One suggestion for making civil servants more accountable for their work includes which of the following?

Rotating professionals between agencies from outside can enhance accountability in the civil service for several reasons. This practice encourages a fresh perspective in different governmental roles and helps prevent stagnation and complacency that can occur when individuals remain in the same position for extended periods.

By experiencing varied environments and responsibilities, civil servants may become more adaptable, innovative, and accountable to the public as they encounter diverse challenges and policy areas. This method also allows for cross-pollination of ideas and best practices between different agencies, leading to more effective governance overall.

In contrast, making it harder to fire or dismiss a bureaucrat can create a lack of accountability, as individuals may feel less pressure to perform well if their job security is overly protected. Keeping professionals permanently in their original seat can similarly lead to a lack of accountability, as it may result in routinization and a disconnection from the needs of changing public policy. Extending appointments to 30 years could further entrench bureaucrats in their roles without sufficient oversight and could lessen motivation for performance improvement, thereby reducing accountability.