Reflections on the HR Directors' Retreat: Part 1

HR Network news

26 Feb 2021

Yesterday saw Part 1 of IES’ HR Directors Retreat on Strategic Resourcing for Change and Uncertainty We were lucky enough to hear from Phillipa Bonay, Director of People and Business Services at the Office for National Statistics (ONS), and Wendy Hirsh, Principal Associate at IES, about how the ONS had adapted its activities to help shape the country’s response to the pandemic with the provision of robust and timely data.

The ONS have managed to deliver new services in a short period of time under the highest levels of scrutiny. Their profile has been raised significantly and their work applauded by leading members of SAGE. There are many lessons from their work, not least that you can do strategic planning whilst also delivering the day-to-day.

We also heard from IES Director Tony Wilson on how the pandemic is affecting the UK labour market and what we are likely to see in the coming months. The prospect of a weaker, and potentially increasingly polarised, labour market places an emphasis on work not just to address unemployment but also improve the quality of work and enable progression.