I sat in on the Q&A session ‘Does Class Matter in a modern civil service?’ #CSlive09. The first thing I hear is that gender representation has improved in the civil service but more improvements are needed for representation from BME, noted senior civil servants on the panel (There is only one woman on the stage out of 6 though!).

What about state school representation? Someone in the audience feels that the majority of civil servants are not from state schools. The panel admit that it is difficult to actually measure this. It is crucial to understand the population you’re serving – therefore more diversity is needed. But does background impact what the civil service actually does? Perhaps it is more the actual perception of class that is the issue here…

It is not so much about what school you went to, it’s about advantage v disadvantage, and the expectations you grow up with. You may grow up expecting nothing so you’re put off applying to work in the civil service. One new recruit in the audience says when he tell his friends what he does they confuse civil service with silver service. He says he has to talk “like you lot” to the panel but talks differently to his friends, in order to progress. He says he is a working class person masquerading as a middle class person.

Tim Davies (former Apprentice winner, former TFL employee) is on the panel. He is from a working class background but his mother’s expectations propelled him forward. She wanted to raise his level of expectations. There is a new generation coming through who have been much better informed therefore it’s important to get the strategy of the organisation right but the culture needs to reflect it, so that people can progress once they get in. Tim hates the word ‘systems’, it divorces you from power and responsibility, he says it should be about people. He believes the fast stream is a good idea (though the audience seem to be somewhat anti) as creating competition should be positive – as long as these people can be supported when they get in. You get the impression he feels that the whole debate makes more of an issue out of it than is needed, it is down to the individual. Tim seems by far the most positive and expressive on the panel – probably because he’s not in the civil service and he can say what he thinks! Not much is being said by the panel that hasn’t been said before but the people in the room seem to feel that they have been hard done by… Tim says you’re given a chance so go for it.

An audience member points out that people are just looking for jobs at the moment due to the economic climate which could impact recruitment to the Civil Service, so they need to be a little smarter about how they recruit.

When it comes down to identifying the talent for the future – one of the panel members feels we neded to follow the example of the big corporations and making sure we get the very best people in, regardless of background. There is no positive discrimination in the CS – but to be able to maximise the talent should be the main aim.

The last question to the panel: dressing down in jeans – is it acceptable if you’re not meeting Ministers? A panel member says the Australians and New Zealanders in the office have changed the feel of his office for the better, as they are ‘unconventionally dressed’. He feels it shouldn’t matter at all. Sue (don’t have her full name but she’s the woman on the panel who represents someone who has climbed to the top) thinks it’s a mark of respect… The chair draws the line at flip-flops (so I hide my feet under the chair in front!). Culture vs strategy, concludes Tim – there are more important things than what you’re wearing but it’s important to reflect the culture in which you are working if you want to get ahead… Be smart!