The archetype of barrier-freeness in the institutional culture of the civil service: A sociocultural analysis

Abstract

This article provides a sociocultural analysis of barrier-freeness as a fundamental archetype of the contemporary institutional culture of the civil service. Against the backdrop of large-scale social transformations, including digitalisation, demographic change, and the consequences of social crises, public institutions are increasingly required to reconsider their role as inclusive employers and service-oriented partners of society. The article argues that barrier-freeness should not be reduced to technical solutions or the physical accessibility of public spaces. Rather, it should be understood as a deep cultural orientation that entails a shift in the management paradigm from bureaucratic control towards human-centred governance. The study examines changes in value orientations within public organisations and analyses how the archetype of barrier-freeness can reshape human resource management, including recruitment, professional development, internal communication, and performance evaluation. The analysis indicates that sustainable transformation of the public sector requires a barrier-free institutional ecosystem in which employees have equitable access to organisational resources, information, participation, and career development. The article proposes practical mechanisms for diagnosing organisational barriers and overcoming them through inclusive HR practices, empathic leadership, and psychological safety. It concludes that barrier-freeness is not only an ethical imperative but also an important condition for the resilience and adaptive capacity of public institutions under conditions of high uncertainty.