What’s top of mind for public servants in 2026

Governments are navigating significant and rapid change.

A report by Apolitical, the UK-based social learning network for public servants globally, shares what they've heard directly from 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 new insights report 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.

A glance at the report's content:

• 2026 is a transformational moment: 77 per cent of public servants say that government is experiencing ‘significant’ change

• Public servants want to become more confident and comfortable with artificial intelligence. However 39 per cent say AI training is still their top ask, and 29 per cent 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: 46 per cent send up to 50 emails a day, and a significant percentage - 28 per cent - report spending up to 20 hours a week in meetings.

Read the full report to explore the five themes shaping the public sector in 2026.

<Download the report here>