Making private talent more public

03 March 2010

Our recent survey revealed that chief executives and managers within the sector don’t believe they have the skills in place. Only 16% of managers said that their organisations had the resources to manage a reduced budget in 2010 and even fewer junior staff (13%) thought that was the case.

Anticipating cuts
It is clear that more needs to be done across the country in anticipation of these cuts, particularly in terms of sharing best practice between sectors, which would give professionals in the public sector more experiences to draw upon.

Interestingly, the funding challenges facing public services means there has been a much broader acceptance of the need for change, with more than two-thirds of managers (69%) and junior staff (66%) stating that the private sector will have ’an increasing role’ in helping the public sector meet its obligations.

More than half of those polled agreed ’completely’ or ’to some extent’ that this was a positive development and that they should look to the commercial sector for leadership guidance. Whether this means recruiting talent from the private sector or learning from it, commercial skills have been identified as a necessity.

Less willing
Despite this, private sector workers are now less willing to make the transition: only 38% of respondents would consider it as their next career move compared to 73% last year. Evidently, the pressures facing private sector professionals to reassess the idea of moving at a time when they might be most needed.

They are becoming more confident about the security of their job at the same time as public sector jobs and budgets are coming under more scrutiny. Fifty per cent said they would move to the public sector for increased job security, compared to 73% that said the same last year.

The main reason cited by private sector workers for moving into the public sector was the search for a better work-life balance. This figure rose from 59% last year to 70% this year. Work-life balance is increasingly important to jobseekers, particularly since the recession. Many professionals have reassessed what they want out of their career and salary is no longer top of the priorities list. Employers will need to harness this, working closely with employers to attract and retain talent.

Work-life balance is increasingly important to jobseekers, particularly since the recession. Many professionals have reassessed what they want out of their career and salary is no longer top of the priorities list.

Home-grown skills
Strong leaders must also be nurtured from the inside; developing home-grown skills will be key. For leaders already working in public services, there has never been a more exciting time to lead from the front and make a real difference.

Those coming up through the ranks and showing promise need to be given development opportunities to help them fulfil their potential and progress in their careers, as well as recognition for the contribution they are making to organisations in these challenging times.

Talented leaders are best positioned to drive changes and bring fresh, innovative thinking to public sector organisations. They will successfully engage with staff and gain support for change that is needed, creating the momentum to move forward.

Long-term planning
The public sector faces a difficult balancing act to ensure that the short-term need to balance budgets doesn’t leave the sector exposed to significant medium-term risk through a combination of a loss of experience and an inability to attract new talent.

In the long run, public sector employers will need to understand how they can best engage with the private sector so that in the future skills and people will be easily transferred and therefore more easily shared.

Movement between sectors should be encouraged and recruiters should take responsibility to ensure that such transitions are supported and encouraged where possible and that the best talent is found for these senior leadership positions.

While training and the development of latent talent are effective long-term solutions, this will not address the urgent need to manage transformation in the sector. The priority must be to inject expertise through interim management solutions and attract leaders motivated by the scale of the challenge.

Recruiters need to have expertise in the sector so that they can find suitable talent and work as true recruiting consultants to devise and deliver appropriate solutions.

Powerpoints

• Public sector workers have identified the need to work more closely with the private sector. More than two-thirds of managers (69%) and junior staff (66%) surveyed stated that the private sector will have ’an increasing role’ in helping the public sector meet its obligations
• Private sector workers are less willing to make the transition to the public sector: only 38% of respondents would consider it as their next career move compared to 73% last year
• Able leaders must be nurtured from inside the public sector; home-grown talent will need access to training and development to release their full potential as well as recognition for the positive contribution they are making to organisations in these challenging times
• The public sector is still recognised for offering a stronger work-life balance; 70% of private sector workers cited this as a reason for crossing sectors, compared to 59% last year