How bad is it working for a local authority?

Manxman_in_exile

I'm always surprised by how many people who work in the private sector criticise public sector workers.


The criticisms include such things as laziness, incompetence, excessive sickness and better pension schemes.


Well everybody has (or had) a choice. If you were a rational economic agent why choose a job in the private sector when you could get a "cushy" job in the public sector? Answers: either (1) you weren't sufficiently qualified to get a good public sector job, or (2) you yourself decided (apparently wrongly) that you'd get a better deal in the private sector - so stop whingeing.

Voyager2002

Mr.Generous wrote: »

The few people I know who work for a council don't work very hard, take sickies when they feel like it and slope off at every opportunity. No private firm would tolerate such lazy and idle behavior but the council do because 1, We are paying for it anyway through our taxes, and 2, they are all at it.
Awaits backlash from hardworking council staff.

My experience was the opposite...

I joined a Local Authority to take up a new position: this had been created to handle the work-load of a team of six, a team that had been restructured so that all the people with experience of this work had left (mainly for the private sector: they had specialised skills and were snapped up). So I had a very heavy work-load, and while I was using some very sophisticated technology there was minimal time available for learning, and no-one around with experience of using it. So I had to find support where I could. At least my employer was good about sending me on relevant training courses.

All in all, I struggled to meet the deadlines for my projects (but these were vital because the work of many others depended on my contribution) and had to work extremely hard during my ten-hour days. At least I developed many new skills, and gained the stamina and persistence that I would need later on when I did a PhD.

If you want to find people with a cushy job, look at the Civil Service, particularly the central departments near Whitehall.

moneyistooshorttomention

I used to work for the Civil Service - and my experience of that latterly was that the atmosphere was probably a lot "harsher" in some ways than the private sector. That being that the Civil Service knew they had to "jump through all the hoops" if they decided posts were redundant and it's a process that takes some time from their decision they don't want people in those posts any longer until compulsory redundancy time.

During that time (which was certainly months - possibly years) they would hassle and hassle and hassle their employees to try and make them resign "of their own free will" (ie because they couldn't stand the atmosphere/pressure any longer) and, if that didn't work, then they would start coming up with admitting their post was redundant and putting pressure on staff to apply for jobs in all sorts of locations, etc, and if that didn't work then - eventually - there would be the compulsory redundancy at the end of all those attempts to put pressure on the employee to resign (ie in order to save them the cost of making redundancy payments). I used to almost wish they would just "get on with it" and make us redundant - as the private sector would - rather than putting us through hell trying to make us resign (but - nope - they were absolutely determined to try to avoid making redundancy payments to us).

The one blessing I noted as the years went on is that the "face fitting" promotions seemed to stop as far as I could make out (ie if your "face fitted" and you had been there donkeys years then you got promoted ahead of the person who was actually the most capable).

I can only speak for the Civil Service and I don't know if things work the same way in local authorities.

nimbo

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

During that time (which was certainly months - possibly years) they would hassle and hassle and hassle their employees to try and make them resign "of their own free will" (ie because they couldn't stand the atmosphere/pressure any longer) and, if that didn't work, then they would start coming up with admitting their post was redundant and putting pressure on staff to apply for jobs in all sorts of locations, etc, and if that didn't work then - eventually - there would be the compulsory redundancy at the end of all those attempts to put pressure on the employee to resign (ie in order to save them the cost of making redundancy payments). I used to almost wish they would just "get on with it" and make us redundant - as the private sector would - rather than putting us through hell trying to make us resign (but - nope - they were absolutely determined to try to avoid making redundancy payments to us

I can only speak for the Civil Service and I don't know if things work the same way in local authorities.

When I was NHS the redundancy process was seamless. They had a union guy in when they discussed it with everyone at the same time - even managers were clued up st this time. All phones were diverted for a short time. Totally open and honest (or at least it felt it).

Currently with a private company. Absolutely toxic. All service managers made redundant on the same day - they had no idea they'd all go in one fell swoop. They all left the building the week after - it has not been a happy environment.

We have loads of temp contracts ending at the end of the month - and have just won a new contract. These workers don't know if they'll be extended yet - most are assuming not. The rest of the workers have no idea how services will be delivered once these workers go. Several have found new roles. Several 'permanent' workers have also found new roles.

The bosses are advertising for roles - management level so they must have an idea what the structure is going to look like. The problem there - is the good staff are finding new roles. They will really struggle.

I think it's a management culture as to how well they handle it. Rather than a public / private firm.

I loved my time in the NHS. Loved my time in a private firm - getting paid a lot less. And am now going back to a local authority. Where I hope I'll be happy.

SOME People take the wee wee with sick in both sectors - there will possibly be a 'lazy' worker in any team - there will always be a mad busy period in any office - and personally I'd rather be busy than have not have anything to do.

Training has been exemplary in both sectors where I have worked. and I've worked in lovely and toxic teams in both sectors. I think it is what you make it - and being in a good team for me makes work a lot more enjoyable - rather than 'good' money.

Go for the job - and if you get an interview - ask them questions and see if you feel you'll enjoy working in the team. Realistically you'll spend max one day doing the form. And a day off for the interview - dependant on time. Nothing ventured - nothing gained.

TELLIT01

I've worked in public and private sector and have to say that my last employment, in the public sector, was the worst I ever experienced. Local management was actually allowed to manage, just implement decisions sent down from above even when those decision makers were fully aware that the resources simply weren't there to cope with the workload. Staff numbers continually being cut, changes made to the way work had to be done with no consideration as to the effect that would have on throughput. I could go on.
Historically, was there 'slack' in the system - absolutely there was. Is there any now? Not from my experience, and I'm glad to now be out of it.
The problem wasn't just a local one, internal message boards were full of people saying the same. As for taking sickies as and when! Just try it and see how long it takes before disciplinary action kicks in. 4 absences in a rolling year, even of 1 day each, starts it.
When I came up to retirement (it seems a long time ago now) I was asked if I would be interested in continuing to work a couple of days a week. My response was an immediate and categoric 'No'. If I had been in any of my previous jobs the response would have been 'Yes' as my wife was still working anyway. I think that may indicate something about current working life within the Civil Service.
Nimbo's comment about management culture is absolutely on the nail. Sadly, my experience was the management was by threat from those who didn't have any idea what the job actually entailed.

MataNui

Job security is much better than the private sector. LAs have proper process for everything and would rather move you to another role than get rid of you. My wife works for an LA and a friend is a manager in a different part of the LA. He says its almost impossible to get rid of under-performing staff and even those who are blatantly taking the p**s.

Pay and conditions are also better than the private sector contrary to what many would have you believe. This though does depend on your skill level and location. For unskilled/semi-skilled you are miles better off in the LA. Hourly rate is higher, holiday entitlement is higher, they pay you sick pay, you get a pension etc.

For professional level though its not so clear cut. I would be looking at around a 30-40% pay reduction in the LA plus have to put up with endless bureaucracy. Its not for me. We live in a pretty low wage area so around here most people would love the chance to work for the council.

DKLS

Manxman_in_exile wrote: »

I'm always surprised by how many people who work in the private sector criticise public sector workers.


The criticisms include such things as laziness, incompetence, excessive sickness.

I have worked for 3 councils and have encountered all of those things, the biggest being incompetence. One council i worked at they had a "Sickness Busting Team", good idea but as is usual with the public sector the execution was poor.

It was a doddle to identify those playing the game, 51/2 months off work go into work for a week then back on sick, I produced a list of suitable targets, but they didn't visit one person on that list, much easier to go after the workers like the chap who had 12 years service with zero sickness, then floored by influenza for a week.

Manxman_in_exile

I would accept that there are problems with management throughout the public sector. But the main problem is caused by the fact that public sector managers (particularly middle managers) aren't allowed a great deal of flexibility in how they do their jobs (ie manage staff and services). Their hands are tied by policies and procedures and the often (unrealistic) political agendas which the most senior managers think they have to push through at all costs (or they'll lose their jobs).


This is particularly true in the NHS where for the last 30 years managers have had to cope with waves of contradictory political imperatives from central government. These have to be implemented, often with the cost of losing sight of what the NHS is meant to be there for.

Gavin83

MataNui wrote: »

Job security is much better than the private sector. LAs have proper process for everything and would rather move you to another role than get rid of you. My wife works for an LA and a friend is a manager in a different part of the LA. He says its almost impossible to get rid of under-performing staff and even those who are blatantly taking the p**s.

Pay and conditions are also better than the private sector contrary to what many would have you believe. This though does depend on your skill level and location. For unskilled/semi-skilled you are miles better off in the LA. Hourly rate is higher, holiday entitlement is higher, they pay you sick pay, you get a pension etc.

For professional level though its not so clear cut. I would be looking at around a 30-40% pay reduction in the LA plus have to put up with endless bureaucracy. Its not for me. We live in a pretty low wage area so around here most people would love the chance to work for the council.

It hasn't been the case in my place. I've seen a lot of people who have been forced out but these people are the incompetent folk. We have regular restructures but it's a thinly veiled excuse to cut the staff who aren't pulling their weight. We've now been left with a (mostly) efficient department who know their stuff are are generally working extremely well considering the constraints they are under. This certainly wasn't always the case though and I can't really speak for other departments.

I do agree with you that low skilled workers are far better off in the public sector and will receive a higher rate of pay. However the higher up the scale you go the better off you are in the private sector. As I said earlier my job in the private sector commands a salary at a rate of £10k+ a year more than what I'm on. As I progress higher this difference will only increase.

I also wouldn't say the ratios of decent staff vs rubbish staff are any different to the private sector either. There are good and bad in both.

She just needs to weigh it up.

*katie*

Wow, a lot of conflicting answers here! Thanks to all that replied, it's been really useful

I think I will go for it and see what happens. To be honest I think I would be lucky to get an interview for this particular job anyway as it requires experience which I don't really have, although there have been other council jobs I've been interested in but haven't applied for because of what I've heard about councils.