Public Sector

[wordy]

That is pressure that applies to every job. For generations it hasn't to the public sector so again an example of the differences they have been use to. Lots of businesses get rid of staff, jobs for life are a thing of the past for most these days. Of course the threat of job loss is stressful.

But that's not what you said though, you said they are under zero REAL pressure & then in the above post that it is stressful.

 

[Gilly]

I think the problem with Public Sector is generally the pay.

I fully agree. The amounts they are on compared to most private sector is obscene.

But that's not what you said though, you said they are under zero REAL pressure & then in the above post that it is stressful.

He also mentioned businesses, which means private sector the way I read it. It's another reason the public sector workers aren't under real pressure.

 

[Rotty]

I do lots or work for loads od public and private sector companies and in general the work ethic, organisation and general competence of public sector organisations is well below that of the private sector

I am not saying that it is the fault if individual people but there is an ingrained culture that is far below the standards expected in the outside world

 

[Josh]

I agree with the pay in a way.

I do Sharepoint admin/records manager/General IT stuff - for me at the top end of my pay bracket unless I promote is £23.5k. I don't have any Sharepoint quals, all the courses I have attended are through the MoD so I don't believe they are recognised externally.

I'm not sure what the going rate for Sharepoint admin is but I'd think they would earn more due to the qualifications etc, but the stress is probably greater and the workload bigger.

The trade off for pay is the holidays, hours and slower workload in some cases.

 

[booyaka]

There appears to be a consensus amongst my fiends and wider grounp of friends that public sector workers (outside of teachers and medical professions) are a bunch of total dossers and wouldn't know hard work or a 'modest pension' if it came up to them and told them to leave at an outrageous 5:05pm.

I have little knowledge - is this bull?? Dispose the myth OCUK!

i'll be honest and say this is my thoughts on the matter.

I have a number of friends, one in particular who has worked in the public sector since 16. He has now got to a point where he gets 35 days a year holiday PLUS public. he can build up another 1 day a month holiday under flexi time so in total he gets over 10 weeks holiday a year.

He NEVER starts before 8.30am NEVER works past 4.30pm, doesn't work weekends, public sector paid for his education via day release to college then university.

He freely admits that his job is easy and in his department he has 4 colleagues all doing the same job, but he thinks at most the 5 of them work load could be managed between 2 of them.

He admits to being a "lifer" - floating along as he will have a full pension when he's 55. Surprisingly his wife also works in the public sector as well.

Pay is poorer compare to the private sector but he is aware of the massive benefit of the pension, sick pay etc etc

Also public sector would get on much better if they did away with 6 months full sick pay, 6 months half. Too many people take the pure mickey out of this. I've NEVER work anywhere with any form of sick pay, if your off, you don;t get paid - simple. Guess what, no one was ever off.

Looking at my wife's work (NHS as a dedicated and highly skilled midwife/manager) - sickness is rife, running at ricidulously low staff numbers etc - get rid of sick pay and that would massively help.

 

[Freefaller]

I currently work in the public sector, my two cents:

1. The majority of the new, younger starters coming through are of a similar standard to those moving into the private sector. Qualified, intelligent and hard working. I'm incredibly good at my job, arrogant and yet there we are.

2. A good portion of the "lifers" within the organisation are shambolic, and seem to magically retain their positions regardless of staffing cutbacks.

3. The age old cliche of public sector workers clocking in at ten and out at four is a myth. We're significantly underpaid compared to the private sector, we have been quicker to embrace flexible working practices however.

3. The sector is now chronically underfunded and our ability to recruit and retain high quality young staff members is all but extinct. As an example, our place pays new admin about £15k, in the same location they could walk into a private sector admin post paying £22k. Don't believe the nonsense about efficiency savings either there's not a local authority in the Country that could have saved 40% through efficiency, and Councils such as my own, historically very lean and efficient, are disproportionately penalised for responsible fiscal management during the good times.

4. Automatic increments are also gone, don't worry though, for the sake of balance they've also made it nigh on impossible to get a performance related payrise as well.

I work in a team of extremely competent and dedicated individuals, all of whom work way above what their job roles and pay grades require of them. I enjoy the work, as do the rest of my colleagues but I can tell you categorically that in 2 years time the top 50% of that team will have jumped ship to the private sector. You may assume that the best and brightest should migrate to the private sector anyway, but then consider the fact that the chaff will remain, and they will be the ones in charge of ensuring best value for tax payers, and providing core services such as care for the elderly and disabled etc.

Agreed. I'm currently working within a public sector environment and that has been my experience and thoughts 100%.

Whilst the pay isn't as good as it was in the private sector (I took a fair pay cut coming into this role) the overall benefits are hugely better for a person at my band/level that wouldn't be recognised at the same level in the private sector.

I also think the work life balance is a lot better. Sure you get people that take the mickey, but you get that in every environment, it is also a much less dog-eat-dog atmosphere. I had to put in silly hours in my previous role in a large FTSE100 for little gain or reward, and all because people would be quick to stab you in the back because they wanted your job, or you had to be aggressive to get the next promotion - no thanks. At least where I am for the moment, I can work hard, enjoy flexible working hours, but feel secure and be in a collaborative environment.

Thing is, you get good and bad in both. Of course you get the long term staff that enjoy their packages and do the bare minimum, but you get those who are passionate about their roles and do it because they love it. Although I don't get pay rises (well nothing significant) or bonuses, I can live with that as I get a lot of other things. I like the Ts and Cs, I don't exploit them as I have no need (I don't get sick for example) - but I'm not resting on my laurels, I work hard, and I've been recognised as such, which has offered opportunities.

You can achieve big things in both sectors, they are just different approaches. I'm not after aggressive working environments that reward highly. I'd rather be rewarded moderately, but able to enjoy life more. But money/career is less important to me than life.

 

[VincentHanna]

Also public sector would get on much better if they did away with 6 months full sick pay, 6 months half. Too many people take the pure mickey out of this. I've NEVER work anywhere with any form of sick pay, if your off, you don;t get paid - simple. Guess what, no one was ever off.

Looking at my wife's work (NHS as a dedicated and highly skilled midwife/manager) - sickness is rife, running at ricidulously low staff numbers etc - get rid of sick pay and that would massively help.

Essex County Council just changed their sickpay policy to make it a lot easier to get rid of people who take the mickey.

 

[wordy]

He also mentioned businesses, which means private sector the way I read it. It's another reason the public sector workers aren't under real pressure.

You don't think redundancy is stressful or putting pressure on people?

Housey's 1st post said

i also have many friends who i grew up who took the local government approach and as we close in our 50's they are still there, doing the same thing, happy with their lives but under zero REAL pressure.

Reading that last line again, perhaps they have it right.

Then....

That is pressure that applies to every job. For generations it hasn't to the public sector so again an example of the differences they have been use to. Lots of businesses get rid of staff, jobs for life are a thing of the past for most these days. Of course the threat of job loss is stressful.

So he's agreeing there is the pressure of potential job losses for most LA workers, just the same as a private sector employee.

 

[Greboth]

Also public sector would get on much better if they did away with 6 months full sick pay, 6 months half. Too many people take the pure mickey out of this. I've NEVER work anywhere with any form of sick pay, if your off, you don;t get paid - simple. Guess what, no one was ever off.

I agree that the sick pay in the public sector is too high however to entirely remove sick pay is too far the other way IMO. If you work on if you're off you don't get paid then people are going to come to work sick. You are going to get people coming in when they shouldn't be at work so their productivity would be terrible. Also, through winter when cold's and flu are rife, you just end up with entire offices ill rather than a handful off sick.

Personally, having worked in both private and public sector (currently in public) there is little difference in the people IMO. As people have said above, you get those that work hard and lifers who really don't care about the work and I would say the proportions of each are roughly similar. I enjoy the benefits of being in the public sector for my role they come with catches. I know people who do a similar job in the private sector for almost double what I earn however they have to be in the office 9-5 at minimum, they only have the statutory minimum 28 days holiday etc. It is a constant temptation to switch sides however I like the work / life balance I have and I haven't yet convinced myself that it is worth sacrificing that for money.

Having friends in the private sector I do think it could learn something from the public sector, especially in relation to flexi / TOIL. The work I do depends so much on private sector business and other Government departments that it ebbs and flows. When it is busy I have to do long hours to cover it all but it is recognised when it is quiet that there is no problems with leaving a little early here and there.

 

[byeo]

I work in immigration, work 7-3 monday to friday, never worked weekends and only worked late once or twice and that was because they offered overtime.

I currently get 27.5 days annual leave per year, next year when I hit 10 years in the Home Office, I'll get 5 more plus bank holidays. We have flexible working hours so I also build up flexi days which I can take (can't be up more than two days flexi) in one month and can't be more than 3 flexi days down p/m.

Pay is crap but there are too many benefits/perks which I would lose out on if I went private.

 

[Richeh]

Have been with the DWP for 10 years working in 2 different departments (latest for just over 2 years now).

If someone gets me on the phone or I have to action their bit of work it will be done as well as it can be, as the only satisfaction I get from my job is knowing I haven't contributed to the vast cluster-**** that is the management of these places.

However, as people have said on here it can be/is soul destroying work for a lot of people. 70% of DWP staff are AO grade which is the second to lowest grade and this is paid quite a bit below the private sector for admin work - especially with the types of calls/clients we can deal with as I am sure a lot of people wouldn't like to be dealing with either the poorest in society, or the parents arguing over their kids etc on a regular daily basis.

The main issue with the Public Sector (and I am referencing this from a DWP perspective) is the management. The high level people in these organisations get swapped and switched around from various departments but have no actual expertise or real knowledge in that area. Anyone who gets to that kind of level where they make real decisions and is good at it will go the private sector. Your then left with people who are just a grade but don't have the manager behind it. The way my current department is run is shambolic and with all the internal mistakes, system issues and an almost desire for them to prevent you from doing the job to the best of your ability it is very hard to do over and above.

I stay because, I don't find the job that difficult, any difficulty I have is from system/processes/clients. I have no desire to live to work, I enjoy my hobbies, not working. It pays better than working in a supermarket and the annual leave/flexi/pension is decent but please be aware all 3 of these have been reduced/are being changed to be brought in line with the 'private sector' but in 4 years time my wages would have had a 1% pay rise for I think 9 years. And that has been set and will not be changing.

Working in the Public Sector can be easy or hard and as everyone has said you have all kinds of people in it, good and bad.

 

[Housey]

On the money question I do find it odd. I see people within the sector moaning about the wages, but seemingly they don't get off their ass to find better wages. I think that in itself is an indication of the public sector mentality. I appreciate that is a simplification and not applicable to all, but when I hear people who have spent their careers in the public sector moaning for their entire career about their lack of pay I struggle to feel any sorrow for their predicament. If you believe you are as good as people doing the same thing earning more, who is the fool if money is the most important aspect of work if you do nothing about it.

 

[Bickaxe]

My partner (and I) moved location/job for a better work/life balance.

Her old office was full of slackers and people waiting for their pension and she was doing all the work so constant 12 hour days (with travel) when others were doing 6 or 7.

But as others have said, it not just public sector. I've never worked in that area, only private and that's just as bad.
My main reason for moving jobs is that I'm doing too much and others put in the minimum. Management are the main problem too (either they don't act on it, or are too lazy).

 

[FTM]

I am a system admin for a mid size local authority

I am happy to accept lower wages for a better work life balance (when I say lower its still above average for where I live, but is peanuts in other areas of the country) I love flexible working hours and its a real boon when it comes to the trout season!

but I also deal with plenty of private companies ( we work with Oracle, capita, HP, BT etc)...who are no better than my staff to be honest, broken deadlines, lack of information and cheeky expenses claims, or just having no real knowledge of their own products

like anywhere you get to know who to go to to get anything done, and its the same in the public sector. you eventually find out who you can rely on and deal with them directly, and just go round the obtstacles..middle management is particularly poorly rated by our section, as they seem to have no detailed knowledge of what they want or how to acheive it so IT staff end up project managing stuff from different business areas because the clients are so useless

 

[Richeh]

On the money question I do find it odd. I see people within the sector moaning about the wages, but seemingly they don't get off their ass to find better wages. I think that in itself is an indication of the public sector mentality. I appreciate that is a simplification and not applicable to all, but when I hear people who have spent their careers in the public sector moaning for their entire career about their lack of pay I struggle to feel any sorrow for their predicament. If you believe you are as good as people doing the same thing earning more, who is the fool if money is the most important aspect of work if you do nothing about it.

Job security, flexible working and no interest in the potential dog eat dog nature of private sector work I expect are high on most peoples list. And if you have already put reasonable time into the Public Sector a lot won't want to lose out on the pension.

 

[FTM]

Job security, flexible working and no interest in the potential dog eat dog nature of private sector work I expect are high on most peoples list. And if you have already put reasonable time into the Public Sector a lot won't want to lose out on the pension.

there is no job security anymore, with the ongoing cuts to local authorities there are constant reviews and lay offs

I notice HR always survive though...funny that!

 

[bayo000]

I guess just like any other organisations. You'll have good people and you'll have crap people and your experience will wary depending who you get to deal with.

If I was to base it on last few people I dealt with in my local council then they're all crap.

 

[Terminal_Boy]

Big corporations are just as bad once they move out of the start-up phase.

Especially so in telecoms I my experience.

 

[Stretch]

All the people I know who work in the public sector (local government etc), would happily admit in private that their jobs are pretty much non-jobs.

I worked as temp in our regional government office for 6 months after I finished uni. The place was a joke. Layers of management, managing staff who done nothing except moan and eat a subsidizes lunch.

Osborne shut the place down in 2011.

Big corporations are just as bad once they move out of the start-up phase.

Agreed to some extent.

 

[FTM]

Big corporations are just as bad once they move out of the start-up phase.

Especially so in telecoms I my experience.

my wife works in the private sector and from what she tells me after work its no different, they have lazy staff and stupid managers as well (banking)

seems to me once an organisation reaches a certain size its impossible to stop things being slightly inefficient..especially in longstanding companies where working practices become ingrained habits no matter how stupid or long winded they seem to people..its just the way things are done