Guidance Note on Public Employment Services (PES) Digitalization

This Guidance Note was developed to support Public Employment Services in navigating complex decisions involved in digitalizing employment services. As the role of PES evolves with the need to balance expanded mandates with limited resources, digitalization presents an opportunity to strengthen service delivery, enhance operational efficiency, and improve access for job seekers and employers. However, successful implementation depends on more than just introducing new technology. It requires strategic alignment, institutional readiness, and careful planning at every stage of the process. This Note offers a practical framework to guide that journey, combining structured decision-making tools, country examples, and insights drawn from a broad range of experiences. While every PES operates in a unique context, a number of cross-cutting lessons and recommendations emerge from the modules: importance of clearly defined objectives, assessing internal readiness and external conditions, defining a clear and focused digitalization scope, selecting the right development strategy, matching solution types and hosting models to context, and planning for financial sustainability. Digital transformation is not a singular event but a long-term process. As PES increasingly rely on digital tools to deliver services and inform policy, systems must be flexible and adaptable to effectively connect job seekers to opportunities. This Note aims to provide a foundation for that transformation, grounded in practical experience and adapted to the diverse realities in which PES operate. By applying these insights, PES can take informed steps towards building digital solutions that are not only functional but truly transformative.