Public administration managers' and employees' perceptions of adaptability to change under “the future of work” paradigm

Abstract

The future is uncertain and brings with it changes and challenges. Public employees' tasks are changing with the rise of digital transformation. It is crucial to improve the skills of public administration employees and anticipate what new skills they will need to prepare them for the future of work. This study explores the effects of digital, communication, intrapreneurial, and fundraising competencies on public employees' readiness for the future of work. A conceptual model was designed based on the theory of future-ready skills and the theory of skill-biased technological change. PLS-SEM was then used to test nine research hypotheses. Digital competencies and intrapreneurial competencies were found to have a significant impact on employee readiness for the future of work. Communication competencies and digital competencies were observed to be correlated with intrapreneurial competencies. Besides its contribution to the literature on skills for the future of work, this paper offers valuable suggestions for public administration decision makers and public employees, as well as higher education institutions and other places of learning.