Higher public sector productivity

We are taking significant strides forward in improving the productivity of Finland’s public sector in collaboration with our partners. For instance, we support the state administration, agencies and other public organisations in becoming pioneers in the use of data, technology and artificial intelligence.

What is it about?

Finland’s economic growth is sluggish, the population is ageing, and the public debt is growing. To ensure sufficient resources for the public sector and to safeguard services, significant changes are needed. One feasible and effective solution is a substantial improvement in productivity. The rapid development of technology also offers new opportunities for the public sector.

Boosting productivity can, in practice, mean speeding up decision-making, automating routine tasks, rapidly adopting AI solutions, or using data across organisational boundaries.

Reforms require, among other things, new forms of leadership, developing people’s skills, implementing new solutions and innovations, as well as their successful dissemination and embedding.

In this project, we are working with the state administration, agencies and other public actors to reform operational models and leadership so that those solutions that can ease employees’ work and improve productivity are widely adopted in the daily operations of organisations. The aim is to ensure that the best practices are effectively spread and rooted in use.

The reform of the public sector will also support business growth and competitiveness. For example, there is a need for faster permit processes, the use of public sector data reserves in business and closer collaboration between the public and private sectors.

With swift and consistent reform work, Finland’s public sector can become a pioneer in the use of data and technology by 2030.

What are we doing?

Together with our partners, we are creating the conditions for the reforms that will enable the efficient use of data and technology within Finland’s public sector.

We are assisting the public sector to be a leader in changes enabled by data and technology. We are providing both funding and expert support to ensure that reforms are implemented in the daily operations of organisations.

We opened the first funding call (summary in English) to accelerate the use of data and artificial intelligence in the public sector’s strategic decision-making. The projects will start in May 2025.

New funding calls will be launched from June 2025 onwards. Additionally, we are continuously exploring new opportunities to identify and scale solutions that will significantly improve productivity.

In June 2025, we will launch an intensive training programme (in Finnish) aimed at the top management of the public sector, with the goal of supporting the use of technological transformation in everyday leadership. The participants will form a network of frontrunners whose work we will support in various ways.

The Productivity for Public Sector project began in April 2025 and will continue at least until the end of 2027.

Who is involved?

Our partners include ministries, the state administration, wellbeing services counties, municipalities and other local, regional and central government organisations. We also collaborate with political organisations, interest groups and organisations within the technology sector. Companies are also involved, particularly in the projects we are funding.

We make use of our national and international expert network. Our goal is to provide the best expertise quickly and flexibly to support the best solutions.

Latest

news
FUNDING CALL
Kuva: Topias Dean / Sitra
news
Kuva: Topias Dean / Sitra
projects

Contact us

people
Senior Lead, Programmes
people
Senior Lead, Programmes
people
Assistant, Innovations

What's this about?