Pride in working in public sector falters as employees lose faith in leaders

PUBLIC SECTOR

Pride in working in public sector falters as employees lose faith in leaders

Senior management and frontline staff have lost their sense of pride in the public sector and are poised to jump ship, according to new research from global management consultancy, Hay Group.

• 72% of public sector workers participating in the survey do not feel proud to work in the sector.
• 70% state that their morale is at an all-time low.
• 43% want to leave their current employer.
• 78% are planning to wave goodbye within the next three years.

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John Howarth, associate director in public sector consulting at Hay Group, said:

“Over the last five years, the public sector has undergone a dramatic change. Within the context of the new economic reality, leaders urgently need to reinvigorate employees’ enthusiasm and reconnect them with a clear organisational purpose and vision. If leaders fail to take action, they risk losing their most capable staff. And where talent goes, pride, morale and productivity are sure to follow.”

Senior management "black hole"

• 32% of senior managers who are looking to leave their organisation want to do so this year – higher than for any other job level.
• 43% are planning to leave the public sector altogether, with 84% falling under the banner of experiencing all-time low morale.
• 27% feel that public criticism is a significant barrier to feeling proud of the sector, and 23% highlight a lack of leadership.

Taking action

• In order to rebuild pride amongst public sector employees, Hay Group reckons that leaders must ensure that staff are supported and feel valued.
• As it stands, 52% feel less supported by their manager now than before government austerity began, while 40% state that staff feel unimportant.
• Trust in leadership is also vital. Yet according to Hay Group’s study, almost half of employees (47%) do not believe that their leaders deliver on promises.

A final word

“During times of change it is a challenge to motivate and engage staff, uniting everyone behind a clear common vision. The good news for public sector leaders is that there is still a fundamental belief amongst employees that the sector exists to support and benefit the local community. To rebuild pride and drive engagement, leaders need to harness this sense of purpose – and follow through on all that they promise.” - John Howarth, associate director in public sector consulting at Hay Group.

Want to know more?

Hay Group’s research is based on interviews with 1,000 public sector employees working in local and central government, health and social care and education. The research was carried out in March and April 2013.

Hay Group is a global consulting firm that “works with leaders to turn strategies into reality”. It has 85 offices in 49 countries, and work with over 7,000 clients across the world. For more information, visit: www.haygroup.co.uk.