Public sector leaders are at the heart of government effectiveness. Holding senior positions in the public administration, they lead and transform major government functions. They must make space for innovation while managing risk and being accountable for results. They must support fast-moving political agendas, motivate and inspire their workforces, and be trusted partners to citizens and stakeholders -- all while promoting the highest level of personal and professional ethics and integrity. This is why almost 90% of OECD countries designate these senior officials as a special group within their public service, subject to specific management frameworks.
Public employment and management
Governments depend on dedicated and skilled public sector leaders and workers to translate policy goals into transformations that deliver results and resonate with citizen expectations. Faced with new challenges, the capabilities of public servants and those who lead them are constantly required to adapt. OECD work in this area looks at how governments can develop and lead skilled, committed and trusted public workforces that are fit for the future.
Key report
Key messages
Governments in OECD countries are among the largest employers worldwide, and invest an average of 9.2% of GDP, or 22.5% of total government expenditures, in the wages of their public servants. Leaders need to ensure they have the people and skills they need both to carry out the day-to-day business of government and to transform public organisations, to prepare for automation, demographic changes or emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic. Recruitment systems, continuous learning, internal mobility, performance management, strategic talent management and career development are all tools for building a workforce with the needed skills.
A flexible public service can react quickly to fast changing circumstances, regardless of organisational or programmatic silos. It can do this by quickly moving people with the skills it needs to the places it needs them, and by accessing skills from the labour market quickly and effectively. A flexible public service also recognises that each employee comes with her/his own set of skills, knowledge, personal lives and needs, and can provide work arrangements that reflect these – including time and place of work and terms and conditions of employment. A culture change is needed to embrace this diversity and encourage learning, better risk management, multidisciplinary approaches, and experimentation.
Diversity and inclusion can contribute to trust, democracy and innovation when the public service workforce represents the society it serves. Different perspectives and experiences within the government workforce can help to limit groupthink and cultivate a culture where new ideas can surface. In addition, diversity can improve the quality of public services by ensuring that they reflect and satisfy the specific needs of minority communities. Strategies to promote diversity and inclusion can also demonstrate the government´s commitment to core public values such as fairness, transparency and impartiality, which may increase employee engagement, efficiency and productivity.
Context
The size of public employment varies among countries
Governments decide which services should be delivered directly through public organisations and which through various forms of partnerships with the private or not-for-profit sectors. The roles and functions of the public sector relative to other sectors therefore vary across OECD countries, affecting the relative size of public employment. For example, in some countries, the large majority of health care providers, teachers and emergency workers are directly employed by the government. In others, these workers are mainly employed by private or non-profit organisations. Nordic countries such as Norway, Sweden and Denmark report the highest levels of general government employment, close to 30% of total employment in 2021. In contrast, Japan and Korea report the lowest levels among OECD countries, with general government employment below than 10% of total employment.
