From overcrowded government agencies with long wait times to overworked employees, public sector organizations can sometimes suffer from a poor public image. Some of the challenges are a result of outdated and inefficient systems and processes, that's why we want show you 5 local government technology trends.
While the public sector has adopted new technologies to improve efficiencies, it's been at a slower pace than in the private sector. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, pushed government agencies to pivot digitally. Building on this momentum, here are five digital government trends we expect will shape digital transformation in government agencies in 2022.
According to a survey by Deloitte, 75% of government agencies expect to move the needle on digital transformation over the next five years. Cloud migration is one of the tech trends expected to increase. The Center for Digital Government lists the following as the top priorities for cloud migration:
Leveraging the collective intelligence between humans and AI is another government agency tech trend on the rise. The goal is to augment human capacity with AI and machine learning capabilities to improve efficiencies and better serve constituents.
With an increasing demand for services, public sector employees are often stretched to the max resulting in slow and inefficient service delivery. Most people (around 82%, according to research by Gartner) would prefer access to self-service channels when interacting with the public sector.
That’s where AI technology can help. First, automation can reduce manual tasks and duplication, freeing up employees to focus on higher-value tasks. Second, it can reduce customer friction and speed up service to your constituents.
According to the Office of Personnel Management, only 3% of employees worked remotely before the COVID-19 pandemic. But during the pandemic, that number jumped to 59%. Predictions are that remote working or a hybrid model that combines home and office is likely to become the new normal.
When the pandemic hit, government agencies responded by moving their employees off-site. For those returning to the office in 2022, technology can be used to track employees’ vaccine status and onsite working permissions. This also applies to contractors and subcontractors who perform work for government agencies.
Recruitment can also benefit from technology. Organizations can use technology when recruiting to identify suitable candidates, conduct interviews remotely and speed up onboarding processes.
Data sharing can be tricky. You want to be able to share data across multiple government entities while maintaining privacy and security. Government organizations collect vast amounts of data yet some still function on legacy databases that are outdated and inefficient. Switching from old data management systems to new technology is a challenge for many public sector organizations.
The pandemic highlighted the need for better data management when contact tracing and keeping track of constituents' vaccination status were implemented. Being able to manage data more effectively means public health organizations can also track other health and safety issues facing their communities.
One of the more exciting trends making waves in public sector technology news is the adoption of blockchain technology. Cybersecurity is a big concern for public sector organizations. Constituents want to know public funds are secure. Blockchain, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and other distributed ledger technologies (DLTs) are becoming more trusted by the public as it offers a more secure way to transact.
Governments are investigating ways to use these technologies to manage public funds. By using blockchain products like cryptocurrency, the government has the challenge of balancing two roles — that of being a regulator and a user.
After two years of navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s no denying the influence it has had on many of the public sector tech trends in 2022. Research by Deloitte found that before COVID-19, only 34% of respondents said that creating new business models through digital transformation was a primary objective. Now, 72% of respondents say that digital transformation is a top priority.
As you implement these tech trends, a skills gap may emerge in your organization. You may need to find the right talent or upskill existing employees. CPS HR Consulting can help with recruitment and training. Contact us by calling 916.263.3600 or filling in this form.
CPS HR Consulting is a self-supporting public agency providing a full range of integrated HR solutions to government and nonprofit clients across the country. Our strategic approach to increasing the effectiveness of human resources results in improved organizational performance for our clients. We have a deep expertise and unmatched perspective in guiding our clients in the areas of organizational strategy, recruitment and selection, classification and compensation, and training and development.
.png)
