The Search for Meaning in Government Service

Abstract

This kind of joke, of course, is not exactly what government servants want associated with their work, nor do they find it especially humorous. That said, government workers remain one of the few unprotected societal groups that can now safely be maligned in such jokes. To be sure, it is not easy being a public servant in the so-called postmoder era, a time when the meaning of public service is grounded in the idea of the free market (McSwite 2002). Doing the public's work, in my opinion, has always been a noble calling even though working in government does not always conjure up positive images among citizens. Ideally, especially in jurisdictions that are structured on democratic principles, the link between the governed and the governors should be both authentic and transparent, which would allow citizens to remain engaged with and expect only the very best from their public servants. Similarly, the delivery of public goods and services by or through government should always reflect a passion for excellence, a concern for guarding the public's trust, and a focus on advancing the public welfare. It also seems that, irrespective of one's political persuasion or perspective on the proper size and role of government, the concept of public service should be viewed with respect rather than disdain. And public employment, it would follow, should by definition provide a path that is both honorable and meaningful. However, the attractiveness of seeking a job in the public sector-let alone a career path-waxes and wanes. While the situation today may not be new compared to previous periods in history, its implications, especially in terms of what it portends for the future, are far-reaching and profound. Indeed, the capacity of all democratic nation-states to administer the public's interest stands at risk if they don't do an effective job of addressing the issues confronting government service at all levels and in all categories of employment-elected, appointed, and civil service. To be sure, there are many formidable challenges facing public-sector employment which must be tackled. In this regard, the three R's-retirement, recruitment, and retention-are among the contemporary challenges requiring action and opportunities for public-sector transformation. Likewise, it has been suggested that civil service systems may be broken, which is more than reason for alarm as we begin to contemplate the raison d'etre and position of government service in the twenty-first century. Add to these forces the continuing challenges associated with the privatization of public services and those embedded in generations that have yet to converge on their adult identity-think Generations X and Millenium-and it is no wonder that government employment is often viewed with suspicion, ambivalence, and even disrespect. It's close enough for government work. Innovation in government is an oxymoron. Statements such as these are not only indictments of those in the public's employ, but also reflections of ourselves, for, as Aristotle observed in the Politics, Government is more than a legal structure, more than an arrangement of offices; it is a manner of life, a moral (cited in Pattakos 1995, 318). For public servants, Aristotle's wisdom strikes at the heart and soul of who they are and what they have chosen to do. It also reflects the concept and spirit of public service in significant ways, for it suggests that working in government really does mean something-above and beyond the obvious fact of gainful employment. Not everyone who works in government, of course, is aware of, let alone admits to, such fundamental existen-