2.1 A workforce for digital transformation: what does good look like?

Estimated read time: 5 minutes

Successful digital transformation hinges not only on technology but on cultivating the right talent, culture, and working environment. Building and nurturing digital talent within the public sector is essential to creating services that meet citizens’ evolving needs. When the OECD looks for digital maturity it looks for the following:

Digital skills as a core competency

A digitally adept workforce is not limited to IT or specialist digital roles; every public servant should possess fundamental digital skills. Leading governments view digital competency as a core skill within the workforce, ensuring that digital transformation is embedded in the organisational fabric and that politicians are equally equipped to champion digital priorities.

Building digital literacy across all levels: Integrate digital, data, and technology skills into professional development programmes for all employees—from junior staff to senior leaders, including elected officials. Empower public servants and decision-makers alike to leverage digital tools in their roles, fostering a government where digital skills are as essential as policy or communication skills.
Promoting continuous skill development: Design training programmes and upskilling initiatives to keep public servants abreast of technological advancements. Invest in providing structured learning opportunities that continually iterate, such as academies, workshops, certifications, and e-learning, to ensure digital literacy evolves in alignment with the workforce, the needs of users and the opportunities provided by technology.

Agile and flexible ways of working

Agile methodologies (not just Agile itself) are essential for collaboration, responsiveness, and iterative delivery in government. By embracing and encouraging flexible work practices, governments create environments where teams can build, test, and refine policy and services in near real time.

Implementing agile practices: Encourage iterative development cycles, allowing teams to deliver services that respond quickly to user feedback. Form cross-functional, multi-disciplinary teams to blend technology, policy, operations and design expertise.
Supporting flexibility in the workplace: Offer remote work options and flexible hours to attract diverse talent and improve job satisfaction. This adaptability not only fosters a culture of innovation but also supports work-life balance, making the public sector an attractive place to work.

Cultural transformation and an innovation mindset

A culture of continuous learning and experimentation is crucial for nurturing innovation. Governments that embrace open communication, transparency, and knowledge sharing create environments where employees and political leaders are empowered to contribute creatively and push boundaries.

Fostering a “safe-to-fail” culture: Encourage calculated risks and learning from experience without fear of punitive consequences. Political leaders play a role in endorsing this approach to cultivate a spirit of innovation, where new ideas are welcomed, and failures are seen as learning opportunities.
Promoting knowledge sharing and collaboration: Establish open communication channels and collaborative platforms for sharing ideas and best practices. By creating spaces for knowledge exchange, governments can harness diverse perspectives and drive continuous improvement.

Attracting and retaining digital talent

Competitive compensation, career development opportunities, and a supportive work environment are vital for attracting skilled professionals to the public sector. However, digital talent is not confined to technical specialists; governments should promote an inclusive culture where all roles are considered digital in some capacity.

Attracting a diverse talent pool in all its forms: Target recruitment not only at technical professionals but develop pathways into technical roles for individuals with backgrounds in policy, design, and operations, broadening the definition of digital talent.
Reflecting the diversity of the communities served: Ensure that the workforce includes people from varied socioeconomic backgrounds, regions, ethnicities, genders, and abilities, promoting a public sector that represents and understands the populations it serves.
Focusing on retention and career development: Provide clear career pathways, professional growth opportunities, and mentorship programmes. By investing in their people, governments build a motivated workforce ready to drive digital transformation.

Supporting professional development and Communities of Practice

Professional development is an ongoing process that helps public servants keep pace with technological advancements. Communities of Practice further support this by connecting employees across departments to share insights and best practices.

Providing ongoing learning opportunities: Offer structured training programmes, workshops, and mentoring to help employees expand their skills continuously. Invest in resources that empower public servants to grow professionally, equipping them with the knowledge to operate effectively in the digital age.
Build and maintain Communities of Practice: Facilitate interdepartmental networks for interdisciplinary learning and collaboration with designated leadership and budget. These communities create a sense of shared purpose, allowing public servants to tackle digital challenges collectively and develop a cohesive understanding of digital transformation.

Cross-functional, multi-disciplinary and adaptive teams

Cross-functional, multi-disciplinary teams bring together diverse skills and perspectives, which are essential for developing innovative solutions. These teams should be empowered to work in an agile, iterative manner, with structures that support flexibility and autonomy. It is critical that multi-disciplinary means more than different digital, data and technology disciplines and draws from all those who are involved in providing successful services that meet user needs.

Encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration: Form multi-disciplinary teams with policy experts, technologists, designers, and operations staff to work together to address complex challenges. By blending varied expertise, these teams are better positioned to design solutions that meet the needs of diverse user groups.
Empowering teams with autonomy: Enable decentralised decision-making to empower teams with the ability to adapt quickly and drive innovation. Flexible team structures allow for rapid adjustments in response to changing user needs or emerging issues.