Four out of five Public Servants working in nine countries have reported that their organisation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has helped them develop significant new capabilities.
However, the Responsive Government Survey 2021, conducted by the Global Government Forum and PA Consulting, also found officials believed systems and culture did not always match their ambition and that they were often restricted by bureaucracy.
The Report suggested two possible reasons for this disparity, that “Civil Servants have pride and confidence in their Department and their work, but systems and culture don’t always match their ambition”.
Or that “they are working hard to effect change despite those systems and cultures”.
Comparing aggregate scores across the nine countries surveyed, senior leaders in Sweden were easily the most positive about almost all responsiveness drivers — beaten in only one area, teamwork and collaboration, by their Nordic neighbour, Denmark.
UK Public Servants had the lowest levels of confidence overall, with their leaders especially downbeat when questioned around bureaucracy, budget, technology, human resources and collaboration.
Australians’ responses were also relatively subdued.
However, the Survey Report’s conclusion was positive, “the appetite for excellence clearly exists.
“The challenge is finding ways to achieve it.”
The Survey gathered views from 867 Public Servants, including 127 at senior leadership level, about their confidence in their organisation’s ability to respond and adapt effectively to change.
The countries that took part were the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and the Netherlands.
The 2021 Survey is a pilot project that is expected to expand in scope and coverage in future years.
London, 11 November 2021
