HR magazine asked two experts for their views. Here, Louise Tibbert, head of HR and OD at Hertfordshire County Council writes for us on the topic.
"There is no doubt that the shift in private sector hiring is having an impact on the public sector. A HRD colleague described it recently as a gradual but increasing ‘leakage’ of talent. Pay is not the only motivator. Young people in particular want to try new sectors and roles as part of their career development.
There have been significant job cuts, re-shaping of services and teams and changes to roles and employment packages in the sector. The evidence so far is that these changes are beneficial. Customer satisfaction is up for councils and engagement is increasing. Middle and senior manager roles have reduced by 35% in my organisation and the picture is similar elsewhere.
However, those who are ambitious believe they have limited choices for their next move and this is starting to affect our talent pipeline. People choose to join the public sector for lots of reasons. Ultimately they are attracted into the roles and organisations that suit them best.
In local government we provide a huge range of services and there is plenty of opportunity for variety, challenge and career progression. We also offer a chance to make a real difference, and this is what our workforces say is important to them.
Talent and succession, workforce planning and a focus on employer brand are all commonplace. We now make sure that graduates, for example, have placements in different parts of the public sector, which benefits business as well as their personal development.
The top pay dilemma is a constant issue. The pay of chief executives of local councils is reducing and we will soon struggle to recruit into these key roles. People will not want to take on that level of responsibility for the money on offer. This means top talent will be more accepting of a portfolio career, one that spans many organisations, not just two or three."
Tomorrow Angela Wright, senior lecturer at the University of Westminister comments.
