Several transitions – digital, green and managerial – are reshaping the public service. They are transforming the nature of work, the skills required of the public workforce, and the way the public service operates. The human resource (HR) function plays a central role in enabling these changes: it is both affected by these transitions and responsible for managing their impact across the public service. In this context, the HR function is a strategic lever for public workforce transformation. Its capacity to anticipate workforce needs, manage change and support organisational transformation is critical to ensuring resilience and continuity in the public service.
The first section of this report clarifies the scope of the HR function in the French public service and identifies the tasks most affected by these transitions. The second section analyses how these transitions are reshaping the public service and its workforce, and reviews the measures and policies adopted in France to address them. The final section outlines how to strengthen the resilience and strategic capacity of the HR function, drawing on practices implemented across European Union and OECD Member countries.
The report was prepared by the OECD Public Governance Directorate (GOV) under the leadership of Elsa Pilichowski, Director. It was drafted by François Villeneuve and Dónal Mulligan, Analysts, under the supervision of Daniel Gerson, Senior Policy Analyst, in GOV’s Public Management and Budgeting Division. Jón Blöndal, Head of Division, provided strategic oversight. Meral Gedik prepared the report for publication. The OECD would like to express its sincere gratitude to the Directorate General for Administration and the Public Service (DGAFP), and more particularly Faustine Bentaberry, Pauline Martin, and the Department of European and International Cooperation, Partnerships, and Foresight at the DGAFP, as well as Ledri Hysenaj and Eloise Perche from the European Commission (SG REFORM), for their excellent co-operation and engagement throughout the 18 months of this project. It also extends its thanks to the French and European stakeholders who contributed to this project, including those who completed surveys, participated in interviews, joined the international workshop, and provided feedback on draft versions of the report.
The project was funded by the European Union via the Technical Support Instrument, and implemented by the OECD, in cooperation with the European Commission.