How Systems Unity revolutionised a State Government Department by introducing Activity Based Working.
Client: SA Public Sector Agency
Challenge: Increasing collaboration, innovation & public value
Solution: Reshaping the environment
In a sea of government bureaucracy where command-and-control leadership was prevalent, a State Government Department struggled with customer responsiveness and entrenched silos. The mission was ambitious: ignite collaboration, spur innovation, boost productivity, and elevate employee engagement within and across teams.
Effecting culture change in a government setting poses significant challenges, particularly given the influence of four-year political cycles and entrenched employee tenures.
Kristy recognised this challenge and turned the conventional approach on its head, using her advisory expertise in systems unity.
Rather than tackling culture change directly, she introduced a radical transformation through Activity-Based Working (ABW) with a pilot group of 80 employees, including Senior Executives.
This initiative wasn't merely a workspace resdesign; it entailed a comprehensive systems overhaul aimed at cultivating a collaborative and engaging work environment, albeit without explicitly labeling it as a cultural change process.
The Bold Transformation
Kristy’s advisory strategy was comprehensive, targeting multiple facets of the work environment:
Reimagined Workspaces:
Goodbye, drab cubicles! In their place, a vibrant mix of sit/stand workstations, open collaborative zones, meeting rooms, window benches, and quiet areas emerged. Employees could now choose their workspaces based on their tasks, fostering choice and flexibility.
Cutting-Edge Technology:
Out went the bulky desktop computers, replaced by sleek portable devices and new business tools that enabled seamless mobile and collaborative work practices.
Cultural Shift:
The real work lay in shifting mindsets. Leaders were required to shift from control and hierarchy to trust and equality in how they worked. This transformation was nurtured through individual and group interviews, immersive workshops, leadership coaching, and engaging roadshows. The new environment & technology opened doors to novel ways of working, marking the initial catalyst for a broader cultural shift.
The transition to a flexible, creative, and collaborative environment was significant:
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84%
Felt more connected to their peers
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81%
Increase in employee satisfaction
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44%
Felt more productive
The pilot's resounding success led to the expansion of the ABW model the following year to over 500 staff across various departments. The innovative approach didn't just stop there—it set a new benchmark for new ways of working across the public sector. The groundbreaking work was highlighted at the Public Sector Workplace Summit in Sydney, where Kristy shared her insights on catalysing culture change through systemic transformation.
A lasting legacy
Since this pilot, which reduced the footprint to 11m² per work point, the State Government has since enacted legislation that agencies are required to meet density benchmark targets of 12m² per work point, and more importantly, actively pursue and develop plans for office accommodations suitable for Activity-Based Working and flexible working arrangements. When this pilot was undertaken, the concept of Activity-Based Working was unheard of in the SA public sector; now, it is a standard for state government agencies.
This case study isn't just a success story; it's a testament to the power of systems unity. Through advisory expertise, Kristy demonstrated that by revamping systems, structures, processes, and infrastructure, a naturally more collaborative and engaging environment is possible. This approach turned traditional methods on their head and showed that when systems support positive behaviours, the culture is more likely to follow suit.