DUBAI, 19th December, 2021 (WAM) — The World Government Summit (WGS) has launched a new report titled "Public Service Workforce Disrupted: Evidence for Improving Public Service as a Career of Choice Around the World", in collaboration with Accenture.
According to the report, global public services are at a pivotal moment, and the pandemic has highlighted areas where public services did well and where rapid improvements are needed. On the one hand, public agencies and departments were tested to deliver on the public mission of eradicating and recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, they struggle with an increasing lack of talent availability and accessibility. What comes after the pandemic will be a crucial opportunity for fast-tracking innovations in human capital and how to enhance government employers talents.
The report indicated that governments need to address improving jobs within three main areas; employer brand, employee experience, and future skills. Governments need to be prepared for the upcoming challenges and fulfill the gaps of employee skills and the labor force in government.
The report stated that government sector needs to attract new skills from around the world and build employees capacities, which would enable governments to develop and cope with the challenges that the pandemic has brought forth. In addition, many societies globally view government as a less attractive and a slower-paced sector; studies showed that government is the lowest recommended sector by employees. This hinders the amount of highly qualified individuals applying for government offers.
Furthermore, governments have responded to the pandemic by adapting modern methods in the workforce. For example, they have used virtual work while applying flexible policies to meet the needs of government services.
The report further addressed the persistent challenges and pressures on public service employers, such as increasing citizens’ demands, the growing skills gap, and the low attractiveness of the public sector. It also highlighted how governments can enhance the employer and employee experiences and why it will be a crucial priority for governments in the coming years.
Moreover, the report discussed various studies, primarily the Accenture study measuring 14 industries on main motivations in the workplace along six dimensions. The six dimensions were emotional and mental, relational, physical, financial, purposeful, and employable dimensions. Public Service ranked low in every dimension across industry peers.
Mohammed Yousef Al Sharhan, Deputy Managing Director of the WGS Organisation, said, "Improving the level of performance and government work, through strategies and sharing best practices is a key priority for governments. Sharing experiences and cross-collaboration will motivate governments to develop practices that meet requirements of the future. The World Government Summit promotes the showcase of government practices to encourage and enable this collaborative learning experience."
On his part, Gianmario Pisanu, Managing Director, Strategy and Consulting at Accenture in the Middle East, said, "As governments move toward the next stage in the pandemic recovery, public service employees are trying to meet their mission with limited tools and resources." He added, "According to research, government sector is the least recommended employer among 16 industries evaluated, and yet the public sector role in supporting society and economy has never been more important. Civil servants need to reconnect with their purpose, embrace flexible ways of working, augment their capabilities with the use of technology. Now is the time for a bold transformation to improve government as a career of choice by enhancing employer brand, employee experience, and future skill-sets."
The report concludes with recommendations that the public sector should consider and lists various government-wide policies to help increase the attractiveness of working in government post-pandemic.
To view the full report, please visit the following link https://www.worldgovernmentsummit.org/ar/detailar/public-service-workforce-disrupted-ar.