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UK officials offered one-off payment after strikes; Zimbabwe bans civil servants from political candidacy: management & workforce news in brief
UK civil servants offered one-off payment to prevent strike action UK civil servants could receive a one-off payment of £1,500 (US$1,868) this year as part of an effort by government to prevent further industrial action. Pressure from unions led to the government’s offer, which it hopes will cool tensions after a series of strikes by…
US unions urge Congress to protect federal staff from Trump bid to strip employment protections
Congressional leaders have been urged to pass a bill that would block future governments from resurrecting a Trump-era bid to strip career federal employees of their civil service protections, in a letter signed by nearly 50 unions and good government advocates. In the letter, signatories pressed Congress to pass the Preventing a Patronage System bill…
Internal Revenue Service impartiality defended in row over audits of top FBI officials fired under Trump
Internal Revenue Service employees are likely to have acted properly when they performed in-depth tax audits on two former FBI leaders demonised by former president Donald Trump, the Professional Managers Association (PMA) has said. The New York Times revealed earlier this month that James B. Comey, former FBI director and his deputy Andrew G. McCabe,…
Black comedy of errors: how the UK accidentally left the Single Market, and other Brexit stories
Newly published interviews with key figures involved in Brexit reveal how a lack of expertise led to major mistakes – and suggest that the UK government deliberately built an inexperienced team to handle this crucial issue. Catherine Early reports In October 2016, three months after the Brexit referendum, UK prime minister Theresa May made a…
‘An iconoclastic government’: former DEXEU chief Philip Rycroft on threats to the UK and its democracy
Philip Rycroft ran both the UK’s Brexit department, and Whitehall’s relations with the devolved governments. Now the former permanent secretary is speaking out: the Johnson government, he says, is ‘challenging the democratic basis of our system’ and boosting support for Scottish independence. Interview by Matt Ross “There is no tradition at the UK government level…
Australian civil servant quits in censorship protest
An Australian civil servant has quit his job as a policy officer at the industry department after being threatened with the sack if he didn’t delete a blog post on how COVID-19 has benefited big tech companies. The department’s actions appear in conflict with civil servants’ right to make “public comment in an unofficial capacity”,…
Crisis response: an interview with Sir Suma Chakrabarti
Suma Chakrabarti, the former UK permanent secretary and EBRD chief, sees opportunities as well as risks amidst the COVID crisis; but western governments, he warns, are fumbling their response. Matt Ross asks his views on global leadership and civil service reform – and learns why he didn’t apply to become UK Cabinet secretary The vast…
UK Cabinet secretary ousted as fears grow over politicisation of the civil service
Sir Mark Sedwill, who has served as Cabinet secretary and head of the UK civil service since 2018, and national security adviser (NSA) since 2017, is to stand down in September as part of a major Whitehall shake-up orchestrated by the PM’s chief aide Dominic Cummings and minister for the Cabinet Office Michael Gove. The…
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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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