Public servants have been warned to expect an equally busy 2021 as the APS is tasked with getting the country back on track following the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The nation's top bureaucrat, Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Phil Gaetjens, delivered his year-ending address on Tuesday night in which he reaffirmed a commitment to not lose progress fast-tracked by the pandemic.
Mr Gaetjens announced some results from the most recent PM&C citizen experience survey which revealed the public's perception of the APS had been improved by the pandemic.
In March 2019, there was 71 per cent satisfaction with services provided by the public service, and only 59 per cent of people trusted the APS. Mr Gaetjens said that frankly the picture from that first survey "was not encouraging".
By March 2020 the figures had deteriorated, Mr Gaetjens said. However, by June 2020 satisfaction rates had hit 78 per cent and trust in the public service had hit 65 per cent.
Mr Gaetjens said while the changes may seem small they were significant.
"They show that we have turned a corner," he said.
"These are not just feel-good measures. Analysis of those survey results shows satisfaction builds trust and trust in the APS and other public institutions is the foundation of a healthy and functioning democracy."
According to the survey, citizens were three times more likely to be satisfied if information was clear. They were five times more likely to be satisfied if the APS followed through on promised actions.
Reliable services were a key factor in building trust in the APS, meaning they were well managed, dependable and adaptable.
"Getting the little things right matters," Mr Gaetjens said.
"We must make the processes, the interactions between us and citizens as simple, intuitive and seamless as we can.
"It's not about us, it's about citizens and their experience with us."
The survey results also highlighted that the APS needed to better engage with young people, as only 43 per cent of 18- to 24-year-olds reported they knew how to access government services.
This number was 53 per cent among other age groups.
Mr Gaetjens' comments echoed those made previously by Prime Minister Scott Morrison that the work of the APS needed to be citizen-centric.
He broke the broad strategies down into three steps which would help achieve increased satisfaction and trust among Australians.
These were, "provide simple clear information, do what we say we do and deliver reliable services".
Mr Gaetjens acknowledged that the APS had been functioning at "an increased tempo" for months and said it was time for public servants to enjoy a well-earned break.
"We know that in 2021 the economy will continue to need support as it emerges from our first recession in more than 30 years," he said.
This would entail a significant workload for the entire APS, he said, and it would be important for all employees to take care of their wellbeing to continue delivering for Australians.
Mr Gaetjens also said it would be an imperative for the APS to not lose gains that had been made due to the pandemic, including flexible working, IT progress and greater collaboration between agencies.
"Let's not take a step back, let's lock in what we've got," he said.
Following his address, Mr Gaetjens took part in a panel discussion with other senior public servants. Health secretary Brendan Murphy elaborated on the need to not fall back into old traps.
He said going forward "one of the things to do is embrace the desire of the national cabinet to destroy a lot of the bureaucratic processes structures that used to exist".
"Their united purpose in getting rid of COAG was their intense dislike of it," he said.
"Within the APS we've got to learn not to revert to our normal bureaucratic processes. Why not just get on the phone and sort something out? Or get a small group together for a video conference?"
Public service commissioner Peter Woolcott closed the evening expressing his confidence the APS wouldn't fall back into the silos that used to dominate it.
He thanked all public servants for their tireless work this year and said the APS had a lot to be proud of.
