Projectification and its impact on the work and identity of public sector employees: project natives, emigrants and immigrants

Abstract

As a result of the increasing number of projects used to deliver public services and the professionalization of project management activities in government, the phenomenon of projectification has emerged as a key feature of contemporary public management. The article examines the impact of projectification on public sector employees based on in-depth qualitative research conducted in Polish public organizations in 2018–2019. As the findings shows, the phenomenon of projectification shapes the working environment of the public sector by shifting work from repetitive activities to the demands of unique projects, by requiring constant communication with stakeholders, by working outside of the traditional schedules and workplaces, and by operating in matrix structures. Mass implementation of projects has also left its mark on the identity of public sector workers. Respondents increasingly perceive their professional identity through the prism of project work: they frequently tend to identify with their projects rather than the organization itself or its departments. Moreover, despite the difficulties and inconveniences of project work, public sector employees involved in projects show an extraordinarily high level of motivation, which results from the possibility of implementing interesting, innovative and diverse projects.