Impact of COVID-19 on e-government: a pilot study of Poland

Figures & data

Table 1. Interview questions.

Interview questions related to RQ1 a) Can you list any specific issues or circumstances caused by COVID-19 or by the lockdown that impacted the e-government services provided by your organization? b) How did new or changed regulations due to COVID-19 affect the e-government services provided by your organization? c) Can you list any specific changes in employees’ behaviors or and attitudes caused by COVID-19 that impacted the e-government services provided by your organization? d) Do you foresee changes in employee’s attitudes that will impact the way e-government services may be provided in the future, post pandemic?

Interview questions related to RQ2 e) Are there specific factors related to COVID-19 that made it difficult for your organization to keep up the e-government service level that you had been providing before the pandemic? f) Has there been an increase in employee absenteeism, resignations, or retirements due to COVID-19 and if so, how did that affect the e-government services provided by your organization?

Table 2. Interview sessions.

Code	Profile of interviewee	Duration
P1	Head of the center responsible for geodesy and cartography	43 min.
P2	Deputy director of the department responsible for finance	25 min.
P3	Deputy head of the office responsible for registry	61 min.
P4	Director of the office responsible for IT and telecommunication	55 min.
P5	Deputy director of the department responsible for civic affairs	31 min.
P6	Head of the office responsible for providing public information and tele-informatics	65 min.

Table 3. Identified circumstances that arose from COVID-19.

Circumstances due to catastrophic event	Code
Physical changes in operations
Physical offices closed	P5, P6
Cash register closed	P6
Changes in work settings	P1, P6
Inability to sign documents personally	P1, P2
Stricter sanitary requirements	P5, P6
Limited access to non-digitalized archives	P1, P3
Shifts in volume and types of services
Surge in telephone call volume	P6
Surge in traditional mail	P2, P6
Surge in demand for e-services	P1, P2, P3, P4, P6
Surge in e-voting by residents	P6
Increased information needs	P6
Shift in type of services demand	P5
Shortage of well-trained IT specialists	P4
Inadequate IT infrastructure	P4
Changes in employee attitudes and behaviors
Surge in employee absenteeism, including sick leave and care for children and spouses	P2, P3, P5 P6
Employee concerns about health/life	P3, P5, P6
Employee concerns about losing jobs	P6
Changes in regulations and enforcements
Distrust in electronic documents	P1, P4, P6
Increase of imposed fines	P6
Fast changing regulations	P1
Legal restrictions on e-services	P3, P5
Quarantine requirements	P6

Table 4. Circumstances due to COVID-19 and consequences.

Circumstances	Consequences
Physical changes in operations
Physical offices closed	Shift to e-services
Cash registers closed	Shift to e-payments
Changes in work settings	Reorganization of work and shift to remote work Shift to e-voting in city council meetings Shift to e-voting for residents
Inability to sign documents personally	Increased use of electronic signatures
Stricter sanitary requirements	Extra expenses
Limited access to non-digitalized archives	Extension of case resolution times
Shifts in volume and types of services
Surge in telephone call volume	Increased workload
Surge in traditional mail	Increased workload
Surge in demand for e-services	Adapting to demand
Surge in e-voting by residents	Adapting to demand
Increased in information needs	Increased workload
Shift in type of services demand	Adapting to demand
Shortage of well-trained IT specialists	Increased workload and delays
Inadequate IT infrastructure	Increased workload and delays
Changes in employee attitudes and behaviors
Surge in employee absenteeism (sick leave and care for children or spouses)	Increased workload and delays
Employee concerns about health/life	Offering work motivation
Employee concerns about losing jobs	Offering work motivation
Changes in regulations and enforcements
Distrust in electronic documents	Printing of documents
Increase of imposed fines	Increased workload
Fast changing regulations	Increased workload
Legal restrictions on e-services	Increased workload and delays
Quarantine requirements	Staff reassignments