Transformação digital no serviço público: a experiência da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

Abstract

The changes brought by the insertion of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) in people’s daily lives, as part of the technological revolution, have affected various domains in the last decades, including the Brazilian federal public administration. In relation to these technologies, in conjunction with the internet, the federal government of Brazil, through its Digital Governance Policy, has committed to transforming the delivery of public services. This commitment ultimately impacts the dynamics of public servants’ work. In this sense, the main focus of this study is on the transformations implemented by the Digital Government and their impact on the work of federal employees. The research was motivated by the following question: How does the process of digital transformation in public service affect the work dynamics of federal employees at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN)? The underlying assumption guiding this investigation was that the digitization of technical services, along with an increased workload, has required employees to be versatile and adaptable, often without receiving adequate support from the affiliated organizations in terms of training. This study aims to understand how the acceleration of the digital transformation of the Brazilian public service has altered the work dynamics of employees in federal education institutions. We specifically examined the case of the UFRN’s Central Campus from 2016 through 2022. Therefore, this research was conducted through a case study carried out at the aforementioned institution. We began with a qualitative approach and utilized semi-structured interviews with university employees to gather primary data supporting the study. Secondary data were drawn from document analysis (federal legislation and institutional plans), along with a theoretical framework consistent with the theme under study. Finally, we observed that digital transformation is indeed intensifying the workload within the agency due to task accumulation. We also noted that, despite the presence of a robust training program at the university, the search for and participation of employees in these activities is entirely voluntary, in addition to the lack of effective guidance from immediate supervisors and human resources management regarding participation in these training sessions.