Like many who have fallen victim to stereotyping and falsehoods, public servants have found themselves on the defensive in recent years, forced to push back against perceptions that they are unproductive and an unnecessary burden on taxpayers.
No workforce has faced more unwarranted scrutiny than the 23 million local, state and federal employees whose jobs run the gamut: teachers who educate our kids; police, firefighters and first responders who keep our communities safe; caregivers who look after our veterans, people with disabilities and the infirm; air traffic controllers who prevent catastrophes around the clock; and countless others who keep our cities, towns, villages, and state and federal agencies running.
Rather than receiving our respect and appreciation, they’ve seen their work demeaned and ridiculed by those with little understanding of the essential services they provide.
As we approach Labor Day — a holiday intended to recognize the social and economic achievements of American workers — we need to remind ourselves of the vital contributions of public servants. As we saw last year, federal employees — often the victims of weeks-long government shutdowns — had to endure insulting rhetoric from the likes of Elon Musk, the now-defunct Department of Government Efficiency and other critics, many who have been on the federal payroll themselves for years.
Certainly, greater efficiencies can be found within all levels of government, but the administration’s actions have been reckless and arbitrary, reducing the federal civilian workforce by nearly 210,000 (a 9% cut). The dismantling occurred within numerous non-partisan agencies and programs established by Congress to protect public health here and abroad, the environment and consumers in general. It will take years to regain the critical institutional knowledge and expertise those civil servants brought to their jobs.
In an era when there is such widespread public mistrust of government, we must never lose sight of the value of public service and the incredible work being performed.
As the former head of health and human services in New York State, where I worked for nearly 20 years before becoming CEO of Northwell Health in New York, I witnessed the selfless dedication of administrators, social workers and caregivers in trying to help the homeless, those with drug and alcohol addictions, victims of child abuse and domestic violence, and other children and families in despair.
Interacting with the poor and downtrodden provides an eye-opening perspective of what life is like for the 36 million people in this country living below the poverty line. In a country where the gap between rich and poor recently hit a three-decade high, the reality is that more affluent Americans have little or no appreciation for how the other half lives.
For those struggling to make ends meet, government is a big part of the solution, not the culprit. This is why we need to do a better job recruiting young people into public service rather than sowing mistrust about government workers and civil servants.
The government needs more leaders at all levels with innovative, creative ideas for creating more-affordable housing, increasing access to mental health and substance abuse treatment services, preventing chronic illness, reducing gun violence deaths and injuries, and closing the massive income gaps between the haves and have nots.
Among the ways of accomplishing those goals is instilling our young people with a sense of civic awareness, social responsibility and real-world engagement. In an encouraging trend, more high schools are requiring students to complete community service before graduating. Educators and policymakers need to accelerate those efforts.
Research shows that community service plays a critical role in enhancing student engagement and personal development, giving young people higher levels of motivation, academic achievement and social awareness, while reinforcing their sense of civic duty.
Unfortunately, volunteerism among younger generations is declining, underscoring the need to create structured programs that integrate community service into the educational curricula. Doing so would not only strengthen students academically, but give them a greater sense of community and open their eyes to ways they can make meaningful contributions to society.
Public service is an honorable calling that younger generations must embrace. Among the quintessential public servants I greatly admired was the late U.S. Senator John McCain, R-Arizona. He was a Naval aviator for 22 years, during which time he was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam for 5 ½ years, and a member of the U.S. House and Senate for more than 35 years prior to his death from brain cancer in 2018.
Unlike most politicians these days, Mr. McCain routinely reached across the political aisle to find common ground. He also had the guts to vote his conscience, most notably his decision to resist pressure from within his own party and vote against Republican efforts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act in 2017.
The need for compromise and problem-solving has never been greater in this country. Our hopes rest with younger generations willing to serve the public good. The rhetoric and actions of our elected leaders should inspire young people toward public service, not drive them away.
Michael J. Dowling is CEO Emeritus of Northwell Health who also distinguished himself in academia and government as a compassionate voice for the needy, developing and promoting innovative health and human services policies.
At Becker's 4th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, taking place November 2–5 in Chicago, more than 1,500 hospital and health system executives tackle decisions that determine whether organizations thrive or merely survive: protecting margins under cost pressure, choosing where to grow, renegotiating payer relationships, stabilizing the workforce and proving real ROI on technology. This is where leaders work through them together, face-to-face. Apply for complimentary registration now.
