DWP
[rant]
I've worked at a fair few public sector clients since I became a snake oil salesman - sorry - management consultant, but the DWP has easily been the worst.
They are institutionally incompetent at anything they touch (CSA, Pensions, IT). They have layer upon layer of middle management that is incapable of programme or project management. In fact, simple day-to-day decision-making is noticeable by its absence for fear of sticking out that neck one vertebra too many.
Like other government departments the DWP has 'head count' and 'efficiency' challenges, but senior managers deliberately put such long term horizons on any change programme (10 years+) that nothing ever really changes. They are desparate to avoid confrontation with the unions, who spoil for a fight at the drop of a hat.
Periodically, the DWP indulges in '52 Card Pick Up'. This is like 'Musical Chairs', except no chair is ever actually removed, just put in a different place. To be fair, this is often at the behest of ministers, who as we know have usually not got a Scooby Doo, never having had a 'real' job.
Senior management can best be described as 'beige' (TOG's will understand). The Corporate FD has been in place for the best part of a decade but has recently decided that the senior managers he recruited and promoted are not 'fit-for-purpose' so has spent a chunk of money with IBM to 'professionalise' his directorate. However, most of his staff have no accountancy qualifications, don't want them and reach for the cloves of garlic when you suggest 'upskilling'. Professionally trained project managers are also as rare as rocking horse %^&&*.
So between the front line staff trying their best and ministers you have an amorphous lump of *&^%$, 50% of which could be eliminated with no dip in service delivery.
I'm going for a lie down now....
[/rant]
Oh, I don't think much of EDS either....