Latvia's Public Sector Lagging Behind Estonia in Data-Driven Governance

Latvian public sector leaders are being urged to shift their focus from physical presence to data-driven performance, a contrast drawn with Estonia's more advanced digital governance practices. Matīss Kokins, public sector client manager at Draugiem Group's DeskTime, criticizes the prevailing mindset that equates being in the office with productivity. He points to Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs' recent call for a return to in-office work as an example of this outdated approach.

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Kovid is no more, it is time to return and work on-site.

Kokins cites his experience in consulting and with DeskTime, noting that the argument "it's always been this way" often hinders progress. He uses an example of a public institution where employees spent significant time on paper timesheets, solely to confirm physical presence rather than measure actual work output. This, he argues, makes presence a "surrogate for productivity" – easily measured but disconnected from real results.

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Presence has become a surrogate for productivity: simple, measurable, but completely unrelated to the actual work result.

In contrast, Estonia's public sector is presented as a model of digital governance. The OECD's 2025 Digital Government Index shows Estonia scoring 0.93 for data-driven governance, significantly higher than Latvia's 0.71 and the OECD average of 0.74. This gap indicates Estonia's more systematic use of data as a strategic resource for shaping processes and services, moving beyond mere physical observation.

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Why do Estonian ministries trust data, but our leaders only presence?

Kokins suggests that Estonia's reliance on data reflects a deeper organizational commitment, requiring investment in systems, refined processes, and open communication about work habits. Latvia's continued emphasis on physical presence, he implies, requires less effort and relies on visible indicators rather than actual performance, potentially leading to overlooked issues. The article also notes Estonia's success in fostering "unicorn" companies and world-renowned tools like Toggl, suggesting a broader culture of innovation and data utilization.

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Data-driven trust first requires changes in the organization – investment in the system, refining processes, and openly communicating about employee habits.