Public Servant Lifestyle

Public sector organisations lead the way in offering benefits - such as time off in lieu, flexi time and working from home to promote work life balance - according to a new survey published by HR company, Manpower.

According to the survey of 3,500 public and private employers:

 Nearly 70% of public sector organisations said that they offer benefits to attract a wider range of candidates compared to 40% of employers in manufacturing organisations and 48% in the services sector.

 97.1% public sector companies offer benefits ahead of 89.5% service and 86.6% manufacturing organisations.

 Health topped the sub-sector poll ahead with 95.8% health employers offering benefits.

Statistics

These findings come hot on the heels of recent statistics from the National Audit Office, which showed that around 86,000 jobs were created in the public sector in the year prior to June 2002. In addition, it has been shown recently that graduates are now increasingly choosing the public sector, ahead of both blue chip companies and SMEs.

Peter English, from Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) says: "Although most organisations have good work/life balance benefit policies in place, the public sector tops work life balance policies offered in other sectors. As a result, it is succeeding in attracting quality employees, and is retaining a happy and motivated workforce, which ultimately results in increased productivity. Flexible working attracts many people such as working mothers back to work in the public sector, as many can start work at 8am and leave much earlier in the afternoon, allowing them to fulfil childcare commitments.

Accrue Hours

"Furthermore, many civil servants accrue hours and then take days off allowing them to pick and choose their work routines. As a result, public sector continues to be an attractive sector to work in, not only for the increasing number of jobs becoming available with rising government investment, but through the special attention they pay to the needs of its employees."

For more examples of flexible working opportunities across the UK public sector, click here.

More information available in Work Life Balance