The Public Service newbie guide

A curated onboarding view of the main glossary, covering workplace terms and abbreviations you may encounter in the Singapore Public Service.

Learn 59 starter terms, browse 59 essentials, or search all 422. Every item is also searchable in the full glossary.

Starting in Public Service

Instruction Manual A set of central government instructions covering administrative areas such as HR, finance, procurement, office administration, security or ICT. Starting in Public Service
Whole-of-Government Working across ministry and agency boundaries towards the Government’s collective interests and outcomes, rather than optimising only for one organisation. Starting in Public Service Working across agencies
FYA For Your Action Starting in Public Service
FYNA For Your Necessary Action Starting in Public Service
COB Close of Business Starting in Public Service
NFA No Further Action Starting in Public Service
KIV Keep In View Starting in Public Service
BAU Business as Usual Starting in Public Service
Staff An officer who supports a principal or forum by analysing an issue, coordinating inputs, preparing recommendations or papers, and following decisions through; also used as a verb for carrying out that work. Starting in Public Service
Working-level Discussion or resolution among officers doing the detailed staff work, usually before escalation to principals or a formal forum. Also called staff-level discussion. Starting in Public Service Working across agencies
Socialise To discuss an emerging proposal informally with relevant stakeholders so concerns can be understood and surprises reduced before formal staffing. Starting in Public Service Writing a paper Working across agencies
No surprises A working norm that material issues, risks or disagreements should be surfaced early rather than first appearing at a formal forum. Starting in Public Service Working across agencies
Bandwidth A person’s or team’s available time, attention and capacity to take on or complete work. Starting in Public Service
Cascade To pass information, direction or key messages from senior levels through managers to the wider organisation. Starting in Public Service
Citizen-centric An approach that organises policies and services around citizens’ needs and life moments instead of agency boundaries. Starting in Public Service
Close the loop To finish the required action and ensure the relevant people know the result, rather than leaving the matter unresolved. Starting in Public Service
Covering officer An officer designated to assume another officer’s duties, responsibilities and any delegated authority during an absence. Starting in Public Service
Declaration of interests An annual declaration by civil servants of interests in investments and properties, updated when they acquire significant assets. Starting in Public Service
Divine discontent A Public Service leadership mindset of remaining dissatisfied with current performance and continually seeking improvement even when existing arrangements still work. Starting in Public Service
EOM End of Message Starting in Public Service
FYI For Your Information Starting in Public Service
FYIP For Your Information Please Starting in Public Service Writing a paper
Gentle reminder A courteous follow-up that often signals the sender expects an outstanding action to be completed promptly, especially when a deadline is near or has passed. Starting in Public Service
Gift declaration The process for reporting gifts or meals received because of official duties when declining them is impractical. Starting in Public Service
Ground sensing Gathering and interpreting feedback, observations and stakeholder sentiment from the ground to inform policy, communications or service decisions. Starting in Public Service Working across agencies
Hansard The parliamentary term for Singapore’s Official Report of debates, speeches and proceedings. Writing a paper Starting in Public Service
HEART Hear them out; Make it Easy; Anticipate their needs; Respect every individual; Be Timely Starting in Public Service
HOTO Informal shorthand for handover and takeover: transferring duties, records, access, outstanding actions and context from one officer or team to another. Starting in Public Service
Implementation is policy A Public Service maxim that implementation choices and administrative details materially shape whether a policy succeeds and how it is experienced. Starting in Public Service Writing a paper
Internal Disclosure Policy A Civil Service reporting framework allowing officers to disclose wrongful practices directly to agency leadership with confidentiality and protection against retaliation. Starting in Public Service
KIV Informal shorthand for ‘keep in view’: hold an item for later review rather than close it or act on it immediately. Starting in Public Service Writing a paper
KM Knowledge Management Starting in Public Service
Land To finalise a position, obtain the necessary agreement, or successfully bring a proposal through the required process. Starting in Public Service
MPS Meet-the-People Session Starting in Public Service Working across agencies
No Wrong Door A Public Service policy requiring the agency that receives feedback to help route and secure ownership of the case instead of simply turning the person away because another agency is responsible. Starting in Public Service Working across agencies
One Public Service The idea that ministries, statutory boards and public officers should act as one service and deliver coherent outcomes and experiences across organisational boundaries. Starting in Public Service Working across agencies
OP Order Paper Writing a paper Starting in Public Service
OPSOC One Public Service Observance Ceremony Starting in Public Service
PSFI Please See for Information Starting in Public Service Writing a paper
Public Service Pledge A pledge by Singapore public officers to serve the nation and people while upholding integrity, service and excellence. Starting in Public Service
Public Service Protocol for the Reporting of Corruption A protocol requiring public officers to report suspected corruption directly to Police or CPIB at the earliest opportunity. Starting in Public Service
QSM Quality Service Management Starting in Public Service
Recce Reconnaissance Attending a meeting Starting in Public Service
Records management The systematic creation, classification, storage, retrieval, retention, transfer, preservation and disposal of official records. Starting in Public Service
Red team An exercise that stress-tests a proposal, plan or system by adopting an adversarial perspective to uncover weaknesses and improve the response. Starting in Public Service
Service delivery The design and provision of government services through frontline, telephone and digital channels so people can obtain help and complete transactions effectively. Starting in Public Service
Service recovery Action taken after poor service or a complaint to resolve the issue and rebuild the stakeholder's trust. Starting in Public Service
SFI See for Information Starting in Public Service Writing a paper
Sit on this To hold a matter without acting, circulating or deciding on it for the time being, usually because more thought, information or timing is needed. Starting in Public Service Writing a paper
Sleep on it To defer a decision or response so there is time to think it through, often overnight, before committing to a view. Starting in Public Service Writing a paper
Sound out To raise something informally or test views before deciding how far to take it, often by speaking to the relevant people before formal staffing or escalation. Starting in Public Service Writing a paper Working across agencies
Stocktake A review used to assess where a programme or workstream stands, what has changed, and what decisions or interventions are needed. Starting in Public Service
Strategic perspective The ability to assess an issue beyond immediate or agency-specific concerns, considering long-term national priorities and whole-of-government implications. Starting in Public Service
Surface To bring an issue, risk, recommendation or decision point to a superior, stakeholder or forum. Starting in Public Service
Trial balloon An idea raised informally with relevant principals or stakeholders to test reactions before it is committed to a formal submission, announcement or forum. Starting in Public Service
Unknown unknowns Risks, conditions or factors that have not been identified and are therefore outside the assumptions currently being considered. Writing a paper Starting in Public Service
Workplan Seminar An annual or periodic organisational event at which agency leadership communicates priorities, strategic direction and major plans for the coming work period. Starting in Public Service Attending a meeting
Workstream A defined body of related tasks or outcomes within a programme, transformation or cross-agency initiative. Starting in Public Service
WPS Workplan Seminar Starting in Public Service