Public Service in Times of Uncertainty

Public service work is often viewed as stable and predictable. However, recent years have brought significant changes to how public servants work and deliver services, including shifts to remote and hybrid work and rapidly evolving public priorities.

To better understand these experiences, the Career Motivation Research Lab conducted a national survey of more than 1,300 public sector employees from municipal, provincial, federal, Indigenous, and broader public sector organizations across Canada. The study explores employee motivation, workplace experiences, organizational culture, job satisfaction, and perceptions of uncertainty in today’s public service environment.