People: hearts and minds Towards rebirth of the public service ethic
| Author | RUTH HUBBARD |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-162X(199702)17:1<109::AID-PAD890>3.0.CO;2-W |
| Date | 01 February 1997 |
| Published date | 01 February 1997 |
People: hearts and minds
Towards rebirth of the public service ethic
RUTH HUBBARD
Public Service Commission, Canada
SUMMARY
No country will escape the enormous forces that are now buffeting the public sector
worldwide. The massive changes underway are affecting peopleÐpublic servants and citizens
alikeÐand not just bottom lines. Standard approaches to dealing with change may
unwittingly overlook the fact that Public Services are ®rst and foremost ``people systems''.
The article provides a timely reminder that players in public organizationsÐsenior of®cials,
middle managers and front-line workersÐexperience change differently given their distinct
perspectives and levels of authority. While responses to change may vary considerably within
organizations, a common humanity is what ultimately unites people. As a result, governments
that choose to ignore rather than acknowledge the human side of change may experience
needless dif®culty in bringing about the successful renewal of the public sector. (&1997 by
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)
INTRODUCTION
How many of us, at one time or other, have felt like a giant Gulliver, observing our
organizations, fascinated by the miracle of thousands of employees synchronizing
efforts in one cause? Or again, how many of us can identify with Gulliver, pinned
down by criss-crossing red tape, struggling to gain even the slightest margin of
manoeuvre?
These days, being a senior of®cial in a public service is no sinecure. Globalization
is upon us. Cynicism aimed at public institutions is growing. De®cit-reduction and
accountability of government are at the forefront of public policy, forcing us to
revisit the whole issue of governance. By their very nature, governments must
operate beyond the bottom line. The public sector cannot behave like the private
sector because expectations and responsibilities are different. Indeed, there is a
certain risk in treating public services like private enterprises because unique motives
underlie public sector employment.
Without exception, all of our public services face formidable challenges, no matter
what country we hail from. Each and every public administrator has wrenching
decisions to make. And each and every one of us will feel like a Gulliver at one time
or other, rising tall, surveying the horizon but standing utterly alone on the shores of
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND DEVELOPMENT, VOL. 17, 109±114 (1997)
CCC 0271±2075/97/010109±06$17.50
&1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ruth Hubbard is President, Public Service Commission of Canada, Ottawa, Canada, KIA OM7 and Hon.
Treasurer of CAPAM.
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