Civil service

Gruppe diverser Menschen mit unterschiedlicher Arbeitskleidung.
© stock.adobe.com / PHOTOMORPHIC PTE. LTD.

Contact person

[Translate to English:] Porträtfoto von Prof. Dr. Stephan Grohs vor gelbem Hintergrund
© FÖV
Head of Department

– Prof. Dr. Stephan Grohs

Email: stephan.grohs@foev-speyer.de
Phone: +49 6232 654-453

Focus on personnel who are able to maintain the transformational administration's capacity to act

The ability to act of a transformational administration hinges on its personnel. In terms of human resources, two key areas of capability are essential: Firstly, personnel must be able to fulfil new administrative tasks to a high standard in a task-related context; Secondly, they must be able to drive the necessary changes to the administration itself in a process-related context.

In order to enhance their ability to act and shape under conditions of uncertainty, public administrators, especially those in managerial positions, must adapt to rapidly changing environmental conditions and cultivate new or further develop existing competencies to a high degree.

To succeed in an ever-changing environment, we need the right tools – in the form of effective legislation and reliable resources. And we need the right people – in all areas. In short: more of the best talent serving the public!

Ulrich Silberbach, Chairman of the German Civil Service Federation (dbb), at the dbb annual conference on 8 January 2024 in Cologne

In order to ensure the effective fulfilment of future tasks, it is essential to match the skills required by public sector employees with the task portfolio. This applies to both recruitment and development. Tools need to be developed to make competencies measurable and embedded in a strategic approach. Solutions in this research area are being developed for this purpose.

The research fields covered in this research area

Text graphic with the four topic areas: Recruitment using public value strategies, Development of skills for transformation and digitalisation Working models for the public sector, Administrative culture and normative framework

Events

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Workshop series: Diversity in the Public Service as Public Value - Measures for more diversity in the public sector

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Retrospective: Third Workshop: New Work in the Public Administration

“Satisfied with New Work? The effects of changing work on the health and satisfaction of employees”

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Retrospective: Second Workshop on New Work in Public Administration

Temporal and Functional Flexibilisation of Work

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Retrospective: New Work in public administration

In collaboration with the Subcommittee on General Administrative Organisation of Task Force VI of the Conference of the Ministers of the Interior

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Retrospective: Violence against public sector employees

24. Juni 2022, 11:15 Uhr bis 17:30
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Selected projects in this research area

Projects

New Work in public administration

New Work is an approach that describes the transformation of the modern workplace. It encompasses not only new forms and models of work, but also changes in social structures and the demands placed on employees. It therefore encompasses the organisational, societal and individual levels. The National Institute for Public Administration Germany is designing a tailor-made model project for the administrations in ministries to develop new forms and models of work with the help of New Work approaches. The implementation of the model in each participating ministry will be accompanied by empirical surveys. This will primarily allow rapid access to results and secondly deliver reliable conclusions for medium and long-term planning of work forms and models.

Civil Service Duration: 01/01/2023 to 31/12/2027
A group of people sit at a table and work on laptops
© Unsplash / Annie Spratt
Article
Projects

Recruitment using public value strategies

The public sector faces increasing challenges in attracting and retaining sufficient numbers of skilled staff through traditional methods. In addition to the impact of demographic change, competition from the private sector for talent is also a concern. In this context, it is vital to identify strategies for attracting skilled professionals and motivating existing employees to remain in the public sector.

Civil Service Duration: 01/01/2023 - 31/05/2026
Zwei Menschen schütteln sich die Hände.
© Unsplash / Cytonn Photography
Article
Projects

Diversity in the public sector as a public value

Recent years have seen a proliferation of initiatives aimed at increasing and strengthening the diversity of the public sector workforce. This has been driven not only by skills shortages, but also by the recognition that broad representation contributes to greater responsiveness in public administration. By responding better and more specifically to the concerns and needs of all sections of the population, it also strengthens the acceptance of administrative actions. Ultimately, the project aims to create a 'toolbox' for the diversity-sensitive socialisation of public administration. The focus is on the state level and includes the management and professional levels embedded there.

Civil Service Duration: 01/01/2023 - 31/12/2025
A group of different hands on a wooden table symbolizes cooperation and teamwork.
© Unsplash / Clay Banks
Article
Projects

Taking skills into consideration in recruitment and career development in the public sector

The public administration is increasingly becoming the largest employer in Europe, making modern recruitment and development policies of paramount importance. Human resource management also requires a medium-term perspective to enable the necessary planning of staffing needs. There is a growing need for recruitment and development tools that take into account informal skills, especially those of managers. Matching job supply and demand requires a strategy that enables the right selection of people with the right professional and technical skills, as well as the right soft skills, such as social skills, teamwork and resilience. Traditionally, public sector issues are mainly discussed at national level, although European standards sometimes overshadow national path dependencies. The project therefore aims to fill a research gap by involving experts from theory and practice from selected European countries in addressing individual research topics, in order to obtain recommendations for action for the German public administration from this 'internal perspective'.

Transformation of Public Administration Duration: 01/01/2023 - 30/06/2026
A woman fills out a form at a desk, in the background a man sits in front of a laptop and notebook.
© pexels / Sora Shimazaki
Article
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Selected publications in this research area

Publications (Mainly in German)

The Civil Service in Europe:

This book opens an often nationally focused field of research to a transnational, common European debate. It addresses the ongoing transformation of the civil service, examining its evolving landscape across Europe and exploring the intricate web of historical, social and political influences that are shaping its current state and setting the future direction.

Further Publications Routledge: London 2025.
Cover of Publication
© Routledge
Article
Publications (Mainly in German)

Gewalt gegen Beschäftigte im öffentlichen Dienst

Es wurde im Rahmen einer Behördenbefragung das Ausmaß der gemeldeten Gewalt gegen Beschäftigte erfasst.

  • Axel Piesker
  • Coline Kuche
  • Carolin Steffens
  • Katharina Bühren
  • Benedikt Steffens
Speyer Research Reports Speyerer Forschungsberichte Nr. 303
[Translate to English:] Cover des Speyerer Forschungsberichts 303
Article
Publications (Mainly in German)

Die Attraktivität des öffentlichen Dienstes

Die Beiträge beschäftigen sich mit den Ergebnissen einer Arbeitgeber-/Dienstherrn- und einer Beschäftigtenbefragung des öffentlichen Dienstes im Jahr 2018.

Speyer Research Reports Speyerer Forschungsberichte Nr. 300
[Translate to English:] Cover des Speyerer Forschungsberichts 300
Article
Publications (Mainly in German)

Entwicklungen des öffentlichen Dienstes seit der deutschen Vereinigung und Forschungsbedarfe aus ökonomischer Perspektive

Der Forschungsbericht von Gisela Färber und Richard Hermanowski beschreibt und analysiert die Entwicklungen im öffentlichen Dienst seit der deutschen Vereinigung.

Speyer Research Reports Speyerer Forschungsberichte Nr. 291
[Translate to English:] Cover des Speyerer Forschungsberichts 291
Article
All publications in this research area Search