Presentation of the key findings from the OECD Government at a Glance 2021. For further information see: https://www.oecd.org/gov/government-at-a-glance-22214399.htm

1. OECD Government at a Glance 2021
9 July 2021
Elsa Pilichowski
Director for Public Governance, OECD

2. COVID-19, an extreme stress test to governments’ resilience
Government expenditures in 22 OECD-EU
countries 7% of GDP higher in 2020
2
More than 60% of central government
workforce worked remotely during COVID
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
0-20% 20-40% 40-60% 60-80% 80%+
Number
of
countries
% of workforce
Source: Government at a Glance 2021

3. 3
Source: Government at a Glance 2021, data from Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford
School closures Workplace closures Contact tracing
In the face of crisis, governments took unprecedented action
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Jan/20
Mar/20
Apr/20
Jun/20
Aug/20
Oct/20
Dec/20
Feb/21
Apr/21
Required all levels
Required some levels
Recommended / Alterations
No Measures
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Jan/20
Mar/20
Apr/20
Jun/20
Aug/20
Oct/20
Dec/20
Feb/21
Apr/21
Required all but essential
Require some sectors
Recommended
No Measures
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
Jan/20
Mar/20
Apr/20
Jun/20
Aug/20
Oct/20
Dec/20
Feb/21
Apr/21
None
Limited
Comprehensive

4. Safeguarding trust and transparency and reinforcing democracy:
a priority for governments
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
June/July April/May
Trust in government during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020
Average value in a scale 1-10
Source: OECD Government at a Glance 2021 based on Eurofound Quality of Life and Society survey
After a “rallying around the flag” effect at the onset of the pandemic, trust levels
show signs they are decreasing

5. 5
AUT BEL
CZE
EST
FRA
GBR
IRL
LTU
NLD
SVN
SWE
AUS
CAN
CHE
CHL
COL
DEU
HUN
ISR
ITA
KOR
LVA
MEX
NOR
POL
SVK
TUR
ESP
FIN
GRC
ISL
JPN
LUX PRT
Ministries of health
Yes, 22%
Centres of Government
Yes, 41%
Yes
No
Not available
Availability of guiding documents for governments’ responses to disinformation, 2019
Source: Government at a Glance 2021
Step up regulatory and communication efforts to tackle misinformation
Less than 50% of Centres of Government and less than 25% of Health Ministries
have guidelines for tackling disinformation

6. 6
Pilot Index: development of a diverse central government workforce, 2020
0 (lowest)-1(highest)
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
Level of diversity Diversity indicators Policy tools
Source: Government at a Glance 2021
Strengthening diversity in public life
Governments must seek to promote inclusion and diversity in the composition of the
public workforce

7. 7
Source: Government at a Glance 2021
Building effective avenues for citizen participation in policy making
Governments must seek to ensure effective and inclusive routes for citizens and
stakeholders to be consulted and involved in policy making

8. 8
AUT
CAN
COL
DNK
FRA
GBR
IRL
ITA
LUX
MEX
NLD
NOR
PRT
SWE
AUS
BEL
CHE
CHL
CZE
DEU
ESP
EST
FIN
GRC
HUN
ISL JPN KOR
LTU
LVA
POL
SVK
SVN
TUR
NZL
Implementing (40%)
Not
practising
(57%)
Other
(3%)
Existence of green budgeting practices, 2020 Share of countries with framework to support Responsible Business Conduct, 2018
41%
48%
70%
59%
52%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Human rights
Gender
Minorities
No framework Some sort of framework
30%
Just 40% of countries practice green budgeting Public procurement is unevenly used for social objectives
Source: Government at a Glance 2021
Ensuring that governments are fit to face global and complex challenges
Public governance practices could more systematically address long term goals

9. 9
• Resilient governments are needed to respond to crises at speed and scale while
safeguarding trust and transparency and reinforcing democracy
• More, better and timely evidence on public governance is needed:
• OECD 2021 Regulatory Policy Outlook (forthcoming)
• OECD Trust Survey (2022)
Conclusions

10. DRAFT / UNDER DEVELOPMENT 10
Thank you
Discover more about the OECD Directorate for Public Governance at www.oecd.org/gov/
Find out more about the Government at a Glance at: oe.cd/gov-glance-2021