Twelve interventions that can unlock public sector productivity

| McKinsey Direct

Governments worldwide face budget challenges and are expected to deliver the same—or better—public goods and services with fewer and fewer resources. Productivity plays a crucial role in this.1Government productivity: Practical methods to deliver more with less,” McKinsey, January 30, 2024. Previous McKinsey research has estimated that if public services could match the productivity of top performers in their peer groups, the improvement would be worth an estimated $3.5 trillion per year, freeing up public funds to ensure better outcomes for their citizens.2Improving government productivity: A systemwide approach,” McKinsey, January 29, 2025.

However, productivity in public services has stalled over recent decades. To rekindle productivity gains across the public sector, a structured and sustained approach will likely be needed.

This article builds on our existing research on productivity3The US government’s productivity improvement opportunity,” on McKinsey.com. to suggest 12 tried-and-tested interventions that have been shown to work across geographies and functions to improve productivity.

To read the full article, download the PDF here.

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