The power of quiet work in times of big change

There’s a lot of noise in local government right now. Restructures. Savings targets. Devolution. Redesigns. If you spend enough time in the storm, it’s easy to assume that visibility equals value. That what gets noticed is what matters most.

But over the past few months, I’ve been reminded — again and again — that some of the most important work in organisational change happens quietly. It happens under pressure. And it happens without much applause.

At Adur & Worthing, we’re in the middle of wide-reaching redesigns — across services, strategy, and structure. And while the spotlight often falls on the teams delivering consultations or launching new models, there’s another group of people holding that change together. Often behind the scenes.

They’re our People Team.

🧩 What steady delivery really looks like

In a matter of weeks, they’ve:

• Coordinated recruitment and onboarding across three redesigned directorates
• Finalised consultations in key frontline services
• Completed the new structure and support wraparound for a key programme after its formal redesign process ended
• Published the Pay Policy Statement and Gender Pay Gap report
• Processed year-end payroll changes and updated HR systems in time for April salaries

None of these made the newsletter headlines. But they made everything else possible.

These actions might seem routine. But in the middle of constant change, they offer something precious: stability. A sense that the basics are still being cared for, even as the future takes shape.

💡 What we’re learning about invisible delivery

Here’s what we’ve taken from this — and what others might find useful too:

• Redesign doesn’t end when consultation closes
  A lot of the emotional and practical work happens after the org chart is agreed. Helping teams settle, recruiting into new roles, answering questions, refining language — this is what embeds change.
• Policy and process are culture
  Documents like the Pay Policy Statement might feel dry. But they set the tone for fairness, transparency and trust. When they land well — on time and clearly explained — they reinforce culture, not just compliance.
• End-of-year deadlines aren’t just admin
  Year-end is a natural pressure point. Getting it right builds organisational confidence. It reminds staff that they’re supported, even while everything else is changing.

🌍 Who else is doing this well?

This recognition of quiet work isn’t unique to us. Other organisations are putting operational reliability and culture-building at the heart of change.

🇬🇧 Camden Council

Camden’s people strategies prioritised care and rigour — recognising that inclusive progression, timely support, and fair policy interpretation are core to enabling transformation.

📖 Camden’s People Strategy

🇺🇸 City of Austin, Texas

Built internal “change support crews” to quietly track and resolve HR and payroll impacts from every new transformation initiative. It kept the employee experience steady, even during rapid reform.

🇸🇪 Swedish Social Insurance Agency

When redesigning their service model, they treated HR, finance and IT as co-leads, not back office. This meant operational tasks — like onboarding, pay equity, and system access — were planned before the structural changes hit.

🇬🇧 The Centre for Public Impact

In their report on “Human Learning Systems”, they argue that “what counts can’t always be counted” — and that relational, behind-the-scenes labour is often where public value is sustained.

📖 Human Learning Systems

🔁 How others can build this into their change approach

If you’re in the thick of transformation — here are a few steps to centre and protect the quiet work that holds it together:

• Acknowledge it in every change plan
  Name HR, finance, payroll and casework not as support functions but change enablers. Build in time, ownership, and care.
• Pair visibility with voice
  Let operational teams share updates in staff briefings, retros or newsletters. It reminds others that change is a shared effort.
• Create recovery time
  After big change peaks (like go-lives or end-of-year), allow space for reflection and regrouping. Don’t pile on more.
• Protect stability as a value
  In uncertain times, getting paid accurately and being supported fairly matter more than ever. Don’t treat that as “business as usual” — treat it as business essential.

💬 Why this matters now

In the rush to innovate, we sometimes forget the human infrastructure that change rests on. Not the digital systems or org charts — but the people making sure forms get signed, contracts get issued, payroll runs, and queries get answered.

They’re not just maintaining the machine. They’re creating the conditions where change can be sustained — with dignity, trust and care.

They may not be the loudest voices. But they might be the most important.

🤝 A call to connect

If you’re leading change and want to share reflections, stories or practices that honour quiet delivery — I’d love to hear them.

• What are you doing to spotlight the work that usually goes unseen?
• How are you supporting your HR, payroll or operations teams during transformation?
• What would it look like to centre care and reliability as part of your change strategy?

Drop me a line — I’d love to learn with you.

Thanks to the People Team at Adur & Worthing for showing what transformation really looks like — calm, compassionate, and quietly powerful.