Over the forthcoming months, Computer Weekly plans to profile
the IT departments that have made it onto our roll-call of the Best
Places to Work in IT 2003. Through feedback from IT managers and
their staff, our aim is to celebrate the best employers of IT
professionals and highlight employment best practice for other IT
departments to follow. This week we profile large public sector
organisations
Hampshire County Council
Number of IT staff: 253
Annual staff turnover: 7.5%
IT training budget per head: £2,000
Amount of new development work: 33%
Annual holiday: 24-33 days
What impressed the judges?
"A major attraction to working in the IT industry within local
government is the feeling that the work you do directly benefits
the local community, by improving services and providing better
value for money in delivery of those services," said one IT
employee at Hampshire County Council.
"The range of different systems required to support a local
authority is vast, and this helps to make the IT work more
interesting. In addition, Hampshire has a reputation for
innovation, which means that the work in IT services is technically
stimulating and challenging - something people probably do not
associate with a local authority."
Over the past three years, IT services has transformed the IT
environment of the county council from reliance on systems based on
IBM mainframe and SNA technology into a 6,500-device Citrix
thin-client environment exploiting packages running on Unix and
Windows 2000, through a broadband network reaching out to more than
1,000 sites.
Another member of the IT team said there was a spirit of openness
in the department that allowed even the most junior members of
staff to discuss ideas with senior management.
She said, "Staff are encouraged to move between the different
sections of the department, making it easier for people to find
their niche, where they can not only enjoy their work but
contribute fully to the organisation."
Another IT professional said there were "few, if any, perks" for
people working in local government, but added, "Hampshire County
Council IT services manages to attract and retain staff - many of
whom who could easily get higher-paid jobs elsewhere. What keeps
them here is the nature of the work and the people , which makes
this a great place to work."
Hertfordshire Constabulary
Number of IT staff: 54
Annual staff turnover: 4%
IT training budget per head: £4,000
Amount of new development work: 53%
Annual holiday: 28 days
What impressed the judges?
Hertfordshire Constabulary's IT department has been involved in a
number of innovative projects over the past few years. It developed
a single evidence tracking system which has transformed the way
exhibits are managed, leading to significant efficiency gains. It
has also taken the lead on an armoury and weapons management system
which uses RFID and image-capture technology to provide secure
access to weapons and ammunition and provides full audit and
inventory capabilities.
The police force has also been a pilot site for the National
Management Information System, and a number of applications
developed by the force have now been licensed to other police
forces.
There was praise for the head of the IT department who, according
to one of his staff, has recruited staff with different experience,
skills and background. She said, "It is a good department to learn
on the job and develop further skills. The department was the first
in the organisation to initiate flexible pay scales that are more
comparable to external companies and attempts to encourage staff to
stay in their roles.
"The department reporting structure is clear and managers are
approachable and supportive. The appraisal scheme is effective and
timely, it is actively used to gain pay increments and focus
objectives rather than as a paper exercise. Colleagues are very
welcoming, friendly, easy to work with and keen to help.
As a member of the IT team, she said she can hold her head up high
as the department is well-respected by the rest of the organisation
and scores well in user satisfaction surveys. And job satisfaction
is high. "All the work of the IT department can be directly linked
to assisting the policing objectives, which provides me with job
satisfaction and purpose," she said.
Leicester County Council
Number of IT staff: 134
Annual staff turnover: 1.5%
IT training budget per head: £1,200
Amount of new development work: 50%
Annual holiday: 25 days
What impressed the judges?
"Being a local authority, we do not have the liberty to adopt each
new technology as it arrives," said one IT employee from the
council. "We are in a position where we have to be seen to be
providing the best value to our customers. We do however have a
consistent plan to research new technologies and work out the
feasibility of adapting them. Wherever possible, new technologies
are investigated and implemented."
The council has recently been involved in the development of a
geographical information system web service. It is now rolling out
the development to include further applications and partners. The
development was seen as innovative as it uses XML and integrates
the technologies of more than one organisation to deliver a
transparent service to the public.
As well as offering flexi-time, the council gives its staff
opportunities to work from home, and some staff only work during
school term-time so they can be at home with their children during
holidays.
One employee said, "I cannot praise the department enough in the
support it provided to me during an extensive period of family
illness. Not only did they insist I take time off, they also
recommended that I applied retrospectively for compassionate
leave."
A colleague was grateful to the council for the development
opportunities she has been given including secondments into other
posts. This empathy with the personal situation of its employees
does not go unnoticed, or unappreciated.
One team member said, "This is an excellent place to work. Being a
local authority they still manage to offer a comfortable,
stimulating and flexible working environment most often found in
the private sector. They offer a very relaxed yet structured
approach to work. There is always something new and different to
look forward to."
