It is clear from all the media and feedback from the government that 2011 will be a difficult year and we will be faced with devastating cuts to our public sector budgets.
I wonder how many people in leadership across the Public Sector are thinkning outside the box. If the cuts are 20% and the obvious way is to cut salaries and employment numbers, why not wholesale reduce staff working hours? Or is this too simple.
In my mind 20% cuts means a 4 day working week? Why not look at job sharing, increased office hours weekend work. This would have both the desired effect on the budget but also have a massive impact on the service offering of a local authority. Further to this there would be the social beneifts of people still being in employment, not a ground swell of benefit and support claims, as well as the quality of life, work life balance, reduction in congestion around rush hours etc...
The cuts will be big and challenging but now, surely, is the time look at new models and not just to follow a blinkered policy of job losses and service reduction.
