L’evoluzione del ruolo delle ICT e della digitalizzazione nella pubblica amministrazione per una gestione più efficiente ed efficace delle risorse umane

The search for efficient and effective performance has always been a central theme in public
management studies. The current context has seen a significant impact from the pandemic on the
methods used to carry out work tasks. Therefore, a reflection on the evolution of work conditions within
the public sector toward managerial efficiency and effectiveness seems particularly relevant. In the
Italian context, more than 10 years have passed since the so-called “Brunetta reform” (from the name
of the then Minister of Public Administration, who this year found himself in the same role), consisting
of Legislative Decree 150 of 2009, which addressed the optimization of public work productivity and
the efficiency and transparency of public administrations. This regulatory intervention constitutes a
milestone for the Italian public administration, and numerous studies have already been produced on its
impact on the management of the Italian public sector. Among the central elements of the correct
application of this reform are the role of technological change and the ability of management to use new
technological solutions to increase the efficiency of production processes. Information and
communication technologies (ICT) and the digital governance era have posed important challenges by
stimulating public organizations’ capacity for innovation. These elements were particularly relevant
during the pandemic period, with the almost obligatory use by all public administrations of more or less
intense forms of smart working. Theories on change management are also linked to these concepts, in
which management must demonstrate that it is able to proactively manage internal and external change
instead of waiting for change to occur in the social context. Starting from these premises, this work will
use a case study of an Italian Municipality of medium size. More specifically, the analysis will focus on
the business unit of “human resources management” and examine four temporal phases, which will be
divided according to the technological evolutions that have characterized the organization. In particular,
we will analyze the opportunities that influence the management of human resources, such as
technological innovation, communication with service users, salary, and finally the “informal employee
network.” The latter is represented by the balance between rigid and formal personnel management with
a more unofficial and informal approach, which can improve the organizational climate and induce
employees to work with greater impulse and dedication. In this sense, the staff must be involved in the
achievement of the administration’s objectives, which must not be seen as imposed by the politicians,
but rather as a goal to be achieved through the joint and united effort of all subjects belonging to the
organization. A fundamental aspect is represented by a coherent evaluation system, which allows
efficient performance measurement and encourages employees to improve their performance through
reward systems. The case in question presents the opportunity for a more general analysis of the
management systems of human resources management—a central element in the current scenario of the
public administration, which is trying to recover from the pandemic emergency—while also taking
advantage of what has been learned during that event.