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‘There’s quite a lot of myth-busting we can do’: how the UK civil service can remain an attractive employer
While governments around the world warning of a ‘war for talent’, government in the UK is fighting its own battle amid government plans to cut 91,000 officials. In a recent Global Government Forum webinar, two UK civil servants joined experts from UK think tank Localis and digital learning platform Coursera to discuss solution to the…
Public servants ‘fall flat’ on policy implementation, says Nigeria’s vice president
Nigeria must ramp up efforts to train and motivate public servants or risk undermining its development prospects, Yemi Osinbajo, the government’s vice president has said. Addressing an audience of civil servants along with students from the Africa Initiative for Governance (AIG) and Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government’s public leadership programme, Osinbajo said that Nigeria’s civil…
Career civil servants make more engaging leaders than political appointees, report shows
A survey report of 300 offices by the non-profit Partnership for Public Service has found that US federal employees feel more satisfied in their jobs when led by a career civil servant than by a political appointee. The report showed that job satisfaction in agency sub-components led by a career senior executive fared 12% above…
We’re all teleworkers now: flexible working policies in the USA, UK, Canada and Australia
As social distancing rules are relaxed, will civil servants be drawn back into the office? Pablo Jimenez Arandia examines the emerging policies on flexible working in four big countries and some ambitious small ones “Employers need to recognise that if they don’t support flexible forms of working, they risk increased employee turnover, reduced employee engagement, and limitations on their ability to attract talent…
UK government accused of ‘civil service bashing’ in remote working row
A UK civil service union accused some government ministers of indulging in “civil service bashing” while another warned of industrial action, after a war of words was sparked this week about civil servants’ return to the office. The flurry of stories in the UK media began when an unnamed senior government minister told the Daily Mail newspaper that civil servants should lose pay if they remained working from home. “If people aren’t going into work, they don’t deserve the…
UK civil service showcases crowdsourced ideas to improve data use
The UK civil service has unveiled eight grassroots ideas on how to make better use of data in government. The projects make up the long list of the Civil Service Data Challenge, an initiative which launched in March this year. The competition encouraged central government employees to submit their ideas on how to make better…
UK commission report calls for fewer, better-paid civil servants
Senior UK civil servants should have to show delivery experience outside Whitehall and demonstrate their skills in a set of key fields, according to a new report by an influential reform commission – though the commission also urges government to boost the civil servants’ pay and provide high-quality training. In a report published today, the…
Capability-based pay to be introduced under UK civil service reform plans
All senior appointments to the UK civil service will be open to public competition and capability-based pay will be introduced, under the government’s new reform programme announced today. Alongside transforming the recruitment and management of senior civil servants (SCS), the Declaration on Government Reform outlines a host of other actions – including relocating 22,000 civil…
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Discover independent research reports, surveys and in-depth studies from Global Government Forum and knowledge partners, exploring the most important issues facing governments and the public sector. Our research provides practical insights and evidence-based recommendations for senior civil servants, policymakers and public sector leaders. Our reports combine exclusive survey data, expert analysis and interviews with government leaders from around the world to help public sector organisations improve performance, inform policy and deliver better outcomes for citizens.
Empowering Public Servants to Make Confident, Informed Decisions with Data and AI
Governments around the world are working hard to extract – and act upon – the insights held in their vast data stores, and to embrace AI and the promise it holds for innovation and transformation. At the same time, economic pressures and constrained budgets are compelling public servants to do more with fewer resources, while governments are called to respond quickly and effectively to complex challenges.
Against this backdrop, data and AI can help those working in government both to streamline their workflows and make fast, informed decisions. This in turn drives efficiency and can unlock productivity gains – and ultimately lead to improved performance and better services for citizens.
Global Government Forum surveyed over 600 civil servants worldwide to understand how data and AI are being used in government decision-making and where there are further challenges and opportunities.
Read this report for insight into how governments are using data and AI in decision-making today and the potential for the future; the major challenges to using data and AI in decision-making and how to overcome them; and how AI agents can be used in decision-making.
The report includes examples of data and AI in decision-making from countries including the UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Singapore, the US, and more.
(Published September 2025)
Making Government Work: Five Pillars of a Modern, Effective Civil Service
Around the world, governments are dealing with substantial challenges – from economic stagnation to the transition to net zero, military conflicts and cyber threats. Governments are also grappling with shifting geopolitics and the rise of populism – and all of these factors are set against the emergence of new technologies, including generative AI, which have the potential to fundamentally transform every aspect of society, but which also pose huge ethical, security and regulatory questions for the public sector.
The Making Government Work: Five pillars of a modern, effective civil service report was undertaken to help identify the key characteristics needed in a modern public service, with priorities ranging across leadership, digital service delivery, workforce development, cross-departmental integration, and citizen trust.
This report has been covered by publications around the world including the Financial Times, BBC Radio 4’s PM programme, Ottawa Citizen, Fed Manager, the Mandarin and the i newspaper.
(Published August 2024)
The Future of the Finance Ministry
From setting tax rates and financial regulations that create the ground rules for national economies, to allocating – and tracking – spending for public services, finance ministries occupy an essential role at the centre of government. Geopolitical crises have reinforced the importance of finance ministries, as they tackle both immediate shocks and long-term trends such as ageing populations, the digital transition, and the impact of moves to net zero.
Against this backdrop, this global research explores what the future finance ministry looks like and how to prepare for it.
Based on interviews with 10 senior leaders from finance ministries – led by John McCarthy, chief economist in Ireland’s Department of Finance, working with Ian Hall, editor, Global Government Finance, and Richard Johnstone, executive editor, Global Government Forum – the study identifies four key themes: the evolving role of the finance ministry in response to uncertainty; the shift to more flexible finance systems that support outcomes; digital transformation and the growth of AI; and the battle for talent and trust.
(Published May 2026)
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