Samenvatting

Professional expertise is crucial to the functioning of government. Although the vast majority of civil servants strive to do their work well in the interest of society, this does not always guarantee success. For years, civil servants have faced growing challenges in their work. Professional expertise is increasingly undervalued, and their work seems to be obstructed by a tangle of rules and unwieldy structures. This article discusses the results of a survey on professionalism among civil servants. During the survey, civil servants were asked to reflect on various themes related to professional expertise. The authors subsequently discuss the results on (1) civil servant involvement and civil service values; (2) transparency and the interplay with politics; (3) factors that put professional expertise under pressure; and (4) civil servant socialisation through reflection.