Facing the human capital crisis: A systematic review and research agenda on recruitment and selection in the public sector

• Published date: 01 November 2023
• Author: Mette Jakobsen,Ann‐Kristina Løkke,Florian Keppeler
• Date: 01 November 2023
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13733

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Facing the human capital crisis: A systematic review

and research agenda on recruitment and selection

in the public sector

Mette Jakobsen

1

| Ann-Kristina Løkke

1

| Florian Keppeler

2

1

Department of Management, Aarhus University,

Aarhus, Denmark

2

Department of Political Science, Aarhus

University, Aarhus, Denmark

Correspondence

Mette Jakobsen, Department of Management,

Aarhus University, Building 2628, Fuglesangs

Allé 4, 8210 Aarhus V, Denmark.

Email: mjakobsen@mgmt.au.dk

Abstract

As a human capital crisis poses urgent challenges across multiple countries, public

administration scholars and practitioners are concerned with recruitment and selec-

tion questions. Literature evolves with an increasing pace whereby clarity over the

state-of-the-art and gaps in recruitment and selection research in the public sector

is needed to direct future research and practice. We conducted a review of 59 stud-

ies to systematize and reorient research on recruitment and selection. Summarizing

the state-of-the-art, we identify a strong focus on individual-level research of attrac-

tion, revealing several blind spots of research on other levels and process stages of

hiring. Based on the synthesis of existing knowledge, we provide a research agenda

that extends the predominant focus on attraction. By bridging public administration

concepts with generic recruitment and selection research, the agenda aims at

advancing the research on hiring in the public sector, offering a framework for

levels, concepts/theories, processes,and key variables.

Evidence for practice

•As the human capital crisis threatens the public service provision, it is useful for

practitioners to become aware of the multiple levels, concepts, and processes

that can affect effective recruitment and selection.

•The present review shows a lack of understanding in many aspects of recruit-

ment and selection. Public leaders can work together with public administration

researchers, for example in field studies, to enrich practice on hiring challenges.

•Policy makers need to be aware that not only election results or taxpayers’

money but also employees are a key for effective public service provision, trust

in institutions, and legitimacy through representative bureaucracies.

INTRODUCTION

Public employees give the state a face. They ensure the

provision of services and contribute to the legitimacy of

public organizations, ideally by representing society.

However, public organizations and governments across

several countries suffer from a multifaceted human capi-

tal crisis. On the demand side, they are faced with the real-

ity of a wave of retirees that need to be replaced

(Linos, 2018;OECD,2022) and increased workload,

often due to overburdening (Fern

andez-i-Marín et al., 2023)

and overproduction of laws (Gratton et al., 2021). Simulta-

neously, the supply side of labor markets declines. For

example, the unemployment rates in the United States and

OECD are recorded low at 3.6 and 4.9 percent, respectively

(OECD, 2022). At the same time, aging populations and

increased competition for different competences put pres-

sure on labor markets (Lohr, 2020). Additionally, Western

public organizations are faced with a declining interest in

public service work (Bright & Graham, 2015;Fowler&

Birdsall, 2020). Further, research on diversity, equity, and

inclusion as well as representative bureaucracy indicate that

Received: 14 February 2023 Revised: 19 September 2023 Accepted: 26 September 2023

DOI: 10.1111/puar.13733

This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium,

provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.

© 2023 The Authors. Public Administration Review published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Public Administration.

Public Admin Rev. 2023;83:1635–1648. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/puar 1635