Upholding Empathy and Courtesy in Public Service

The role of government departments is very important in carrying out the country’s development activities. Government employ- ees discharge their duties every day to ensure that the policies, plans and public services laid down by the State are effectively delivered to the people. There- fore, government employees must not only discharge their official duties and obligations but also place due emphasis on the meaning and responsibili- ty of public service whenever they directly interact with the people. In fact, government em- ployees are also members of the general public. Their family members, friends, relatives and they themselves are all citizens of a single country. When pro- viding services to the public through their respective de- partments, they must carry out every process with empathy and understanding. For example, when they themselves need to obtain a ser- vice from another department, they may need to seek some- one’s assistance because they may not be fully familiar with the procedures of that depart- ment. Whenever they encounter such situations, they should put themselves in the position of the people and consider their needs when performing their depart- mental duties, as people may require assistance to ensure that procedures are completed smoothly and promptly. Although one may be a government employee, it does not mean that one knows and understands the procedures of every department. Likewise, it is perfectly natural for members of the public not to be familiar with departmental procedures that differ from the occupations and livelihoods they engage in on a daily basis. When a member of the pub- lic comes to a government de- partment to obtain a service, it should not be assumed that the person is already familiar with the department’s procedures, the steps for submitting an ap- plication, the required docu- ments, or the relevant rules and regulations. Even if they have some prior knowledge, they may not be able to complete all the procedures smoothly because these are not tasks they handle daily. A task that is routine and familiar to a government em- ployee may be something a ci- vilian is encountering for the first time. Therefore, rather than speaking to them with an attitude of “You don’t even know this? ”, it is better to guide them with the understanding that “Naturally, you may not know this yet; this is how it should be done.” Such an attitude re- flects the true meaning of public service. Courteous public relations Therefore, government employees should treat the people with courtesy and re- spect. When a civilian asks about something they do not know, employees should avoid showing displeasure, speaking impatiently or harshly, using disparaging words, or send- ing the person away without clearly explaining the matter. They should understand that guiding and assisting a civilian who needs help is not an act of personal kindness or favour on the part of an employee, but an integral part of the duties they are responsible for carrying out. In particular, when dealing with members of the public, government employees should not adopt an attitude that cre- ates a hierarchy or distinction between “employees” and “the public”. A government employ- ee serves within an adminis- trative system operated with public taxes and the State’s resources. Their primary re- sponsibilities are to meet the needs of the people, help them understand the policies and procedures of the State, and effectively provide the services to which they are entitled in ac- cordance with established rules and regulations. Responsibilities of the peo- ple However, people also have responsibilities. Just as govern- ment employees are required to carry out their duties in accord- ance with rules and regulations, people are also required to fol- low established procedures, bring all necessary documents, and respectfully comply with the guidance provided by gov- ernment employees. Public services can operate smoothly only when both the people and government employees respect and understand one another. For example, an employee of the Agriculture Department may have a good understand- ing of agricultural technologies within their own department but may not be fully familiar with land registration proce- dures, tax-related procedures, or specific procedures of an- other department. Likewise, an employee from another depart- ment may not be familiar with the details of agricultural pro- cesses. If government employ- ees themselves may encounter such situations where they are unfamiliar with the procedures of other departments, it is clear that they should show greater understanding, patience and willingness to assist the people who are completely unfamiliar with departmental procedures. Therefore, government employees should not regard a civilian’s lack of knowledge about a particular procedure as a fault. It is the responsibility of employees to guide people so that they understand the proce- dures, and they should recog- nize that their assistance may be necessary to ensure that all procedures are completed smoothly. The responsibility of a government employee is not merely to repeat what the peo- ple already know, but also to ex- plain what they do not yet know so that they can understand it. A member of the public’s time is also valuable. For gov- ernment employees, coming to the office and processing a particular matter may be part of their daily routine. For a person, however, handling the same matter may require taking time away from their daily work, incurring travel expenses and spending considerable time. Therefore, clearly explaining all the requirements so that people do not have to make unneces- sary return visits is a way of showing respect for the people. Likewise, special atten- tion should be given to elderly people, persons with disabili- ties, those who have travelled from distant areas, and those who may have difficulty under- standing procedures. Since not everyone has the same level of knowledge, experience and circumstances, service provid- ers need to understand each individual’s situation when de- livering public services. Strengthen trust in govern- ment departments through good public relations Building good relation- ships with the people can also strengthen their trust in gov- ernment departments. When a civilian is respectfully wel- comed at a department, and their needs are patiently ex- plained, they are likely to de- velop greater trust in that de- partment. Such trust can have an impact not only on individual employees but also on the de- partment and the State’s ad- ministrative system as a whole. On the other hand, man- agers also need to give due attention to addressing exces- sive pressure on employees and imbalances between workloads and available resources. To enable employees to serve the public patiently, it is also im- portant to distribute workloads appropriately, provide neces- sary training, and streamline procedures to make them clear and easy to follow. The quality of public service does not de- pend solely on the attitude of individual employees; it is also closely linked to the quality of the system as a whole. Therefore, all employees need to adopt the attitude that “they do not know yet, so we should explain it to them,” rath- er than looking down on some- one for “asking because they do not know”. They must assist and serve the people with com- passion, empathy, courtesy and respect. They must also pro- mote mutual understanding and cooperation among government departments so that the servic- es needed by the public can be provided seamlessly from one department to another. Being able to understand a member of the public’s problem as if it were one’s own, and being able to patiently guide members of the public when they are un- familiar with something, just as one may need assistance from others in areas one does not know, are fundamental qualities of a good public servant. If more and more capable and dedicat- ed public servants emerge, and trust, understanding and coop- eration between government departments and the public are further strengthened, pub- lic services will become more effective and efficient. Everyone should under- stand that the essence of pub- lic service is not “exercising authority” but “serving with a sense of responsibility”. Re- specting the people does not di- minish one’s position; rather, it means fulfilling one’s duties in a way that gives them greater val- ue. Speaking courteously to the public is not a sign of weakness but a reflection of good char- acter and a positive attitude. Patiently assisting and guiding the people is not an additional favour, but a duty that a public servant can take pride in. By Aung Kyaw Thant