Staff satisfaction surveys often reveal that a commitment to work, both individual and collective, is increasingly important against a backdrop of changing public service mandates.

An OECD study from 2016 found that 23 Member States surveyed public employees on a more or less regular basis about their expectations and motivations. On the other hand, only about ten stated that they used the data to improve their HR strategies.

Although the approaches and methodologies differ between countries, the results are fairly consistent: the two main values are carrying out a profession that contributes to the general interest, which is a source of equality between citizens, and benefiting from sheltered employment. However, there has been an increase, linked to a generational shift, in professional recognition and the quality of leadership.

English-speaking countries (Australia, Canada, United States, Ireland and the UK) are the most likely to query their public employees about their level of commitment. Effective communication enables these countries to achieve high participation rates and, in line with their commitments to transparency, they publish the resulting data and analyses on government websites.

Some countries are also choosing to develop a strong "employer brand" that goes beyond mere recruitment. This is the case with the Netherlands (werken voor Nederland), Sweden (Jobba staatligt), Switzerland and the United Kingdom, where the Civil Service plays an active role in the national "A Great place to Work" competition.

A number of initiatives are being taken to encourage commitment and motivation among staff:

• In Belgium, the administration uses teamcrafting, a method that consists of adjusting positions within a team to create relevant and motivating functions. This method links a team's activities with individual talents to boost cohesion

• In Estonia, where the term pühendhumus (a term that describes both engagement and commitment) is used, training is provided at all levels to ensure high levels of commitment

• In the United States, the Office of Personnel Management launched the GEAR initiative (Goals-Engagement-Accountability-Results) with the aim of pooling best practices in terms of transformation, thus aligning organisational and performance objectives

• In Ireland, the emphasis is on "Be recognized for your achievements". In addition to being spotlighted within the public service community through distinctions, the latest version of the assessment method (PMDS) now makes it a determining factor.

• In Portugal, an "Incentive System for Efficient Public Expenditure" (FEIS) has been set up with the goal of eliciting initiatives that generate improvements. These initiatives must be the result of a team project. An amount equivalent to 50% of the total amount saved is distributed among all employees.

Over and beyond everything that contributes to group efficiency within an organisation and in the service of the public, initiatives that target quality of life at work and work/life balance naturally have a strong impact on employees' commitment.