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Canadian public service will not return to pre-COVID headcount; IRS to develop more diverse workforce: management & workforce news in brief
Global Government Forum’s digest of the news you need to know but might have missed. Canadian public service will not return to pre-pandemic size under departmental plans The size of the Canadian federal public service will have peaked at 428,000 in the last financial year, according to figures from the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) –…
US state and local governments ‘on the brink of a workforce crisis’
US employees across state and local government are considering leaving their jobs in increasingly large numbers, putting the sector at risk of a serious workforce shortage, according to new research. A summary report by the MissionSquare Research Institute showed that more than half of all workers in the sector (52%) were thinking of leaving their…
Pointing the way forward on civil service reform
Delivering reforms means “changing the engine as the plane is in flight”, Singapore’s civil service head Leo Yip told colleagues from 17 countries at the 2020 Global Government Summit. Matt Ross learns how Australia and New Zealand are tackling the complex, multi-dimensional challenge of getting transformation programmes off the ground “People have very high expectations…
Tackling the robot bigots: how to implement Artificial Intelligence intelligently
The tech industry is excited about Artificial intelligence. But in government, ‘learning’ algorithms can create big problems – producing discriminatory decisions, and threatening transparency and accountability. At the Government Digital Summit, leaders from 16 countries explored the risks inherent in AI – and mapped out a cautious path forwards. Matt Ross reports “One of the…
Know your team: using data to drive staff engagement
Disconnected systems and inconsistent information make it difficult for HR teams to keep pace with growth and change. But sophisticated tools that pool data into a single platform can offer a fresh perspective on the workforce, enabling HR teams to act on insight and to be more adaptive. From more easily identifying top employees and…
One in ten US staff sought new job after shutdown, official survey finds
Nearly half of US federal employees saw their work undermined or pay packets hit during the government shutdown last winter, according to the annual survey of American civil servants, with 10% of respondents saying that the experience had prompted them to look for a new job. Some 46% of respondents reported that the shutdown –…
People power: why digital tech demands very human attributes
To improve trust in government, civil servants must deploy digital tech to meet citizens’ needs. And as officials heard at Global Government Summit 2019, that requires an understanding of human psychology, shrewd decision-making, and great leadership “We have a trust deficit, and we see that playing out in the public debate,” said Rosemary Huxtable, Secretary…
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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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