The HR function plays a central role in the transformation of public administrations. It goes beyond the administrative management of careers and the workforce to help define the conditions under which public servants can adapt, evolve and respond to society’s growing expectations. In a context marked by the acceleration of major transitions, human resource management must be used as a strategic lever. The ability of the HR function to anticipate needs, strengthen skills and promote collective engagement is now inseparable from the performance of public organisations and their legitimacy in the eyes of citizens.
However, strengthening the HR function is all the more complex as it remains highly heterogeneous. Across EU and OECD Member States, HR departments are structured according to different models, reflecting different administrative traditions and organisational choices. For various structural reasons, the mapping of HR function actors in France differs significantly depending on the HR role concerned, reinforcing the importance of an inter-ministerial approach. This heterogeneity of the HR function is further amplified by the major transitions underway, which affect organisational structures differently depending on their context, degree of preparedness and capacity to adapt.
Indeed, various transitions are having multiple impacts on public administrations and their HR function. The digital transition is transforming both public service professions and working practices, while also changing the way the HR function itself operates. The green transition directly challenges ways of operating and requires new skills to achieve the objectives set for reducing the carbon footprint of organisations and societies as a whole. The managerial transition raises questions about the role expected of managers and the support they can provide throughout their careers. Each of these dynamics has specific effects on public servants, their careers and support mechanisms, testing the ability of the actors of the HR function to support several large-scale changes simultaneously.
These transitions nonetheless share common features that underscore the need for a more resilient and forward-looking HR function. First, this requires setting a clear direction, combining leadership capable of addressing these issues with long-term anticipation and definition of the skills needed for the public service of tomorrow. Second, it calls for the development of strong HR capabilities: ensuring that the tools and processes are in place to increase the responsiveness and impact of the HR function, while professionalising this workstream. Finally, it is essential to strengthen co-operation at all levels: ministerial, inter-ministerial and with external stakeholders. It is this combination of direction, capabilities and co-operation that will determine the ability of the HR functions of EU and OECD Member countries, including France, to turn current and future transitions into opportunities and to provide long-term support for the modernisation of public services in the interest of citizens.