Covid delays Team Jersey project

Monday 27 July 2020

A £3.5m project to improve the culture in Jersey’s civil service will be extended because of covid.

UK consultants TDP Development were appointed in 2018 to lead efforts to improve teamwork, collaboration and leadership and shake off what was described as a “deeply-entrenched siloed” mentality within the Government of Jersey.

The three-year contract has involved a series of workshops and events in an effort to “define and deliver a positive workplace culture”.

In a recent Scrutiny Panel hearing reviewing the Government’s ‘OneGov’ initiative, which ‘Team Jersey’ is part of, Chief Operating Officer John Quinn said that the project would be extended “by no more than 12 months”.

Pictured: Chief Operating Officer John Quinn.

“TDP’s involvement was due to end in March 2021 but we will have to make up for six lost months and then there is work to support departments in their recovery. We also also looking at how we can leverage from the successes of the Government’s response to covid-19. 

“We have to be realistic that spikes [in covid] may change things further but work is already being done to deliver more of the programme virtually. We cannot make too many predictions, which is why we are building prudence into our planning.”

TDP produced a ‘phase one’ report last year, which found a “prevailing attitude” of pride and commitment but “evidence of longstanding bullying and harassment in some parts of the organisation, a blame culture, and a tolerance of poor workplace behaviour”.