a professional community that is confident, capable and recognised as central to delivering better public services.