Sound like an organization you’d want to be part of?
Fifty percent of federal workers are considering leaving for the private sector due to pay freezes, political gridlock and better pay. That’s one of the findings from a recent poll conducted by research firm Market Connections and FierceGovIT.
Many of these percentages are startling. The coming tsunami of senior level retirements in government has been predicted for some time, and these numbers suggest talent is not being replaced with new hires. The poll reported that 61 percent of respondents did not think there was enough hiring being done to prevent a brain drain from occurring.
As troubling as these numbers are, there is the question of where most of these workers could go. Benefits for federal workers are better than in the private sector, and with spending no longer rising each year contractor positions aren’t as easy to come by. That was Jill Aitoro’s take in her FedBiz column in Washington Business Journal.
Whatever your political persuasion, it’s sad to see the depths to which federal employee morale has fallen. These people have devoted their lives to public service, and this kind of angst suggests important government functions are now or will eventually be at risk.
Let’s hope business as usual can change and we can find a balance between fiscal responsibility and appreciation of public service.