Protecting staff as they protect the public: service delivery in the COVID era
Citizens have rarely been in such need of assistance from their governments – with millions dependent on new economic stimulus, benefits, medical and public health services, while the pandemic increases demand for many traditional forms of support. But governments must find ways of meeting people’s needs without exposing their own staff to the risk of infection – or they’ll face rising sickness rates, staffing gaps, low morale and, potentially, legal action.
At this Global Government Forum webinar, civil service leaders and technical specialists discussed the ways in which government bodies can deliver great public services while protecting employees and the public against the risk of infection. For example, digitalising services can reduce the need for office-based case-management and call centre staff, while video-conferencing and service delivery apps minimise meetings with service users. Better use of data can improve the targeting of site and home visits, and segmentation of user groups can cut the risks when direct contact is essential. Covering both the shift to digital services and how to improve safety in face-to-face delivery, the webinar also considered how to ensure that services are inclusive and accessible to all citizens.
Panel
- Craig Varian, Director of Estates, Finance Group, Department for Work and Pensions, United Kingdom
- Rob Rance, UK Channel Lead for CSG Group, Dell Technologies
