Civil Service Behaviours Examples: A Practical UK Guide
12 August 2026
Practical civil service behaviours examples for UK applications. Learn to write STAR answers for each behaviour with tips from the Success Profiles framework.
Understanding Civil Service Behaviours in 2026
Civil Service behaviours are part of the Success Profiles framework used across UK government departments. They describe how employees are expected to act and work together. There are nine behaviours: Seeing the Big Picture, Changing and Improving, Making Effective Decisions, Leadership, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together, Developing Self and Others, Managing a Quality Service, and Delivering at Pace. In 2026, the framework remains central to recruitment, promotions, and performance reviews. When applying for roles, you'll need to provide specific examples that demonstrate these behaviours in action. These examples must be concise, evidence-based, and clearly linked to the behaviour's definition and level for the role you're seeking.
How to Structure Your Behaviour Examples with STAR
The STAR method is the recognised way to present civil service behaviour examples. It stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result. For UK civil service applications, you need to go beyond a simple narrative. Begin by outlining the situation and your specific task or objective. Then, focus on the actions you personally took, using strong verbs and precise language. Finally, describe the result, including any measurable impact or feedback you received. Crucially, tailor your example to the behaviour's level profile—what's expected of an SEO differs from a G7. Always refer to the Success Profiles guidance for your target grade, and make sure the result demonstrates the desired outcome, not just that you completed a task.
Example Behaviour: Seeing the Big Picture
For the behaviour 'Seeing the Big Picture', you need to show you understand how your work fits into wider government priorities. A strong example might be: Situation—a local council needed to align its digital service with new central policy. Task—as a policy officer, you had to review the current system and propose changes. Action—you researched the policy direction, consulted stakeholders across departments, and developed a costed plan that balanced local needs with national goals. Result—your recommendations were accepted, leading to a 15% increase in public satisfaction and stronger partnership relations. This example works because it links individual effort to organisational and strategic outcomes, exactly what assessors are looking for in this behaviour.
Example Behaviour: Working Together
For 'Working Together', focus on collaboration, building relationships, and managing conflict. Here's a practical example: Situation—a cross-departmental project was stalled due to disagreements between teams. Task—you were asked to help the group find common ground and deliver a joint report. Action—you organised a series of workshops, actively listened to each team's concerns, and facilitated compromise on key data-sharing protocols. You also established a communications channel to keep everyone informed. Result—the report was delivered on time, and both teams later praised your inclusive approach in feedback. This example demonstrates interpersonal skills, a clear focus on a shared goal, and tangible positive outcomes, making it a strong competency-based response.
Top Tips for Making Your Behaviours Pass the Panel
To score highly in civil service behaviour examples, follow these expert tips. Use examples from the last two to three years, unless the role specifically asks for older ones. Always quantify your results where possible—use percentages, time saved, or budget managed. Review the Success Profiles level descriptors and match your example's complexity and stakeholder engagement to the grade. Don't list generic actions; show your personal contribution by using 'I' not 'we'. Before submitting, read your example aloud to check it flows clearly within the word limit. Finally, prepare multiple examples for each behaviour so you can adapt to different application forms and interview questions. Practice tailoring them to the specific behaviour and job description to show genuine evidence.
FAQ
The nine Civil Service behaviours are: Seeing the Big Picture, Changing and Improving, Making Effective Decisions, Leadership, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together, Developing Self and Others, Managing a Quality Service, and Delivering at Pace. They are used across the Success Profiles framework to assess how candidates behave in the workplace. Each behaviour has defined level descriptors for different grades, so your examples should match the expectations for the role you are applying for.