𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐇𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐀𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐧 𝐃𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬

…𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 2,000 𝒄𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒍 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 2024 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒌𝒆𝒚 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒆𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔.

By Sonam Choki

In 2024, Bhutan’s civil service faced an alarming wave of departures, with a staggering 2,013 employees exiting between January and December. Of these, 1,400 resigned voluntarily, raising serious concerns about the future of public administration in the country. This exodus has fueled what experts are calling a ‘brain drain,’ and it threatens the stability of country’s governance structure.

The statistics tell a stark story: While 260 employees completed their contracts, 73 retired, and 50 passed away, the voluntary resignations paint a more concerning picture. These departures have left critical gaps, especially in areas such as education, healthcare, and administration. The exodus of skilled professionals has put additional pressure on remaining staff and cast doubt on the ability of Bhutan’s civil service to meet its long-term development goals.
The primary drivers of this crisis appear to be dissatisfaction with compensation and the limited prospects for career advancement. Though salary remains an issue, civil servants have cited lack of upward mobility, slow promotions, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and excessive workloads as major factors driving their decision to leave.

What makes the situation even more troubling is the demographic breakdown of the workforce. A significant portion- 69.19 percent- of the civil servants are under the age of 42, and 24.94 percent are under 30. This younger workforce is seeking more than just a paycheck; they want meaningful career progression, opportunities for skill development, and the chance to make an impact. However, the current structure of the civil service fails to offer these opportunities, with many employees feeling stuck in their roles due to slow promotions and lack of growth prospects.

The consequences of this attrition are most keenly felt in key sectors like education and healthcare, where the number of departures is particularly high. In 2024, 830 civil servants resigned from the Education and Training Services sector, while 286 left the Medical and Health Services sector. These sectors are critical to Bhutan’s social infrastructure, and the loss of experienced professionals has led to significant challenges, particularly in rural areas.

In education, the shortage of teachers- especially in remote schools- has strained efforts to maintain quality standards. Similarly, in healthcare, the exodus of experienced specialists has created additional burdens for remaining staff and compromised the efficiency of hospitals. These gaps in essential services could undermine Bhutan’s efforts to achieve its development goals and ensure equitable access to healthcare and education.

Another significant factor contributing to the high resignation rate is the difficulty in staffing rural areas. Despite government efforts to incentivize civil servants to work in remote regions, many are unwilling to accept postings in these areas due to poor living conditions, lack of infrastructure, and limited social support. This preference for urban postings is causing a staffing imbalance, particularly in districts like Samtse, Trashigang, and Chukha.

The result is a workforce that is increasingly concentrated in urban centers, leaving rural regions underserved. This urban-rural divide exacerbates inequities in service delivery and poses a challenge for Bhutan’s efforts to ensure balanced development across the country.

While gender is not often cited as a primary reason for civil servant attrition, it is worth noting that women make up 40.91 percent of the workforce, with the highest concentration in the education sector. Given the high resignation rates in this sector, there are concerns about potential gender imbalances in the civil service, which could affect diversity in leadership roles.

The growing reliance on contract workers is also contributing to the problem. Currently, 19.13 percent of the civil service workforce is employed on a contract basis. While contract work offers flexibility, it lacks the long-term security and benefits associated with permanent employment, making it less appealing to skilled professionals. This growing reliance on temporary contracts further destabilizes the workforce and contributes to high turnover rates.

The government must act quickly to address the root causes of this crisis. While recruiting new civil servants- 3,645 in 2024- may help fill some of the vacancies, it is not a sustainable solution in the long term. Instead, a more strategic, comprehensive approach is needed to address the underlying issues driving the exodus.

Key solutions include increasing salaries to match those offered in the private sector, creating more opportunities for career advancement, and implementing faster promotion systems. A greater emphasis on work-life balance, job satisfaction, and professional development will also be crucial to retaining employees. Moreover, targeted recruitment and retention strategies for critical sectors like education and healthcare will be necessary to ensure continuity of services in these essential areas.

Improving conditions in rural areas is another vital step. The government must increase incentives for employees willing to work in remote regions by offering additional financial support, better living conditions, and improved infrastructure.

The civil service brain drain represents a deepening crisis in governance. If left unaddressed, it will undermine the country’s development and hinder the delivery of essential public services. Bhutan’s civil service is at a crossroads: without reforms that address salary stagnation, career progression, and work conditions, the country risks losing its skilled workforce and compromising its future stability.

While the government’s recruitment efforts have helped, they cannot replace the experienced professionals who have left. It is crucial for Bhutan to act swiftly and decisively to not only replace those who have departed but also to create a civil service environment that attracts, retains, and nurtures talent for years to come.