Public Service Association national secretary Glenn Barclay doesn't dispute the public sector has an issue with productivity growth, but is not convinced by the remedies suggested in a new report.

Productivity growth in the public sector appears to be "poor" and some public servants are "actively hostile" to the idea of measuring efficiency, the Productivity Commission says.

Public Service Association national president Glenn Barclay said he would not necessarily dispute the first finding, but was wary of the commission's proposed remedies.

He did not dismiss the idea that less hierarchical "Agile" work practices, which have recently been strongly embraced by companies such as Spark, could have a role to play in the public sector.

ROSA WOODS/STUFF The Productivity Commission found some public servants "actively hostile" to requests for efficiency information and measurement, believing they were a waste of time.

The State Sector Act that was passed in 1988 had created a very "top down" managerial structure, he said.

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"Those mechanisms have stood in the way of an empowered workforce."

The Productivity Commission said it was still uncommon for state agencies to measure productivity and some were not asking the right questions.

"Some who work in the state sector are hostile to the concept of 'productivity' or 'efficiency' in public services and resist its measurement," it said.

"Far too often, agencies are risk-averse, closed to ideas from outside and poor at managing change."

The commission said budgets could be used to "send stronger signals" about the importance of productivity".

It recommended allowing non-government organisations to bid directly for government funding from ministers, and "tightening the link" between agencies' past performance and future budget allocations.

"Non-government organisations and the private sector are important sources of innovative ideas and processes, but can face hostile or unreceptive public agencies," it said.

Barclay was concerned by the commission's proposed remedies.

"Trying to drive productivity through funding mechanisms, to me, smacks of the old 'top-down' mentality.

"What we would really like to see is what is known as 'High Performance High Engagement', with union members having direct engagement within their workplaces to drive improvement."

Air New Zealand and Kiwirail had led the way creating such "higher trust" workplaces, where unionised workforces worked with management to create the right environment, he said.

"We have just come off nine years of austerity within public service and you could arguably say it has become more efficient, but we have got lots of members who say their workloads have got out of control," he said.