HRM in the New World of Agile Government

In an increasingly complex and interconnected world, where the pace of change is accelerating, governments know that they must re-invent the ways they operate. Governments need to develop partnerships, use innovation, leadership, and above all, employ skilled workforce to face the challenge of managing in uncertainty and become more agile in its operations. Therefore, agile government is the new shape of government for the new millennium where government must be responsive, flexible, creative, and attuned. One of the key elements of agile government is the right human resources. The aim of this practitioners’ paper is to explore how human resources management (HRM) can offer tools needed by policymakers to ensure agility in government operations. This includes attracting, recruiting, and developing workforce to meet the ever-changing priorities. Recruitment, performance management, and employee retention among other tools are necessary for public sector to ensure more agility, while developing agile governance and policies.