The background
The appointment of David Blunkett as Home Secretary signalled a change in direction for the Government’s most prestigious department. The aim was to shift focus away from internal processes to a culture of ‘delivery’ in which employees were more aware of the results of their work ‘on the streets’ of England and Wales.

The challenge
The existing staff magazine (pictured right) was largely written by the employees themselves, lacked clear editorial or design direction and was poorly perceived by staff as being too management oriented and full of jargon. However, an expensive-looking redesign was not desirable at a time of strict financial controls.

The solution
Pressgang was awarded the contract to produce the monthly Inside Track by offering:
A dedicated team that would work closely with the department’s communications directorate, including sitting on editorial advisory boards and undertaking induction sessions with various parts of the business.
A professional writer with a brief to: substitute jargon with plain English; produce concisely written and interesting copy; focus on delivery by the use of case studies showing how Home Office policies had affected real people; help the sharing of best practice.
An immediate improvement in design through: more imaginative layouts; clear hierarchy of items on a page; better use of improved pictures taken by Pressgang’s freelance photographers; consistent use of typefaces and type sizes. In addition there was a commitment to continued long-term improvement through evolution rather than revolution.

The result
The new Inside Track (pictured left) has been well-received from staff at all levels.
The delivery culture has been underpinned with features that have included case studies on ex-offenders rebuilding lives after prison release; drug misusers undergoing Home Office-sponsored treatment; high-crime areas benefiting from neighbourhood renewal schemes.
In the wake of the success of Inside Track Pressgang has been asked to produce a series of supporting publications including: A3 posters highlighting policy success stories; letters to staff produced and commercially printed in colour at short notice; staff discussion gatefold documents; organisation charts; one-off publications on special subjects such as a change in senior personnel and progress on the building of a new HQ.