For those working in the government sector, public service can be seen as a collective effort of the leader, the agency or department and everyone working behind it.

So what does it mean to have an effective service for the public who seeks real-time engagement and answers from their leaders?

Public service in the government 30 years ago was easier than it is today. Back then, a system was followed and accepted by the citizens.

However, public service has been forced to develop a new face and strategy nowadays thanks to the rise of social media making government leaders more accessible to the public in digital spaces.

With leaders stepping up their game in light of the advancements in society, public service can now be easily implemented into a very engaged community.

In today’s modern world, public service could mean the following:

• Personal and professional integrity for leaders — Government leaders now have their own website and social media handles. These platforms are personally regulated by them and their staff in order to reach a wide network online. Through these digital channels, leaders have a venue to share, promote, and connect with their constituents, allowing them to embrace accountability and show a sense of integrity.
• Engagement — Digital transformation brought about the speed of service and a more effective means of communication. Messages can now travel at a press of a finger. While this may have positive and negative implications for government leaders, this also allows them to have effective engagement with the people they are serving. Effective engagements allow leaders to know first-hand important issues that they need to deal with.
• Direct involvement — Since government leaders have direct access to their social media handles and website apart from their staff, it is evident that they are directly involved in communicating with the public. They can learn about certain issues and important information in an instant and they can plan their course of action right away.
• Informed and effective staff — With the government leader becoming more involved in public affairs, it is expected that their staff are well informed and effective in delivering what is expected of them. Thanks to technology, a government agency or department can easily get the information they need and plan the steps they need to take. Aside from this, the social responsibility coming from them is evident, as influenced by the very information they get from social media or the web as a whole.

Technology has helped public service in evolving and modernising itself. It has created quick and effective methods for agencies and departments to deliver their services to the public while ensuring effective engagement between government leaders and the people.

It is clear that the modernisation of public services has allowed the government agencies to effectively serve their purpose — keeping the public informed and involved.

Aki Pagaduan

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