Management is only effective if it covers all key aspects of the institution’s work. After consolidation of the Polish Revenue Administration, which took place in 2017, the three main administrations; tax, custom and fiscal control were combined into one large organization.
Each new reform brings with it many challenges. We managed to overcome problems, and this strengthened and united us even more. One of the most serious challenges that arose was the change in employee awareness and the overcoming of resistance associated with the uncertainty related to new structures. In addition, the consolidation of the three different administrations was related to the need to transfer employees between offices or the need to change the type of work performed. Convincing employees not only about the need for change but mainly about the fairness of it as well as changing their attitude and manner of working was not an easy task. Initially, our activities were not fully approved by all employees and even met with some pushback.
Moreover, in view of many changes of the tax and custom systems, as well as fast changes of surrounding society (technological progress, the development of information technology, globalization etc.) it was necessary to keep the knowledge of employees up to date and improve their skills. Also, it was important that employees knew how to proceed and where to turn for guidance, training, support or encouragement. That is why it is necessary to change the way of thinking, which is not the easiest step.
We also realized that the Revenue Administration has not been very popular so far and the services it provided were not always correctly perceived by the surrounding community. As far as it has a public mission to fulfill, it should serve both, society and its citizens alike. The interests of both parties are not necessarily contradictory. So, it was very important to take client satisfaction into account and to shape proper image of the Revenue Administration in the public mind. It should be pointed out that the Revenue Administration, as a budget unit, have to strictly follow specified financial realities which makes it necessary for all the actions to be done in the limits of its resources, that are greatly limited. So, both reasons made us decided to involve all possible parties in tax processes as well as to cooperate in the implementation of tasks.
Consolidation, which united the forces of many differently operated and managed offices, required the adoption of new, innovative management methods. This was one of the main reasons for introducing a new management model in the Opolskie Revenue Administration, which on one hand combines elements related to a high standard of services provided by focusing on achieving the best results and on the other hand takes into account the human aspects.