Context
Public administrations operate in increasingly demanding political, economic, and social environments, marked by continuous reforms, high expectations for service delivery, and growing pressure on human resources. In Serbia, these challenges are closely linked to public administration reform and alignment with European standards, including the SIGMA Principles of Public Administration. The COVID-19 pandemic further exposed the lack of structured and preventive approaches to mental well-being within public administration.
Through continuous engagement with civil servants via career counselling and development assessments, the Human Resources Management Service identified a systemic gap: many performance and communication challenges stemmed not from insufficient skills, but from chronic stress, emotional strain, and workplace relationships. Mental well-being was largely absent from formal HR frameworks.
In response, the Human Resources Management Service launched Support Groups for the Mental Well-being of Civil Servants in 2023. Embedded in existing HR structures and delivered by in-house psychologists and psychotherapists, the initiative introduced mental well-being as a governance and policy issue, strengthening human sustainability as a foundation for effective public administration.
Objectives
The objective of the project is to address a systemic gap in public administration by providing structured, preventive, and institutional support for civil servants’ mental well-being. Through continuous engagement with civil servants, the Human Resources Management Service identified that many challenges affecting performance, communication, and motivation stemmed not from insufficient professional skills, but from chronic work-related stress, emotional strain, workplace conflicts, and difficulties in maintaining work–life balance. These needs were not sufficiently addressed through existing HR mechanisms.
The project aims to provide a safe, confidential, and stigma-free setting for psychological support, embedded within public administration and delivered by trained in-house psychologists and psychotherapists. A key objective is to help civil servants recognise, understand, and manage stress and emotional challenges before they escalate into burnout, health problems, or reduced work performance.
In addition, the project seeks to strengthen self-awareness, communication skills, boundary-setting, and workplace relationships through a group-based and process-oriented approach. By reducing isolation and fostering peer support, the initiative contributes to improved job satisfaction, resilience, and sustainable performance, strengthening human sustainability as a foundation for effective public administration.
Implementation
The project was designed and implemented within the existing institutional framework of the Human Resources Management Service of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and embedded in the work of the Career Management Center. This ensured clear governance, institutional ownership, and alignment with ongoing public administration reform and HR development policies.
Support Groups are planned, coordinated, and facilitated by four trained psychologists and psychotherapists employed within the service. Roles and responsibilities include participant screening, group facilitation, monitoring of group dynamics, and overall coordination. The project relies exclusively on internal staff capacities and existing premises, requiring no additional project-based budget or external service providers, which ensures cost-effectiveness and sustainability. Groups are formed based on identified needs and consist of up to eight participants. Prior to participation, all civil servants take part in a screening interview to ensure motivation, understanding of the process, and appropriate group composition. Implementation is demand-driven and adaptive, with the number of groups adjusted according to expressed interest.
Stakeholder consultation is ensured through continuous feedback from participants, collected via satisfaction questionnaires and qualitative comments. Communication and outreach are integrated into regular HR channels, supporting transparency, trust, and accessibility across institutions.