Engaging Government Employees: Motivating Public Sector Teams for Sustainable Success

In the public sector, where resources are often stretched, expectations are high, and scrutiny is constant, employee engagement is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. As Bob Lavigna argues in Engaging Government Employees, “Engagement is not about making employees happy. It’s about creating the conditions where they can perform at their best.” His book offers a compelling and practical guide to building high-performing, motivated teams in government, teams that are not only productive but also passionate about public service.

Drawing on over three decades of experience in public sector human resources, Lavigna provides a roadmap for leaders who want to inspire commitment, foster innovation, and deliver better outcomes for the communities they serve. His approach is grounded in evidence, shaped by real-world experience, and focused on what truly matters: people.

This blog explores the key lessons from Lavigna’s book and how they apply to local government officers in the UK. It highlights why engagement matters more than ever, how to measure it meaningfully, and what leaders can do to create a culture where people genuinely want to give their best, not because they have to, but because they want to.

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1. Why Engagement Matters in Government

Lavigna opens with a powerful argument: employee engagement is not just about morale or job satisfaction, it’s about performance, accountability, and public value.

“A highly engaged workforce is 20 percent more productive,”

he writes, citing research that links engagement to improved outcomes across sectors. In the private sector, this might translate into profit margins. In government, it means more responsive services, stronger communities, and more effective use of taxpayer money.

Public sector employees face a unique set of challenges. They are often tasked with solving society’s most complex and persistent problems, poverty, education, housing, public health, while navigating political pressures, limited budgets, and legacy systems. Despite these constraints, many remain deeply committed to their work. The key, Lavigna argues, is to tap into that intrinsic motivation and create the conditions where it can flourish.

He firmly rejects the stereotype that government workers are disengaged or complacent.

“The myth that public employees are lazy is not only wrong, it’s damaging,” he writes. “Most government employees are driven by a strong sense of mission. They want to make a difference.”

The challenge for leaders is to connect that sense of mission to the day-to-day experience of work, to help employees see how their efforts contribute to something bigger than themselves. For local government officers, this means making the link between frontline tasks and community impact explicit. Whether it’s a housing officer helping a family find stability, or a planning officer shaping the future of a neighbourhood, every role has purpose. Leaders who communicate that purpose clearly and consistently are more likely to inspire engagement and pride.

2. Engagement Is Not About Perks

One of the most refreshing and practical aspects of Lavigna’s approach is his rejection of superficial engagement strategies. “Free pizza and Coke every Friday is not a viable strategy,” he quips. While such gestures may be appreciated in the short term, they do little to foster lasting commitment or performance. True engagement, he argues, is not about gimmicks, it’s about meaning, trust, and respect.

This insight is particularly relevant in local government, where financial constraints often limit what can be offered in terms of material rewards. But as Lavigna makes clear, engagement doesn’t require big budgets, it requires thoughtful leadership.

“Employees don’t want perks,” he writes. “They want purpose. They want to be respected. They want to be heard.”

Leaders don’t need to offer flashy incentives, they need to offer clarity, recognition, and support. Employees want to know that their work matters, that their voices are valued, and that their efforts are appreciated. This is especially important in high-pressure environments, where burnout and disillusionment can quickly take root if people feel overlooked or undervalued.

Lavigna places particular emphasis on the concept of “discretionary effort”, the extra energy, creativity, and commitment that engaged employees bring to their work. This is the difference between doing the job and doing it with pride. It’s what drives innovation, responsiveness, and resilience in public services.

“Engaged employees go the extra mile, not because they’re told to, but because they want to,” he explains.

For local government leaders, this means creating a culture where people feel empowered to contribute ideas, take initiative, and solve problems. It means recognising achievements, providing meaningful feedback, and building trust through transparency and consistency. These are not perks, they are principles. And they are the foundation of sustainable engagement.

3. Measuring What Matters

To improve engagement, you first need to understand it. Bob Lavigna makes a clear distinction between employee satisfaction and employee engagement, two concepts that are often mistakenly used interchangeably.

“Engagement is about emotional commitment,” he explains. “It’s not whether people like their job, it’s whether they care about doing it well.”

This distinction is crucial. Satisfaction might reflect how content employees are with their pay or working conditions, but engagement goes deeper. It’s about whether employees feel connected to their work, their team, and the mission of the organisation. It’s about whether they are willing to go above and beyond, not because they are told to, but because they want to.

Lavigna advocates for regular, evidence-based measurement of engagement using well-designed surveys and qualitative feedback. Effective measurement involves asking the right questions:

• Do employees feel their work is meaningful?

• Do they trust their leaders?

• Do they feel valued and recognised?

• Do they have the tools, resources, and support they need to succeed?

These insights can then inform targeted actions to improve organisational culture, communication, and leadership practices. Importantly, Lavigna stresses that measurement must lead to action.

“If you ask for feedback and do nothing with it, you’re better off not asking at all,” he warns.

In local government, where performance is often under public scrutiny, measuring engagement can also help demonstrate accountability and progress. It signals to staff that their voices matter and to the public that the organisation is committed to continuous improvement. It also provides a benchmark for tracking change over time and identifying areas of strength and concern.

4. Leadership Is the Key Driver

Throughout the book, Lavigna is unequivocal: leadership is the single most important factor in employee engagement. “People don’t leave jobs, they leave managers,” he reminds us. This well-known phrase is backed by research and experience. Leaders shape the culture, set expectations, and influence how people feel about their work every day. For local government officers, this means leading with empathy, transparency, and consistency. It means recognising achievements, providing constructive feedback, and involving staff in decision-making. It also means modelling the behaviours you want to see, integrity, accountability, and a commitment to public service. Lavigna emphasises that leadership is not confined to senior roles.

“Every supervisor, team leader, and project manager has the power to engage, or disengage, their team,” he writes.

This is a powerful reminder that engagement is everyone’s responsibility, not just HR’s or the chief executive’s. He also advocates for investing in leadership development at all levels. This includes formal training, mentoring, coaching, and peer learning. By building a pipeline of capable, confident leaders, organisations can create a more resilient and engaged workforce. In practice, this might mean equipping managers with the skills to have meaningful one-to-one conversations, to give timely and specific recognition, and to support staff through change. It also means holding leaders accountable for how they lead, not just what they deliver.

5. Building a Culture of Engagement

Engagement is not a one-off initiative, it’s a culture. It’s not something you do once a year with a survey or a staff event. It’s something that is embedded in the everyday experience of work. Lavigna outlines several strategies for embedding engagement into the fabric of an organisation:

• Communicate the mission: Help employees see how their work contributes to the bigger picture. “People want to know that what they do matters,” Lavigna writes. In local government, this means connecting individual roles to community outcomes.

• Recognise contributions: Celebrate successes, both big and small. Recognition doesn’t have to be expensive, it just has to be sincere. A simple thank-you can go a long way.

• Empower teams: Give people autonomy and trust them to make decisions. Micromanagement kills engagement. Empowerment builds it.

• Listen actively: Create channels for feedback and act on what you hear. This includes formal mechanisms like surveys and informal ones like team check-ins.

• Support growth: Offer opportunities for learning, development, and progression. When people see a future for themselves in the organisation, they are more likely to stay and contribute.

In local government, where change is constant and demands are high, a culture of engagement can be a powerful stabilising force. It helps retain talent, improve performance, and build resilience in the face of adversity. It also enhances the reputation of the organisation as an employer of choice, something that is increasingly important in a competitive labour market.

Conclusion: Engagement as a Strategic Imperative

Engaging Government Employees is more than a management manual, it’s a call to action. It challenges public sector leaders to move beyond compliance and control, and to focus instead on connection, purpose, and trust. It reminds us that people are not just a resource, they are the heart of public service. For local government officers, the message is clear: engagement is not a soft issue, it’s a strategic imperative. It’s the foundation of effective service delivery, organisational health, and community impact. It’s what enables councils to do more with less, to innovate under pressure, and to serve with integrity.

By investing in engagement, leaders can unlock the full potential of their teams, and in doing so, deliver better outcomes for the people they serve. As Lavigna puts it,

“Engagement is not about making people happy. It’s about creating the conditions where they can do their best work.”

And in the public sector, where the stakes are high and the mission is vital, that’s exactly what we need.