Abstract
This article examines the emerging directions of public personnel policy in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The research aims to evaluate the current state of the civil service system by analyzing the effectiveness of the personnel reserve, the implementation of digital HRM tools, and the practical application of meritocratic principles. The study applies a combination of systemic, statistical, and qualitative methods, including expert interviews. Findings reveal a significant gap between formal institutional frameworks and actual implementation practices. The analytical potential of HR tools remains underutilized, and personnel decisions are often based on formal procedures rather than data-driven analysis. The results are compared with international benchmarks (OECD, World Bank), highlighting Kazakhstan’s contextual specificities. The paper offers practical recommendations to foster a culture of evidence-based decision-making, improve the personnel reserve mechanism, and improve and transform HRM processes. It also outlines future research directions such as regional disparities and motivational factors. Keywords: civil service, personnel policy, HRM, data-driven management, talent pool, digital transformation, meritocracy.