Public Service Workforce Research Articles

Experience in developing human resources for market surveillance and lessons learned for the South Central Coast, Vietnam

Human resources are always regarded as a crucial key with determining characteristics for the success of an organization. Therefore, the development of human resources is an important task that needs attention in any organization, particularly in the current context of the Vietnamese civil service. The human resources responsible for market surveillance in the South Central Coast are a vital part of the public service workforce in Vietnam. The significant role of this workforce in minimizing fraudulent trade practices and contributing to market stability cannot be denied, especially in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, during their operations, the human resources for market surveillance in the South Central Coast reveal many limitations in both quantity and quality. Based on the research and experience in developing human resources market surveillance in similar regions in Vietnam, this study draws lessons and insights for the future development of human resources market surveillance in the South Central Coast.

Veteran Status and Job Candidate Assessments in U.S. Local Governments

Advocates often present veterans as an untapped resource for local governments to boost the public service workforce. However, there is a lack of understanding of how human resource (HR) professionals value military experience when assessing candidate preparedness for a managerial career in public service. We examine how veteran status affects U.S. city and county HR directors’ evaluations of candidates for entry-level managerial positions in local government. Using an experimental design, we randomly assign candidate characteristics of veteran status and gender, and we observe HR directors’ assessments of candidate preparedness. Our findings reveal a premium on veteran status for candidate assessments relative to similar private sector experience in assessments of candidate experience. At the same time, the results are less conclusive when compared to similar public sector experiences. In addition, we find no clear evidence of disparate assessments of candidate preparedness as a function of candidate gender.

The Effect of Veteran Status on Job Candidate Assessments in U.S. Local Governments

Veterans are often framed as an untapped resource for local governments to boost the public service workforce. While past recruitment efforts tend to draw a straight line from military experience to civilian careers in policing and emergency services, it remains unclear how HR professionals, more generally, weigh military experience when assessing candidate preparedness for a managerial career in public service. We examine how veteran status affects U.S. city and county HR directors’ evaluation of candidates for entry-level managerial positions in local government. Using an experimental design, we randomly assign candidate characteristics–veteran vis-à-vis non-veteran status and male vis-à-vis female–and observe HR directors’ assessment of candidate preparedness. Our findings reveal a premium of veteran status on candidate assessments relative to similar private sector experience, while results are less conclusive when the comparison is made to similar public sector experience. Additionally, we find no clear evidence of disparate assessments of candidate preparedness as a function of candidate gender

Public service in Nigeria: Perception of young and middle‐aged adults

The purpose of this study is to assess the perception of public service in Nigeria from the standpoint of young and middle‐aged adults in Ibadan, Nigeria with a view to determining its performance and contribution to national development. Concurrent triangulation mixed methods research design was adopted in this study to collect primary data from young and middle‐aged adults in Ibadan, Nigeria. Descriptive and inferential statistics described quantitative data and principal component analysis (PCA) extracted two factors. In addition, thematic content analysis was adopted to analyze qualitative research data. Findings showed that respondents had a negative perception of public service in Nigeria both in terms of its operation and reward. Job security was perceived positively but corruption/bad behavior in the public service was most perceived negatively. Also, final year undergraduates most perceive public service negatively and public paid workers least perceived public service negatively. Knowledge of this study will benefit Nigerians who render and enjoy public services, and will be most useful for the Nigerian public service to formulate policies that will prevent self‐interested, inefficient, ineffective, and unproductive public service workforce. This study measures, for the first time, perception of Nigerian public service in terms of its operation and reward. Studies that will investigate the rationale behind young and middle‐aged adults' negative perception of and high preference for careers in Nigerian public service are recommended. Also, improvement in service delivery and in the conditions of Nigerian public service will help in correcting the negative view.

“Representative bureaucracy as a leadership issue: the Canadian case”

PurposeThe public administration literature on representative bureaucracy identifies several advantages from having a diverse public service workforce, but it has not explicitly focused on leadership. For its part, the public sector leadership literature has largely ignored the issue of gender. The purpose of this paper is to rectify these limitations by advancing the argument that having a representative bureaucracy is fundamentally a leadership issue. Moreover, it assesses the extent to which representativeness has been achieved in the Canadian federal public service.Design/methodology/approachThe paper begins with a discussion of the importance of a representative bureaucracy for democratic governance. In the next section, the case is made that representativeness is fundamentally intertwined with the concept of administrative leadership. Then, the article provides an interpretive case study analysis of the federal public service in Canada, which is the global leader in terms of women's representation in public service leadership positions.FindingsThe initial breakthrough for gender representation in the Canadian federal public service was 1995. From that point onward, the proportion of women in the core public administration exceeded workforce availability. However, women continued to be modestly under-represented among the senior leadership cadre throughout the early 2000s. The watershed moment for gender representation in the federal public service was 2011 when the number of women in the executive group exceeded workforce availability for the first time. Significant progress toward greater representativeness in the other target groups has also been made but ongoing vigilance is required.Research limitations/implicationsThe study only determines the passive representation of women in the Public Service of Canada and is not able to comment on the extent to which women are substantively represented in federal policy outcomes.Originality/valueThe paper traces the Canadian federal government's progress toward achieving gender representation over time, while commenting on the extent to which the public service reflects broader diversity. In doing so, it explicitly links representation to leadership, which the existing literature fails to do, by arguing that effective administrative leadership is contingent upon having a diverse public service. Moreover, it highlights the importance of gender for public sector leadership, which hitherto has been neglected.

Reimagining the future public service workforce

Reimagining the future public service workforce

The Review of the APS: Is gender really on anyone's agenda?

AbstractAs recently as 2016, the Australian Government stated its commitment to increasing gender equality in the Australian Public Service (APS) workforce. In May 2018, the Prime Minister announced a broad‐ranging Review of the APS, but gender equality was not mentioned in the Review Terms of Reference. An interim Review report was released in March 2019, which was also largely silent on gender issues. We examine the submissions to the Review to assess whether, and how, organisations have considered gender equality. We found an almost universal gender blindness in submissions and conclude that this may have contributed to the Review panel ignoring gender equality issues in their interim report. We further conclude that without a focus on gender equality within the Review and ensuing reforms, the APS gender equality strategy is rendered merely symbolic. We recommend the Review implement gender mainstreaming to ensure gender equality can progress in the APS.

Seeing gender and its consequences

ABSTRACT Every MPA student learns about organization theory but too few learn to “see” gender, both within the public service workforce and among clientele of the agency. Because organizations employ gendered structures and processes, it is incumbent on faculty to teach students not just about organizational architecture, but also how to identify the architectural elements that differentially influence women and men. Using a critical gender lens, we demonstrate how this point of view illuminates organizational dynamics that are otherwise assumed to be “normal.” With gender silence, inequities are perpetuated. A framework for incorporating gender cognizance in teaching is provided.

Virtue ethics and cultural competence: Improving service one administrator at a time

ABSTRACT As the United States continues to become more diverse, companies and government agencies face the challenge of ensuring that their workforce is able to serve and to produce products for this diverse population. Public affairs programs also face the challenge of preparing a future public service workforce that is both culturally competent and ethical. This article explores cultural competence in the context of public administration education through a review of why cultural competence and virtue ethics call for similar skill sets and competencies. It concludes with a proposal to integrate cultural competency training and virtue ethics competencies in public affairs programs’ curricula.

Millennials and Public Service: An Exploratory Analysis of Graduate Student Career Motivations and Expectations

Canada's public service workforce is aging, and all levels of government will experience a large number of retirements in the coming years. In an increasingly competitive labour market, governments face challenges in attracting and retaining new recruits, particularly among the “Millennial generation,” who are entering the workforce, and whose outlook on work appears to differ significantly from previous generations. What motivates Millennials to pursue a public service career? What are their expectations concerning the benefits of a career in the public sector? This study explores these questions through a qualitative analysis of written statements of Canadian Master's students seeking a career in the public service. The findings demonstrate that Millennials are motivated both by perceived intrinsic benefits, such as the opportunity to make a difference in society, as well as extrinsic rewards, such as opportunities for career advancement. In addition, many identify a public service career as a “calling”—a sense of obligation to contribute to the public interest— and the analysis reveals various events and experiences that inspire this “call to serve.” Implications for public sector recruitment and retention of Millennials are presented.

Workplace Health Promotion and Mental Health: Three-Year Findings from Partnering Healthy@Work.

This study aimed to investigate the association between mental health and comprehensive workplace health promotion (WHP) delivered to an entire state public service workforce (~28,000 employees) over a three-year period. Government departments in a state public service were supported to design and deliver a comprehensive, multi-component health promotion program, Healthy@Work, which targeted modifiable health risks including unhealthy lifestyles and stress. Repeated cross-sectional surveys compared self-reported psychological distress (Kessler-10; K10) at commencement (N = 3406) and after 3 years (N = 3228). WHP availability and participation over time was assessed, and associations between the K10 and exposure to programs estimated. Analyses were repeated for a cohort subgroup (N = 580). Data were weighted for non-response. Participation in any mental health and lifestyle programs approximately doubled after 3 years. Both male and female employees with poorer mental health participated more often over time. Women’s psychological distress decreased over time but this change was only partially attributable to participation in WHP, and only to lifestyle interventions. Average psychological distress did not change over time for men. Unexpectedly, program components directly targeting mental health were not associated with distress for either men or women. Cohort results corroborated findings. Healthy@Work was successful in increasing participation across a range of program types, including for men and women with poorer mental health. A small positive association of participation in lifestyle programs with mental health was observed for women but not men. The lack of association of mental health programs may have reflected program quality, its universality of application or other contextual factors.

The Future of the Public Service Workforce: A Dialogue

It has been widely suggested that public service delivery of the future will be different to that of today. Added to this, we are currently witnessing significant changes in terms of the nature of work. Taken together these developments signal that we will see transformation in terms of the role of public servants and the public service workforce. Against this background, this paper presents a dialogue on the future of the public service workforce between Helen Dickinson and Helen Sullivan of the Melbourne School of Government, University of Melbourne and Graeme Head, New South Wales Public Service Commissioner. This paper offers insights from academics actively engaged in teaching the future public service workforce and a public service commissioner actively working to make a reality of a vision of the future.

PRM26 - Construct Validity of SF-6D Health State Utility Values in an Employed Population

Health utility values permit cost utility analysis in workplace health promotion; however, utility measures of working populations have not been validated. To investigate construct validity of SF-6D health utility in a public service workforce. SF-12v2 Health Survey was administered to 3,408 randomly selected public service employees in Australia in 2010. SF-12 scores were converted to SF-6D health utility values. Associations and correlates of SF-6D with health, socio-demographic and work characteristics [comorbidities, body mass index (BMI), Kessler-10 psychological distress (K10), education, salary, effort-reward imbalance (ERI), absenteeism] were explored. Ceiling effects were analysed. Nationally representative employee SF-6D values from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey (n = 11,234) were compared. All analyses were stratified by sex. Mean (SE) age was 45.7 (0.35) males; 44.5 (0.22) females. Females represented 72 % of the sample. Mean (SE) health utility 0.792 (0.004); 0.771 (0.003) was higher in males. SF-6D demonstrated both a significant inverse association (p < 0.01) and negative correlations (female; male) with K10 (r = −0.63; r = −0.66), comorbidity count (r = −0.40; r = −0.33), ERI (r = −0.37; r = −0.34) and absenteeism (p < 0.005, r = −0.25; r = −0.21). Mean (SE) SF-6D in HILDA was 0.792 (0.002); 0.775 (0.003) males; females. Correlates and associations in all samples were similar. The general employed demonstrated a significant inverse association with age and positive association with salary. SF-6D was independent of BMI. Psychological distress, comorbidity, effort-reward imbalance and absenteeism are negatively associated with employee health. SF-6D is a valid measure of perceived health states in working populations.

Construct validity of SF-6D health state utility values in an employed population.

Health utility values permit cost utility analysis in workplace health promotion; however, utility measures of working populations have not been validated. To investigate construct validity of SF-6D health utility in a public service workforce. SF-12v2 Health Survey was administered to 3,408 randomly selected public service employees in Australia in 2010. SF-12 scores were converted to SF-6D health utility values. Associations and correlates of SF-6D with health, socio-demographic and work characteristics [comorbidities, body mass index (BMI), Kessler-10 psychological distress (K10), education, salary, effort-reward imbalance (ERI), absenteeism] were explored. Ceiling effects were analysed. Nationally representative employee SF-6D values from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey (n = 11,234) were compared. All analyses were stratified by sex. Mean (SE) age was 45.7 (0.35) males; 44.5 (0.22) females. Females represented 72 % of the sample. Mean (SE) health utility 0.792 (0.004); 0.771 (0.003) was higher in males. SF-6D demonstrated both a significant inverse association (p < 0.01) and negative correlations (female; male) with K10 (r = -0.63; r = -0.66), comorbidity count (r = -0.40; r = -0.33), ERI (r = -0.37; r = -0.34) and absenteeism (p < 0.005, r = -0.25; r = -0.21). Mean (SE) SF-6D in HILDA was 0.792 (0.002); 0.775 (0.003) males; females. Correlates and associations in all samples were similar. The general employed demonstrated a significant inverse association with age and positive association with salary. SF-6D was independent of BMI. Psychological distress, comorbidity, effort-reward imbalance and absenteeism are negatively associated with employee health. SF-6D is a valid measure of perceived health states in working populations.

Public Employment in the Economic Downturn: The Case of an Australian State

Employment has been severely affected by the global financial crisis (GFC). This research considers the effects of the GFC on an Australian state public service workforce, reviewing trends before, during, and in the aftermath of the GFC. The workforce continued to grow, but at a slower pace, and with changes in inflows and outflows of employees. The workforce profile changed, with some decrease in the proportion of more vulnerable groups and some retention of stronger groups perhaps seeking a refuge during the GFC. Significant decentralization of workforce responsibility has meant comparatively little central effort to effect change during the GFC.

The Challenge of Civil Servant Training in China

Despite disappointment at China’s slow progress in democratization, most observers acknowledge that China has developed a competent public service workforce to the degree that it ensured fast economic growth and social stability. How does China train the workforce? What challenges does it face? What can we learn from it? This article describes China’s civil servant training system and identifies its benefits and challenges with a case study of the Nanning municipal government. The article argues that although China’s centralized training system has great benefits, it encounters similar problems as in Western countries, such as inadequate training needs assessment, low motivation on the part of employees, and difficulty in measuring training outcomes. Although some interviewees propose training decentralization and marketization as a solution, the government is unlikely to rush to it.

The Passing of Youth: How Removal of Traditional Youth Recruitment Policies Contributed to the Ageing of Public Service Workforces

All OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) workforces are ageing, and the impending swag of retirements puts pressure on labour markets. I argue that demographic explanations of workforce ageing ignore the historical context in the public sector environment. This research explores the factors underpinning ageing public workforces, through a study of the Queensland public service. It finds that ageing public workforces are not a new or recent phenomenon, but occurred whenever there was a change in the traditional youth recruitment policies. These youth recruitment policies were temporarily relaxed during world wars and permanently removed in the 1970s. On each occasion, this led to an ageing of the public service workforce. Public service personnel agencies failed to predict this trend in the 1940s or the 1970s. This understanding of the relationship between recruitment policies and ageing public workforces should be factored into any attempts to address the age of public workforces.

Public Sector Reforms In Africa: A Philosophical Re-Thinking

Public sector reform (PSR) has been quite popular in African. However, the inadequate understanding of the philosophical basis of the reforms has led to many African countries to equating PSR with privatization and commercialization of public enterprises, downsizing of the public service workforce and the war on corruption. While many African countries are pursuing with the necessary vigour these policies, which were induced by former colonial masters and so-called development agencies, there has been little or no success as compared with the pre-PSR era. The aim of this paper is to bring out, in clear terms, the fact that the present PSR cannot achieve success because of the threat of sustaining continued control of the African economies and policies by the Breton Woods institutions, the sale of public enterprises to multinational companies, the migration of the best African brains to Europe and America, corruption and neo-colonialism. In essence, this paper advocates a philosophical re-thinking of PSR. This will start with reforming the minds of African leaders to reform the body politic. This study shows that PSR in Africa that fail to take note of the ethical and communal values and peculiar situations of various African countries will definitely fail.

Modernising pay in the UK public services: trends and implications

The emerging character of the UK government's public sector pay reforms during the second and third (New) Labour terms of office is reviewed and contextualised. Three settings are examined where pay reform has been actively employed – with the accent on harmonisation, simplification and devolution of practice, with the express intention of restoring public service workforce morale, while improving services to clients – namely, local government, the National Health Service and the Higher Education sector. The evidence is interpreted as illustrating undoubted change, but also significant areas where progress has been less than intended, measured against the government's original programme goals. Equal pay considerations appear to have dominated all three projects reviewed: the failure to date of public sector managements to capitalise on opportunities the new pay architecture affords them to change local working practices may be attributed to a combination of factors discussed in the article. These have given rise to tensions as efforts have been pursued to transplant private sector pay techniques, somewhat hastily in some cases, without due consideration of the institutional context within which public services and proximal institutions function.

Development of an Evidence-Based Data Skills Curriculum for Public Health Professionals

Background: This article examines the development and implementation of “Prove It! Let the Data Tell the Story”, a day-and-a-half replicable training curriculum designed to enhance the data and information skills of public health professionals. Purpose: Prove It! emphasizes the importance of reliable and valid health data collection, analysis, and reporting in identifying the surrounding issues that have a measurable impact on communities. Methods: A total of 56 participants attended Prove It! in 2004 and 2005 during three sessions across New Hampshire. Participants were administered pre- and post-tests to evaluate knowledge and satisfaction. Results: Attendees showed marked improvement in the understanding of statistical concepts, and a majority of attendees felt the course would assist them personally in their work and reported that they would recommend Prove It! to colleagues. Discussion: The Prove It! curriculum provides an effective and user-friendly format for enhancing data and information skills within a train-the-trainer format. Translation to Health Education Practice: Prove It! allows organizations to enhance the analytic skill sets of the public health and social service workforce personnel within their communities.