Why Government Matters

COVID-19 is changing our economy, society, culture and behaviors.

It is impacting our relationships. It will have a lasting impact on the way we work.

But what I’m most interested in seeing, is how it changes our view about the role of government. Not so much in a political sense, but the way in which we realize our reliance on it for services and leadership.

In the New York Times podcast “The Daily,” Governor Cuomo said, “This thing called government is very serious. This is serious business. You have to know what you're doing."

Having worked with Public Sector clients for seven years, I have seen firsthand how important but undervalued these jobs can be. These are our bus drivers, train conductors, firefighters, teachers, public health officials, social workers, police officers. We need these roles to operate as a society.

Historically, these jobs do not pay the highest and typically require workers to be in the office or field five days a week. What millennial or Gen Z professional will want to work in this environment? They can’t work from home. There is no free coffee.

Government entities need help. They need advanced technologies to react faster, work remotely and shift their role in society. They need to attract young talent rapidly and continuously. They need competency at the top levels, and they need the private sector’s support and innovation.

Whether it is enabling remote learning, sharing real-time updates on COVID-19, preparing for the next pandemic, or responding to millions of unemployment claims, these are critical functions upon which each of us relies. Our lives depend on it.

"When was the last time this country actually needed government? Needed it? Needed it to be competent and qualified? And needed leaders to be real leaders?" - Governor Andrew Cuomo

In the age of a pandemic, I hope that we emerge with a new sense of value and admiration for government.

What is IBM doing to enable innovation and excellence in federal, state and local government?

https://www.ibm.com/industries/government

https://www.ibm.com/industries/government/digital-transformation