THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
How public sector leaders can reimagine the employee experience in 2025
Thomas Karthaus, Country Manager of Southeast Asia and Greater China, Qualtrics, says by investing in employee experience, APAC public sector leaders can unlock resilience, productivity and trust to deliver better outcomes for communities.
Government agencies have opportunities in 2025 to optimise resource allocation, adapt to workforce dynamics and meet evolving communication preferences. These areas can drive improvements in service delivery, citizen engagement and employee satisfaction. While citizen-centric goals often take centre stage, the employee experience( EX) in agencies plays a critical role.
This momentum is further strengthened by the refreshed National AI Strategy( NAIS 2.0), which channels investment into AI excellence to tackle global challenges and empower widespread adoption. While entry-level pay is competitive and public service offers a strong sense of purpose, challenges still persist: career progression follows a structured timeline, which can be perceived as slow and burnout remains a concern.
The EX landscape within Singapore’ s government agencies is increasingly defined by formalised flexible work arrangements and strong digital maturity that includes the widespread adoption of AI tools.
That said, progressive government agencies are proving change is possible. Through smart investments in EX programmes and solutions, agencies are able to do much more than add to already high levels of survey fatigue. They have systems and processes that link to systems of action, giving leaders the ability to have real impact faster than ever before. These agencies aren’ t just meeting challenges head-on, they are driving productivity and building resilience in real-time by acting on insights that were often hidden in reports and bar graphs.
The state of EX in public sector organisations
Public sector roles come with their own unique set of challenges. Employees engaging directly with the public often bear the brunt of high-pressure environments, limited resources and more recently, accelerated demands for Digital Transformation.
Key 2025 trends among government employees highlight where progress is urgently needed and where opportunities lie:
Thomas Karthaus, Country Manager of Southeast Asia and Greater China, Qualtrics
• Falling retention rates: Intent-to-stay metrics among government employees continue to decline globally. This reflects mounting difficulties in retaining talent amid increased demands.
• Engagement disparities: While engagement scores are stable, employee wellbeing risks lagging behind. Governments must recognise that workplace wellbeing goes far beyond free morning tea and annual leave policies.
• Trust deficit in leadership: According to research from Qualtrics, only 53 % of public sector employees trust in leadership’ s
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