What it means to be a public service employee

Public service employees work to serve others while holding themselves and their colleagues to a high standard.

On this page

• We're here to serve others
• We hold ourselves to a high standard
• Corporate values define how we work

We're here to serve others

Public service employees work for government and for citizens. They're responsible to the elected government, not a political party. They develop and deliver public programs or services, inform policy-making and provide evidence-based advice to leaders.

Learn about the role of public service employees in government

Working through change, out in the open, public service employees regularly adapt policies and services to meet current needs. They're resilient and strong, being responsive to public input and determined to maintain services even in the most challenging situations.

It's more than doing a job, a career in the public service is for anyone who wants to make a difference. It means putting public interests first and ahead of personal interests. Many public servants say they chose public service because they enjoy giving back to their community.

Building careers around things that matter. It's not just about money, prestige or the "bottom line." Being a public service employee means working hard for a noble purpose and being dedicated to your daily work of serving citizens.

Is it for you? Do you want to serve others? Will you set aside personal interests for the sake of the public? Do you enjoy the challenge of navigating complex problems or systems? If so, discover where a public service career can take you.

We hold ourselves to a high standard

Public service employees are expected to do the right thing, even when it’s not easy. They uphold the highest professional and ethical standards because they understand the high expectations the public has for their work.

Each public service employee takes an oath of employment. Each time they take the oath, they're reminded of the the duties, powers and trusts that are placed in public service employees.

As part of the oath, public service employees swear not just to do their job but to:

• Serve ethically and with integrity, loyalty, impartiality and objectivity
• Put the interests of the public and the public service ahead of their own personal interests
• Maintain and enhance the public’s trust and confidence in the public service

These commitments make sure that our actions are impartial, objective and beyond reproach.

In situations where the standards are not being met, employees are encouraged to talk to their manager, talk to an ethics advisor about inappropriate behaviour in the workplace or make a public interest disclosure about serious wrongdoing.

"They are committed to the highest degrees of integrity. They are committed to deliver the best administration possible. They are committed to fair and transparent governance, to delivering high quality services, to a stewardship of government funds that will maximize cost-effectiveness and for accountability. Public service employees are committed to the improvement of the policy-making and service delivery abilities of the state."

- Institute of Public Administration of Canada

Corporate values define how we work

Public service employees work in different jobs across different ministries but they all use the same values as the basis for their decisions, actions and how they measure results.

Check out our corporate values

Integrity is at the heart of our corporate values. It's vital to building trust. The public's trust in government is based on how they feel when they use government services, programs or policies.

Among other things, the people of B.C. trust public service employees to keep the highways safe, to steward natural resources, to look after vulnerable populations and they expect them to do it well. Being recognized as the face of the BC Public Service, public service employees do their best to act with integrity in both their professional and personal lives.

Integrity helps employees and leaders to trust each other in supporting a common goal. This means they're open, honest and flexible. They take risks together and are willing to have constructive or challenging conversations.

"British Columbians are fortunate to have such a skilled and professional team, working night and day to provide thoughtful policy guidance, to draft emergency legislation and to design and implement extensive new programs on an urgent basis. All while adjusting to radically altered working conditions and maintaining the regular services upon which British Columbians rely.

The work that you do behind the scenes may not always be understood by those who do not walk in your shoes, but you can take great pride in knowing that you provide the steadying rudder by which we will navigate the unparalleled social and economic challenges we now confront.

I see how hard you are working to maintain the stability of our Province, to embrace innovation and to protect the health and well-being of British Columbians. As the Queen’s representative, and on behalf of all British Columbians, I thank you for your tireless work and for dedicating your professional careers to serving the public interest."

-  A message from former Lieutenant Governor, Janet Austin, to public service employees during the COVID-19 pandemic