Further promoting flexible working is the most effective response to the to the lack of attractiveness of the EU civil service, to geographical imbalances and to difficulties in recruiting young candidates
R&D fully supports the vision set out in Commissioner Serafin’s Mission letter1 aiming to ensure “that Europe can draw on a modern, efficient public administration to deliver the Commission’s political priorities and make a difference to the daily lives of Europeans”.
However, we must never forget that in the past the desire to “modernise” our civil service has been used to justify disastrous reforms of the Staff Regulations. In this respect, it is reassuring to note that the Mission’s letter makes no mention of any desire for reform. This is an essential point, as the record of the last two reforms shows that any new reform would undoubtedly lead to further deterioration, which could only jeopardise the ability of the EU Institutions to carry out their missions and exacerbate the already serious problems we are currently experiencing in terms of attractiveness, ability to attract the best candidates and ensuring geopolitical balance.
That is why the Commission must take the lead in providing a decisive solution to the challenges underpinning these demands, rather than waiting for and then reacting to mounting pressure from Member States for further reform.
The Institutions must act now with concrete measures to address these genuine concerns. Otherwise, we risk these challenges being used to justify another disastrous reform of the Staff Regulations, further eroding the conditions and appeal of our civil service.
In this respect, to ensure flexible work conditions is absolutely among the most crucial aspects.
Indeed, flexible work is not just a tool to meet staff expectations, it is the key to making the EU Institutions more attractive to young talent and to addressing the geographical imbalances that currently hinder recruitment. Young professionals today demand flexibility, and without it, we risk losing a generation of skilled workers vital to the future of the civil service.
R&D fully support President von der Leyen’s insightful comment during a European Central Bank podcast:
“If we stick to the principle that we say how you develop your work, it’s your decision, we just are interested in the result. So, wherever you work and with your laptop wherever you connect, that’s fine, that’s your decision, but the result is important. If it goes that way, this is the right way to move it.
This is exactly the message that will resonate with younger candidates, showing them that our public service values result over rigid structures”.
Flexible work and lack of attractiveness of the EU civil service
Experts confirm that “successful companies are those that have adopted a human-centred approach, listened to their employees and created personalised solutions,” and “they have understood that returning to the office is not an all-or-nothing issue, but rather a question of finding the right balance for each individual and each team2 ” .
Experts also point out that companies and public administrations that do not operate according to employees’ needs and expectations risk losing their staff and becoming less attractive.
It has been underlined that employers who require a return to the office are at a disadvantage in the labour market.
Indeed, companies that offer telework have seen an increase in their workforce and stress that telework is a key factor in attracting and retaining talent, especially the most sought-after candidates.
A study by Harvard Business School confirms this: “When you allow flexibility, it expands your talent pool”, enabling you to attract and/or retain the best candidates/employees3 . And there is no difference in this regard between private companies and public administrations.
As an OCEDE study entitled: “L’avenir du travail -à distance- dans la fonction publique” reminds us:” we now know that we could operate with less command and control. We can actually have more empowerment, autonomy and responsibility in the teams, and with quality results4.”
The impact of teleworking on organisational culture and trust within public organisations remains one of the most challenging aspects to measure. Organisational culture consists of the unwritten rules, habits and norms that shape the workplace. These are the subtle cues and underlying incentives that influence behaviours, attitudes and values.
When properly aligned, organisational culture fosters a shared sense of purpose, identity, and belonging, which are critical to the cohesion and success of any institution.
Flexible work and geographical imbalances
Driven by the belief in fostering shared values and loyalty, and despite the specific measures imposed on the occasion of various enlargements, the EU Institutions’ recruitment policy has consistently avoided the imposition of national quotas.
However, it is undeniable that to uphold the legitimacy of our European civil service as the protector of the general interest of all European citizens, it is important to ensure geographical balance among staff, as is mandated by the Staff Regulations.
At present, this is not the case, with 15 nationalities being underrepresented at AD5-AD8 level.
As the causes of these challenges, it is also undeniable that working conditions within the EU Institutions have significantly deteriorated, particularly following two major reforms in 2004 and 20145. These reforms have had a damaging impact on the EU Institutions’ attractiveness for graduates from Member States with a strong labor market and more competitive salaries, further deepening geographical imbalances.
Geographical imbalance is a politically sensitive issue that, if not swiftly addressed, will only fuel Eurosceptic rhetoric, questioning the legitimacy of our civil service and the very institutions of the EU.
We must always remember the importance of the very visionary and historic decision to establish, through the Staff Regulations, a European civil service fully independent of Member States and dedicated exclusively to advancing the European project. This fundamental choice has long been opposed by critics of the European Union.
Nevertheless, it is evident that the existing geographical imbalances are already being exploited to justify a shift towards a system based on national civil servants seconded by the Member States, or at the very least the imposition of national quotas.
Moreover, the Commission is often perceived, especially by potential candidates from underrepresented Member States, as almost “mammoth” and as the most hierarchical and bureaucratic EU institution; it is seen as an employer with rigid hierarchies and limited personal empowerment, falling short of national standards, especially in terms of flexibility and remote working.
Frequently, the European Commission struggles to compete with other employers in these underrepresented Member States when it comes to offering flexible working conditions. In some Member States, for instance, a four-day working week is considered standard practice. The absence of such options at EU level was a clear deterrent for many candidates.
In this respect, it has been pointed out that the EU Institutions cannot compete with national administration in terms of flexible work conditions where a four-day working week is perfectly normal.
Indeed, among the eight Member States in which telework was the most common in 2022, seven were (heavily) underrepresented6
Notably, the most underrepresented Member States are also those where teleworking is far more widespread. 7
This underscores the need for the Commission to offer more flexible working arrangements to attract talent from these countries and to ensure that it remains a civil service with which all EU citizens can identify.
By doing so, the Commission would not only expand its talent pool, but also set a positive example of modern, inclusive work practices.
Therefore, offering more flexible working conditions and greater opportunities for teleworking can not only effectively address geographical imbalances but also help attract younger candidates more effectively.
Flexible work conditions and recruitment of younger candidates
Indeed, flexibility is undoubtedly one of the key expectations of younger generations; as “digital natives”, they have grown up with the internet and smartphones, and many question the need to be present in an office every day just to use digital tools that can be accessed from anywhere.
It is equally important that the Commission fully embraces and experiences this modern way of working.
For example, teleworking and the rise of “digital nomads” already pose challenges to the single market, especially when workers face obstacles such as national tax, social security regulation or labour laws that limit their mobility across the EU.
Attracting “the best and the brightest” and retaining experienced staff is crucial for any organisation, but the Commission faces a unique challenge: it must be equally appealing to potential candidates from all Member States.
Currently, this is not the case, and the composition of the European Commission’s staff is becoming increasingly imbalanced, both in terms of geographical distribution and the average age of new recruits.
Moreover, colleagues responsible for recruitment procedures in the Directorates General and Services confirm that the first question asked during recruitment interviews by candidates, particularly younger ones, is the degree of flexibility in the organisation of working hours.
In Italy, following negotiations with staff representatives, a new collective agreement governing the working conditions of civil servants has just been signed.
The main new feature is a significant increase in flexibility, with the introduction of a 4-day week and greater use of ‘smart working’.
These measures were presented as the only ones capable of responding to the major difficulties in recruiting young candidates.
In this context, the Italian minister responsible confirmed that “more smart working and short weeks have been introduced in order to attract young people” because it was no longer enough to guarantee stable jobs and that “we needed to move to the cool job’’
Younger generations in particular are increasingly demanding flexible working conditions. By embracing a more modern working environment, the Commission can demonstrate that it is not only leading the way, but also in tune with evolving social trends.
Nothing embodies the European spirit more than facilitating the free movement of people across borders, as evidenced by the huge success of the Erasmus programme.
Moreover, by introducing more flexible remote working arrangements for EU staff, the Commission would bring “Europe” closer to its citizens and strengthen its connection with the people it serves.
Additionally, if EU staff are able to telework more widely across Europe, they will have more frequent interactions with citizens outside of the Brussels “bubble” – in everyday settings such as waiting rooms or local cafés. While EU staff do not officially represent the Commission in these contexts, they can nonetheless counter the perception of EU officials as distant bureaucrats disconnected from the public.
These encounters can help humanise the Commission and allow staff to remain connected to public sentiment, gathering unfiltered feedback and fresh ideas from across the continent.
By embracing modern working practices, such as teleworking and further digitalisation, the Commission can also present itself as a forward-looking institution that is both responsive and attuned to today’s reality.
This not only challenges the outdated image of EU officials as pencil-pushers lost in paperwork, but also shows that the EU is preparing its civil service for the future.
Conclusion
R&D, therefore urges the Commission to :
- – firmly reject any attempt to “return to the past”;
- – confirm that flexible working is now a structural and permanent measure which is an integral part of its personnel policy and an essential component of a new modern human resources management based on a genuine “culture of trust”;
- – lead by example, drawing on the best practices in the Members States and in other EU institutions, in particular as regards teleworking from abroad.
In doing so, the Commission can reaffirm its role as a leading, innovative force in Europe and ensure that its workforce reflects the diversity and dynamism of the continent.
Cristiano Sebastiani,
President
1. db369caa-19e7-4560-96e0-37dc2556f676_en (europa.eu)
6. Employed persons working from home as a percentage, data from 2022” Eurostat https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/lfsa_ehomp/default/bar?lang=true