06 September 2002
In a report into recruitment and retention, the watchdog found that 78% of the former workers it questioned cited paperwork and performance targets as the main reason for leaving. Pay came eighth on the list of gripes, long after lack of resources and hefty workload. The majority stated that the content of their work was dictated by what was measured and not by what mattered.
But the commission, the purveyor of a number of targets, said the study suggested that staff failed to understand the importance of performance measurement. The commission's director of research, Andrew Webster, said he recognised what the survey had revealed and steps were already being taken to make targets 'more relevant'.
The report, published on September 3, warns of a growing crisis in the public sector. 'It [the government]… needs to do something to help,' said Webster. 'It needs to talk up the public sector and promote its image. It has spent too long talking it down.'
The commission also criticised employers, finding that they lacked basic information on keeping staff. Only one in five former workers was offered an exit interview.
Significantly, 42% of the 300 former staff surveyed said they had originally joined because they wanted to make a difference. Over half said they would not return to the public sector, while 68% said its poor image would discourage new recruits.
But the commission found that 95% said it was irrelevant whether they worked in the public or private sector, despite significant differences. Public sector workers were older, more qualified, more likely to belong to a union, and more satisfied but also more stressed in their jobs.
Unison said the report supported its campaign for better pay and conditions. Deputy general secretary Keith Sonnet said: 'The government must deal with this crisis now by making sure that there are decent wages and conditions. It can no longer take for granted the goodwill and commitment of the public sector.'
PFsep2002
