This is the first edition of a new annual publication on public employment and management issues. This edition presents a vision of a future-ready public service workforce that is forward-looking, flexible and fulfilling to a diverse range of public employees. It provides insights to help governments achieve that vision through comparative data and analysis, a set of illustrative case studies, and expert commentary. Public service leadership and recruitment systems are fundamental inputs to renew and transform the public service. Both of these issues are highlighted and illustrated with new data from recent surveys.