The Public Sector

[Donna Ferentes]

Well, not really. The problem is that in the things that the public sector does, there isn't a customer in quite the same direct, urgent way that's the case in most functions which the private sector this. (This is one of the reasons why the private sector doesn't normally actually want to do the things the public sector does - or if it does, it normally wants to cherrypick, get things that well-off people and businesses want to pay for and leave the rest).

If you're in a shop, the private sector doesn't deliver for you because it loves you, it does it because if it doesn't you'll walk out and go somewhere else. And it's not only hard but normally counterproductive to try and recreate that relationship artificially, i.e. where it doesn't exist naturally. In fact, some of the worst private sector practices are in situations where they have a real or near-monopoly (think utilities, or the PFI scams with their twenty-five year purchasing contracts) or where the customer is in a really weak position (like for instance a lot of private rented housing). It's really a question of function rather than whether a given service is situated within the public or private sector - if you're not talking about a strong customer, how do you make things work?

 

[Idaho]

This is true, but it's also true that a lot of things are positively feared in the private sector, including joining trades unions and standing up to bullying. I also think the private sector as a whole is a lot less innovative and flexible than it reckons it is: there's an awful lot of quasi-mythology about.

I agree about the trade unions, but not always about the bullying.

I think it is often more to do with the size of an organisation than whether it is private or public.

 

[zippyRN]

So, I've just started working in the public sector (housing) after months of freelancing and before that years of working in the private sector.

What the fuck. Nobody does ANYTHING! Any sign of inspiration or fresh thinking is immediately shot down or referred to a committee for further discussion, ultimately ending up nowhere. I actually heard our CEO say to a colleague who was drafting a press release the other day 'Make sure it looks like we do actually care, you know what I mean - even tho we don't.. hahahahaha'. Some of the people here seem to have been in the same job since the 70s.

ARRRRGH. I feel stupid. I worked for 3 months last year for a charity and loved it, so I thought this would have a similar vibe. Man. What a fuck up.

Is it like this across the sector?

to the OP this is local council or an ALMO with staff tuped or still actually employed by the local council ?

as someone who works in the NHS i find most of my dealings with local councils extremely frustrating compared to my dealing with other parts of Health, the police and with private companies and with charities ...

 

[Donna Ferentes]

The police?

The single most bureaucratic body in the country?

 

[John Holmes]

So, I've just started working in the public sector (housing) after months of freelancing and before that years of working in the private sector.

What the fuck. Nobody does ANYTHING! Any sign of inspiration or fresh thinking is immediately shot down or referred to a committee for further discussion, ultimately ending up nowhere. I actually heard our CEO say to a colleague who was drafting a press release the other day 'Make sure it looks like we do actually care, you know what I mean - even tho we don't.. hahahahaha'. Some of the people here seem to have been in the same job since the 70s.

ARRRRGH. I feel stupid. I worked for 3 months last year for a charity and loved it, so I thought this would have a similar vibe. Man. What a fuck up.

Is it like this across the sector?

This is not bad. This is good. Why would you want to work hard at work? Fuck that. Do the least possible. Just make some friends. A shot of vodka before entering the building in the morning does help take the edge of things.

I hate the private sector. I want to get back into the public sector - leaving was my worst ever mistake (I used to have stupid ideas like you about working hard and progress and shit).

 

[John Holmes]

I think it is silly to tar the whole "public sector" with the same brush.

I know people who work in local government who work really hard, and whose initiative and ideas are supported. In fact, my daughter is one of those people.

I also know many public and civil servants who work ridiculously hard and long hours, and who are committed to the service they provide, even if their initiative and ideas are not supported.

This is becoming more widespread as the "efficiency savings" kick in. Across a lot of the public sector, the numbers have staff have reduced massively, but the workload remains. This is requiring a huge change in ways of working and in attitudes, some of which has got to be good, although I do know people who are buckling under the pressure of excessive workload.

Local government? Work really hard? Initiative and ideas are supported?

Local government is a good place to work - but don't delude yourself into thinking that it is hard working and dynamic. It is stable, and all about following written and unwritten rules.

 

[Idaho]

This is not bad. This is good. Why would you want to work hard at work? Fuck that. Do the least possible. Just make some friends. A shot of vodka before entering the building in the morning does help take the edge of things.

I hate the private sector. I want to get back into the public sector - leaving was my worst ever mistake (I used to have stupid ideas like you about working hard and progress and shit).

It's good that it suits some people, but I can't think of a more depressing life than you've pictured.

 

[Guineveretoo]

Local government? Work really hard? Initiative and ideas are supported?

Local government is a good place to work - but don't delude yourself into thinking that it is hard working and dynamic. It is stable, and all about following written and unwritten rules.

I was referring to my direct experience of people who work, or who have worked, in local government. Just because you have had a different experience, doesn't mean that others have not been hard working, and to have had their initiative rewarded.

I am not denying that a lot of people in local government go to work, get their head down, and do whatever they are told, no more and no less. But that is not true of everyone.