The majority of public sector professionals believe perceptions of bureaucracy and benchmark overload are deterring new recruits from joining the profession.
These are the findings of research released for national Public Sector Jobs Week (7-11 February) by recruitment company Hudson.
More than 2,500 employees from organisations across the UK were surveyed on their attitudes to the workplace and expectations about the world of work in the future.
The results revealed:
– Three-fifths (60 per cent) agreed that changes to measurement and benchmarking in the public sector in recent years had improved performance
– Two-fifths (39 per cent) admitted league tables and targets have placed great pressure on public sector departments
– Two-thirds (66 per cent) of respondents believe that potential applicants are being deterred from entering the public sector because they hear more about bureaucracy and red tape than they do about improvements and delivering efficient services to the public.
The survey also found that a commitment to more nimble ways of working, similar to methods used in the private sector, is changing the types of roles available in the public sector, and demanding a different skill set from candidates.
– Nearly two-thirds (65 per cent) expect delivery and quality assurance will become the key measures of success in the future
– One-third (31 per cent) believe the number of managerial and clerical jobs are likely to increase
– The skill most prized by prospective public sector employees is the ability to deliver against targets, ahead of flexibility, IT literacy and business acumen
– The ability to work flexibly is a priority for two-thirds (67 per cent) of public sector professionals
– Nearly half (44 per cent) would prefer a career break to a cash bonus
– Nearly one-third of those surveyed (32 per cent) are not concerned about loyalty to their employers
– 83 per cent expect to change jobs and even careers several times throughout their working lives.
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