Lean and mean in the civil service: the case of processing in HMRC

The desire to modernise the public sector has led to the import of private sector management methods and practices aimed at generating efficiencies and cost savings; yet, the consequences of these changes on the working lives of civil servants are under-researched. This paper uses detailed fieldwork, based on a national survey and multi-site interviews, to investigate the impact of Lean on public service labour processes in HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). We contrast our findings with those presented in a previous study of HMRC and argue that Lean has a detrimental effect on employees, their working lives, and the service that is provided to the public. The consequences of Lean on public sector work are highly problematic, which is of grave concern given its impending roll out in other organisations