Governments are navigating significant and rapid change. This report shares the views of public servants about their work in government, highlighting five themes that show a curious, pragmatic workforce determined to deliver better outcomes for citizens, despite the mounting pressure. The five themes covered are career development, artificial intelligence, efficiency, systems thinking and climate.

The report draws on Apolitical’s network spanning half a million public servants and policymakers in 170 countries. It draws on 250 qualitative interviews, 150 polls, nearly 400 surveys, 95,000 event sign-ups and 62,000 course enrolments, offering a unique snapshot of the world’s largest workforce. 

Sample findings

• 2026 is a transformational moment, with 77% of public servants saying that government is experiencing ‘significant’ change.
• Public servants want to become more confident and comfortable with artificial intelligence. However 39% say AI training is still their top ask, and 29% say receiving guidance on AI is a top priority.
• Public servants continue to be pressed for time, with emails and meetings taking up a noteworthy portion of their working hours.