CSIRO transform operations to strengthen Australia’s resilience amid climate change and disruptions
Iceni partnered with the CSIRO to restructure its operating model to enhance resilience and deliver value, focusing on building internal capability, changing culture and creating an organisation-wide operating model. Iceni were able to help CSIRO identify cost savings, standardise processes, foster collaboration and pilot strategic partnerships, allowing them to improve service delivery and adapt to an evolving environment.
CSIRO’s challenge
CSIRO faced a multifaceted challenge that demanded addressing immediate disruptions from bushfires, hail and Covid-19 while also preparing for future uncertainties. These challenges were further compounded by the challenges of a rapidly changing operating environment and tight fiscal restraint. Together these issues have highlighted the need to build resilience into CSIRO's operating model and business approach. This will strategically place CSIRO in a strong position to future proof and manage these dynamic issues.
Our approach
Iceni worked closely with the Operations Group to deliver key cross-group and CSIRO initiatives to drive efficient and effective services. Providing the Operations Group with much needed independent advice and support for the delivery of shared services in a complex working environment.
A key goal was to build trust and confidence of all staff in both the process and outcomes for this significant restructure through a strong co-design and engagement approach to build collaboration behaviours. Staff also needed to be empowered to change processes such as business planning with support from Iceni through either coaching or facilitation, while learning the new ways of working and mindset for service delivery excellence.
Throughout the asignment, we continued supporting the Operations Group Leadership Team, encouraging collaboration and building a culture of service delivery excellence to prepare the CSIRO for future success and resilience.
Value-adds
Engaged over 200 Operations Group staff across Australia in 12 workshops to co-design and agree on the culture of the group
Over 30 hours of individual staff and customer interviews to inform development of initiatives, including refinement of Operations Group customer service
Developed the ‘Working together in Operations’ team charter and almost 70 initiatives as tools for teams, building extensively in staff input
Successfully piloted a strategic partnership management model with other business units. This includes partnership meetings to discuss business unit priorities and needs, and where Operations Group can reprioritise their services in response.
Established three ‘Working Together’ teams across operations to deliver initiatives to foster collaboration across the group
Client outcome
Icen’s partnership with CSIRO’s Operations Group resulted in bringing together the component four business units to tackle legacy cultures, operating policies, processes and systems to create a cohesive and collaborative service delivery for the whole organisation.
Leveraging our knowledge of the organisation, Iceni also conducted a baseline review of the maturity of CSIRO’s operating model. Delivered in six weeks, the review included consultation across the business. This required building an in-depth understanding of the business through both interviews and desk research and undertaking analysis to identify areas of change to build an integrated view of the organisation and prioritise areas for improvement.