Social networking tools, like wikis and blogs, will have a place in what the CIO of the Government of Canada is calling a paradigm shift towards a Government 2.0 workplace. It's all about changing the way people work and collaborate, with Web 2.0-based technology enabling this transformation. Ken Cochrane recently sat down with Intergovworld.com editor Mari-Len De Guzman to share his thoughts on the changing face of public service, the aging workforce, and government's green initiatives.
Q: A major theme at the GTEC 2007 conference is the government's shift towards what's called Government 2.0 and a significant component of that is transforming the workplace. What do you see are the biggest hurdles to attaining these goals of transformation?
A: Government 2.0 is really a concept; it's a substantial shift from where we are to a different mode of operation. The reality is we are already starting to move toward that direction. Government 2.0 is about a number of things: it's about the right environment; it's about the right tools; it's about the right management. There are some key challenges, and one of them is that we don't just focus on technology, we focus on people and culture and to operate more effectively as an organization. We really need to focus on how we work together, how we use the tools in the workplace more effectively.
One of the things we're doing is we're using some of the Web 2.0 or social networking tools to help us solve problems in a very interactive fashion. So trying to get (staff) to use social networking software like wikis and blogs is difficult. I think our challenge is to get people to work with tools differently, to collaborate in a different fashion.
And that's not just Web 2.0 tools but with implementing new systems, as we put in place more modern HR systems or more modern services inside government.
It's about ensuring that departments actually work with those tools in a new way. We don't want to pave the cow path; we want them to work with these tools in a new way so that we're more efficient.
Q: There are organizations, including government, that have banned the use of social networking tools in the workplace, arguing that it's a productivity killer. What are your views on this issue?
A: I know some organizations have blocked the use of social networking. What we're talking about is bringing those social networking tools inside the organization. You're right, if people spend a portion of their day on Facebook (for example) for personal purposes, they are going to be distracted.
What we're talking about is using them in the workplace. So taking tools that have been developed outside and actually using them in the workplace that are directed towards specific issues in the workplace, I think is a positive thing.
That, once again, is another transition. It's not for your personal use; it's to solve business problems, it's to solve workplace problems. It's to allow people to collaborate together in the workplace.
I don't see those as distractions. I see those as tools to help us collectively work together and solve problems.
Q: Is it more a cultural mind-shift then?
A: Part of it is learning to work differently. And it's not just about Web 2.0 tools, I want to be careful that I don't make it sound like that. We're not just talking about those. The point I was trying to make is for government to claim that it's a net new space.
We should see very key things. We should see that government is able to service Canadians more effectively in a way that is more consistent with what other enterprises are doing: providing services in a more creative fashion. But it should also be able to provide services to its inside organization - its employees - in the same, creative and effective fashion. So a worker in the government should feel just like a customer does. They should be getting the best possible services so they can do their job most effectively.
To some degree, Web 2.0 tools will be helpful but a big part of this, too, is fixing the basic back office systems, making sure we have the most modern capabilities. We have some older systems that have served us very well for many years. Our opportunity here is to put in place newer technology that enables us to do things like self-service that makes the job of transaction workers much simpler, that puts more tools in the hands of the worker or the manager to modernize the back office.
Continued:The aging workforce in Canada
Related content:
GTEC 2007: Government 2.0 targets online collaborative tools
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Cochrane to Treasury Board
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