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Efficiency Crisis in the UK Public Sector

Major Findings

Recent research conducted by Appian (Nasdaq: APPN) in partnership with Coforge (NSE: COFORGE) paints a concerning picture of inefficiencies in the UK public sector. The study reveals that public sector employees collectively spend an astounding 30.6 million hours each week dealing with manual process inefficiencies, averaging about five hours of extra work per employee.

The 2025 UK Public Sector Efficiency Survey, which gathered responses from over 1,000 public sector employees, highlighted that 94% of participants are experiencing significant barriers when it comes to process efficiencies in their work. Chief among these challenges are:

• - Manual and Repetitive Tasks: Employees are bogged down by tasks that require repetitive actions, draining their productivity.
• - Legacy System Access: Many workers must navigate multiple outdated systems to retrieve or input critical information, leading to delays and frustration.
• - Insufficient Training and Support: A lack of adequate training and support for new technologies complicates matters further for the workforce.

Organizational Challenges

Adaptability has emerged as a crucial hurdle, with 91% of public sector workers asserting that their organizations struggle to modify processes effectively, especially in the face of fluctuating service demands and shifting citizen expectations. 

Despite these challenges, the survey reflects a cadre of optimism surrounding the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and process automation to enhance efficiency in public services.

Confidence in AI and Automation

According to the survey, 62% of respondents believe that AI can significantly improve organizational efficiency. There was an especially high confidence rate among back-office IT personnel (71%) and those in citizen-facing roles (65%). Furthermore, 72% of the surveyed employees feel that automating repetitive tasks could alleviate their workloads and enhance productivity. For those already utilizing workflow or process automation tools, an impressive 95% reported experiencing tangible benefits.

Peter Corpe, the Industry Leader for the UK Public Sector at Appian, emphasized the importance of improving processes: "When public service processes are enhanced, the services delivered to citizens follow suit. With millions of hours at stake, automating low-value administrative functions gives public sector organizations an opportunity to operate more efficiently. This translates to more time devoted to strategic initiatives that positively affect citizen outcomes."

Coforge's Chief Customer Success Officer, John Speight, explained the practical implications of modern AI and automation technologies: "These innovations can reshape convoluted government processes into seamless digital workflows, helping organizations realize substantial cost savings while also enhancing community-focused outcomes."

The Push for Enhanced Productivity

The urgency for improved productivity is palpable, as the UK government has set forth a target requiring all departments to elevate productivity and save costs by 2%. The report from the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology underscores that over £45 billion in unsaved costs could potentially be harnessed through the digitization of public sector services. Such digitization has been identified as a critical mechanism for driving reform in a sector that is often viewed as resistant to change.

Corpe remarks, "The government is unequivocal about its objective: to automate public sector operations. The conversation surrounding AI adoption is slowly shifting from 'if' to 'when'." Public sector employees are eager to embrace this shift, as shown in the survey results.

A Technological Solution

Corpe advocates for the integration of technology into public sector processes, asserting that Appian stands at the forefront of deploying AI in these contexts. He stated, "Appian is the leader in process orchestration, automation, and intelligence. Our goal is to embed AI in processes backed by unified and secure enterprise data, thereby enhancing service delivery outcomes. We've been championing improved process results in the public domain for over 25 years."

By downloading the full 2025 UK Public Sector Efficiency Survey, additional insights and findings can be gleaned regarding this pressing issue.

About Appian

Appian is recognized as The Process Company, providing a robust software platform designed to help organizations streamline processes, reduce costs, and enhance customer experience. They cater to many of the world's largest corporations across diverse industries. For more details, visit appian.com.

About Coforge

Coforge is a premier digital services and solutions provider, adept at leveraging emerging technologies to create meaningful business impacts for clients. With a focus on key industries and strong technological partnerships, Coforge enables its clients' transformations through AI, Cloud, Data, Integration, and Automation solutions. More information can be found at coforge.com.