Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Getting into HRHR practice

My next move

by Personnel Today 28 Feb 2006
by Personnel Today 28 Feb 2006

Q As a chartered occupational psychologist with considerable public sector experience, I have enjoyed consulting for a number of local councils on a variety of transformation programmes. I’m keen to keep this up, but am concerned the government’s ‘streamlining’ plan will gradually make this more difficult. Would it be more sensible for me to concentrate on working as an interim in the private sector instead?

A Working within the ever-changing public sector offers some wide-ranging opportunities for candidates seeking interim and permanent posts.

The changes are likely to continue into next year, with legislation to restructure councils likely to go through parliament. Although the government has still not agreed a firm deal between central and local government, this wholesale restructuring will inevitably result in a massive spend on consultants and interims.

In the wake of the Gershon review, and with a commitment to streamline departments, public sector managers are being urged to dramatically cut costs while still increasing efficiency. This means project resourcing becomes an issue, as the projects are sizeable, but headcount must appear low.

There is, therefore, a huge demand for effective project management in the public sector. The role of an interim manager, as opposed to the management consultant, is fast becoming a cost-efficient alternative and one that is beginning to grow exponentially in line with private sector interim usage.

Many of our clients, both in the public and private sectors, recognise interim management not as a fundamentally low-cost option, but as a results-driven, project-based solution that is better value than classic management consultancy.

There is much talk about public sector cost-cutting as well as the widening public sector wage gap. However, growth in public sector pay outstrips that of the private sector, and interim activity in the public sector is set to grow as it has in the private sector.

It is not so much a question of job security between public or private as a choice between working in a permanent role, being a consultant or interim manager. Rather than being a financial drain to the public sector, interim management is a practical cost solution to government departments’ current dilemma. I would advise that staying in the public sector is a perfectly valid career option.


By Alex Raubitschek, managing director, Ortus

Avatar
Personnel Today

previous post
BBC staff think they are not listened to
next post
Innocent have nothing to fear from CRB revisits

You may also like

Sickness absence rate in 2021 was highest in...

8 Jun 2022

Right-to-work: first digital identity check providers revealed

6 Jun 2022

Bank holidays: six things employers need to know

5 Jun 2022

Does a four day week work? Charlotte Lockhart...

1 Jun 2022

Hybrid working will ‘never be perfect’, finds report

31 May 2022

Employers must help employees ‘flourish’ post-pandemic

27 May 2022

Davos 2022: Upskilling workers necessary to overcome business...

26 May 2022

Lack of flexibility pushes half of women to...

16 May 2022

Queen’s Speech: Exclusivity contracts for low-paid workers to...

9 May 2022

Are we happy now? New research Sugar-coats working...

6 May 2022
  • NSPCC revamps its learning strategy with child wellbeing at its heart PROMOTED | The NSPCC’s mission is to prevent abuse and neglect...Read more
  • Diversity versus inclusion: Why the difference matters PROMOTED | It’s possible for an environment to be diverse, but not inclusive...Read more
  • Five steps for organisations across the globe to become more skills-driven PROMOTED | The shift in the world of work has been felt across the globe...Read more
  • The future of workforce development PROMOTED | Northumbria University and partners share insight...Read more
  • Strathclyde Business School expands its Degree Apprenticeship offer in England PROMOTED | The University of Strathclyde is expanding its programmes...Read more
  • The Search for Talent: Six Major Employer Pitfalls PROMOTED | The Great Resignation continues unabated...Read more
  • Navigating the widening “Skills Confidence Gap” in 2022, and beyond PROMOTED | Cornerstone OnDemand conducted a global study...Read more
  • Apprenticeships are the solution to your recruitment problems PROMOTED | Apprenticeships have the pulling power...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+