More public sector jobs but a tougher year ahead for public sector workers and managers

Figures to be released tomorrow 13 January, by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), are expected to show that the number of public employees is continuing to rise. But with the Government under pressure to curb public borrowing and deliver more value for money to the taxpayer, the rate of growth in public sector jobs and pay is set to slow. As a result 2006 will be the toughest year for public sector workers since Gordon Brown began to boost government spending at the start of the decade, says the CIPDís Chief Economist, John Philpott.

Dr Philpott said:
ìThe CIPD estimates ñ based on the Instituteís quarterly Labour Market Outlook - that total public sector employment is likely to have grown by around 70,000 in the year to the third quarter of 2005. This, however, would represent a slowdown in the rate of growth of public sector employment, and probably be the first substantive sign of the impact of the Gershon efficiency drive on staffing levels in the Civil Service.

But whatever todayís ONS figures show, 2006 will see the public jobs bonanza on the wane while the bulk of public sector employees will no longer enjoy the relatively rapid pay rises of recent years.î

Philpott continued:
ìAlthough ministers are fully justified in getting to grips with public sector payrolls and efficiency as part of their overall effort to improve public service delivery, this will inevitably make life difficult for public sector managers already facing mounting trade union discontent over job cuts, pay curbs, and a tougher stance on tackling the sectorís relatively high rate of absenteeism.

Public sector managers are having to tread a fine line between meeting efficiency targets and maintaining employee motivation and commitment. Achieving this balance is a highly skilled task and crucial to raising performance in the public services. As a result it is important that the vital contribution of public sector managers is not downplayed in crude political debate over public sector jobs, which often unfairly caricatures public sector managers as ëunproductive bureaucratsí. On the contrary, while no one wants the public services to be over-managed, without effective management of front-line staff there is no way that taxpayers will be able to get the value for money they deserve.í