New Work Models: FREE-LA and Flexible teams

In 2020, LA-BORA! gov created two new work models called Flexible Teams and Free-LA! to overcome bureaucracy, simplify processes, and expand work opportunities for public servants, while also bringing fresh ideas into the public sector and increasing team diversity.

The idea is to embrace the global trend of flexible, diversified, and on-demand work arrangements, in contrast to rigid models limited to specific areas of expertise, while aligning the needs of public administration with employees’ interests and available skills.

Members of Flexible Teams and Free-LA! enhance their work experiences, build networks, share knowledge within their home agencies, and infuse innovation into the public service. These benefits translate into greater engagement, motivation, and increased productivity.

This initiative has received recognition from the Brazilian National School of Public Administration (Enap) Innovation Award in 2021 and was the subject of one of the cases in a series of studies by MIT GOV/LAB (Designing Governance Innovations in Resource-Constrained Settings | MIT GOV/LAB) conducted on how some governments are innovating to make governance more accountable, transparent, and responsive to citizens.

Fixed team: Public servants currently working at LA-BORA! gov. Our fixed team brings together professionals from different government agencies and career backgrounds, all officially assigned and based at the lab.

Flexible team: Public servants who work with LA BORA! gov on an ongoing basis, in projects or services, with weekly hours agreed upon by both parties, while maintaining their original employment ties and duty station.

Free-LA: Public servants who collaborate with LA-BORA!gov on a temporary basis. After registering, they may be invited to participate occasionally in a project or service, according to their skills and interests.

Free-LA and Flexible Teams are adaptable and scalable models.

The Flexible Team model is already being scaled across the country. The ImpactaGov and Janela projects from GNova/Enap have recruited public servants inspired by the Flexible Team approach. Within the Ministry of Management and Innovation in Public Services, various Secretariats (SEGES, SGPRT and SGD) are also adopting these new ways of working. Even the Judiciary and some state level governments have started experimenting with the model — such as TRT5 in Bahia.