Civil Service behaviour: Changing and Improving (with STAR example)

Updated · By the Tick the Spec team

Changing and Improving is the Civil Service behaviour about looking for better ways to do things, making change happen, and helping others through it. A strong example shows you spotted something that could work better, suggested or made a practical improvement (often simpler, cheaper, faster or more accessible), brought others with you, and can show the result. At higher grades, assessors also look for creating a culture where people feel safe to suggest and challenge, and for managing the risks of change for different groups of users.

A note on changes (November 2026)

In July 2026 the Civil Service announced it will scrap Success Profiles in favour of a model that emphasises skills and expertise. At the time of writing we could not find a published replacement on GOV.UK, and many adverts still ask for behaviours. Follow the advert you are applying for, and see what the change means for applicants.

What assessors look for, by grade

These summaries paraphrase the GOV.UK behaviour indicators. Read the full list for your grade before you choose an example.

  • AA/AO: reviewing ways of working and suggesting improvements, including making full use of digital tools; learning new procedures and helping colleagues to do the same; raising issues about changes in a suitable way; responding well when emergencies arise.
  • EO: regularly reviewing your own and the team's work and taking the initiative to suggest improvements; a positive, open approach to change; helping others understand changes and the reasons for them; using technology for efficient results; considering the accessibility needs of different users.
  • HEO/SEO: working with others to find improvements and simplify processes to use fewer resources; encouraging ideas from a wide range of sources; explaining the reasons for change and supporting people with different needs to adapt; making it safe for colleagues to challenge; taking managed risks after considering the impact on different users.
  • Grade 7 and above: leading and sponsoring change across a wider area, creating a culture of innovation, and making sure change is properly evaluated.

Step by step

  1. Pick a real improvement you drove, not one you simply experienced. A small, well-evidenced change beats a large one you were on the edge of.
  2. Say what was wrong and how you knew: complaints, delays, errors, wasted time, feedback.
  3. Show your idea and how you tested it: asking users or colleagues, trying it on a small scale.
  4. Show how you brought people with you: explaining the reasons, handling concerns, supporting people who found it hard.
  5. Give a result, with numbers where honest, and what happened next (adopted, scaled, reviewed).
  6. Keep within the limit, often 250 words, using the STAR method.

Worked example (fictional, EO level)

This is an invented example. The applicant, organisation and figures are fictional. About 250 words.

Situation. I lead a team of five in a local authority's blue badge team. Applicants regularly phoned to ask about progress, and calls took up around a day a week of team time.

Task. I wanted to reduce avoidable calls without making the service harder to use for disabled applicants.

Action. I logged a fortnight of calls and found that most were asking "what happens next?" or "what evidence do I need?". I drafted a plain-English progress email sent automatically at three stages, using our existing case system's templates, and a one-page evidence checklist. Before launching, I asked two applicants from our user panel and our accessibility lead to review both, and changed the wording and format based on their feedback, including offering a large-print and phone alternative. Some of the team worried that emails would generate more queries, so I agreed a four-week trial and asked them to note every call that the emails had not answered. I shared the results weekly at team meetings.

Result. Progress calls fell by about 40% in the trial, and incomplete applications fell from roughly one in four to one in eight because applicants used the checklist. The team agreed to keep the changes, and my manager asked me to present them to two other teams, who have since adopted the checklist approach.

How behaviour statements are scored

Many departments score each behaviour on a scale such as 1 to 7, and the candidate pack will say if there is a minimum score or a "lead" behaviour used for an initial sift. Statements are usually read without your name, and text over the word limit may be ignored, so check the limit on the advert.

Other examples that can work

  • Simplifying a form, letter or process after feedback from users
  • Introducing a digital tool or automation that saved time, with attention to accessibility
  • Helping your team adopt a new system and supporting colleagues who found it difficult
  • Responding to an emergency or sudden change by adapting how the team worked
  • Running a "lessons learned" review and making sure the actions happened

Common mistakes

  • Describing a change someone else led without a clear personal role.
  • Ideas without implementation: say what actually changed.
  • Ignoring people: change examples need to show how you brought others along.
  • No measure of success, even an honest estimate.
  • Ignoring accessibility and diverse users, which the indicators mention at several grades.

Tick the Spec reads the Civil Service advert, lists the behaviours and experience it assesses, and shows which of your experiences cover each one, free. See also Delivering at Pace and what each grade expects.

Sources

All guides