Assessing communication competencies of public servants in Kazakhstan: Current status and approaches for enhancement

Abstract

Political crises, socio-economic issues, and industrial shocks in Kazakhstan highlight the need for prompt and proficient government responses to mitigate their consequences. Public managers must possess the capability to assume responsibility and communicate effectively. This study aims to analyze the level of communication competencies among civil servants in Kazakhstan to assess their status and propose approaches for enhancement. The study utilized a mixed-method approach, combining quantitative survey and qualitative interviews. The quantitative phase involved the distribution of structured questionnaires to civil servants across diverse departments (n = 4,790), aiming to evaluate existing communication competencies, identify strengths and weaknesses, and comprehend prevailing communication issues. The qualitative component included in-depth interviews with selected participants to better understand their experiences and views on communication in the public service sector (n = 27 experts). Research findings define the existing problems and barriers that hinder the development of the communicative competencies of civil servants. Most respondents (25%) believe that problems stem from a lack of understanding of information and citizens’ reluctance or inability to interact with government agencies, while 16% attribute issues to civil servants’ behavioral barriers. Smaller percentages point to language barriers (11%), emotional barriers (9%), cultural barriers (6%), and gender barriers (3%) as contributing factors. Additionally, the study revealed a lack of systematic training and support for developing effective communication skills among government employees. The study suggests several approaches to improve communication competencies, such as targeted training programs, cross-departmental collaboration, and organizational culture promotion. Acknowledgment The study was carried out within the framework of grant funding from the Science Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (IRN AP14872210).