Session 3: Fidelity: Are We Actually Doing What We Say We Do?

What does fidelity actually mean in employment services, and why does it matter?

Put simply, fidelity asks whether the practice being delivered in the real world matches the practice we say we deliver, and whether it retains the important characteristics that make the approach work.

Its practical value is that it helps organisations identify where practice is drifting and why. The issue might be practitioner capability, but it might also be workload, supervision, leadership, organisational culture, data systems, funding or contract design. Understanding that difference helps organisations focus improvement where it is actually needed.

In this session, Dr Peter Smith explores the difference between fidelity and compliance, why outcomes alone cannot tell us whether good practice is occurring, and how fidelity can become a tool for organisational learning rather than simply another audit.

If you work in, lead or commission employment services, listen to Session 3 of the Employment Systems Podcast and consider a simple question: are we actually doing what we say we do?