Fixing Phoenix and government delivery culture: Five minutes with Alex Benay, Public Services and Procurement Canada
This interview with Alex Benay, associate deputy minister at Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), is part of a ‘Five minutes’ series featuring speakers from AccelerateGOV, taking place in Ottawa on 21 October.
During a panel titled Getting your culture fit: How to build a culture that can drive government transformation, he will discuss efforts to not only fix problems caused by the Phoenix payroll system – which was installed in 2016 and resulted in widespread payment mistakes for federal employees – but also transform government delivery culture more broadly.
What are you most excited about sharing at this year’s AccelerateGov conference?
The team at Human Capital Management within PSPC is not only out to fix Phoenix, but also to create a different type of government delivery approach. They are out to fix government delivery culture. From diversity to risk tolerance, to how we work as a team. There are signs they can pull this off and I am excited to go over their journey with attendees.
What drew you to a career in the civil service?
I have been in and out of the civil service my whole life. The opportunity to make a difference is something no amount of private sector money can provide.
What barriers or challenges have you overcome in your career?
I have always had to be different. The youngest at the table, the one who was seen as a “disruptor” because I was the only one with non government experience, etc. At times I let them win, but often I have swam against the current.
Read more: Exclusive Global Government Forum research reveals five pillars of a modern civil service
What advice would you give someone starting out in the civil service?
We expect you to comply. Our structures are created so you fit in our boxes in an organisational structure. Don’t walk like us. Don’ talk like us. Don’t dress like us. Don’t think like us. Be yourself. We need your individuality, even if our systems don’t make it easy.
If you could introduce one civil service reform, what would it be?
No senior assistant deputy minister or deputy minister appointment can be made if the individual has zero outside of government experience. We need to develop empathy in the Government of Canada.
Which country’s civil service or which government department or agency are you most inspired by and why?
Ukraine: to digitise service delivery in war time shows the necessity to move our Government of Canada services online. It also shows we have too many excuses for ourselves. Rwanda has used digital government as a backbone for their economic relaunch. Yet another example of “no excuses”.
Are there any projects or innovations in your country that might be valuable to your peers overseas?
Canada has done much on AI governance for government operations and would be happy to share. Dating back to 2017 we built the world’s first algorithmic impact assessment tools and a host of other products.
Read more: How Canada is using data to turn good intentions into climate action
What attributes do you most value in people?
Honesty, judgement that cannot be taught, perseverance, teamwork and hard work. Those are the only competencies I hire for.
What’s your favourite thing to do at the weekends?
Run and cycle. My wife is a marathon runner (like a real one), I just try and keep up but I am built more like a football player.
What is your favourite book?
Le Petit Prince – I love to travel.
Alex Benay will be joined on the panel by Amira Musse, director, strategy and innovation, Finance and Procurement Services, Natural Resources Canada; Alexandra Mause, head of department, New Work, Change Management, Project Management, Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport, Germany; Aminah Zawedde, permanent secretary, Ministry of ICT and NG, Uganda; and Philip Bland, global government advisor, Qualtrics.
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