To wonder why the Civil Service is so worshipped?

I love my CS job, and no it wasn’t because I had no where else to go as @AquaPeer said. I wanted a job that had some purpose but worked around family life. I tried for a long time to get into the cs and was v happy when I finally did.
The flexibility is amazing. 33 days holiday plus bank holidays (for full time I’m part time). V flexible with my part time hours. Flexi hours - literally choose when I work on my working days, any time between 7-7. Can build up and ‘owe’ flexi time too if I need to take a morning off etc. I wfh mostly, take AL when I want (2 weeks over Xmas no issues), good sick leave, maternity, medical leave etc. and of course the pension. They actually seem to care about our wellbeing unlike other places I’ve worked. And so many training and development opportunities. I can even do a degree, fully funded.

Redundancies are very rare and ,if they happen, are usually financially generous.
You actually make a difference to people lives. Very often ministerial policies are actually created by civil servants
A civilised society needs a reliable neutral ecosystem . Im not saying CS is perfect by any means but by and large it ensures the country is running.
As a long serving civil servant I can honestly say you’d be amazed at what happens behind the scenes to keep us a safe society.

Pay is really low at all grades, even more so at Grade 7 and 6, forgetting SCS pay being market too. I’d argue outside of London, AO-HEO/SEO is market rate.

I've never come across anyone with the attitude you're describing.

I have had several jobs and civil service has been best by far.

I get better wages, better pension, more annual leave, and more sick pay than anywhere I've ever worked. It's not something I'll take advantage of, but the maternity leave seems to good compared to other organisations.

I get Flexi time, which isn't just being able to start or finish early. I can take whole days/weeks off using Flexi leave.

They offer more flexible working patterns than anywhere I've worked before too. I have colleagues who work compressed weeks, term time only etc.

I'm not saying it's perfect by any means or the best place to work, but I definitely wouldn't say it's somewhere to work if you can't get a job anywhere else.

As a corner senior civil servant the advantages are:

• great pension
• you can get away with doing fuck all
• if you do slightly more than fuck all you get quick promotion
• if you are a lazy fucker the sick leave policy is great and you can swing the lead for literally years

Oh yes and this too! Whilst every single job in the world is useful, no matter how frivolous, in the public sector, you know you are doing your bit for society.

I used to work in an office -based role in the CS then left for a private sector job with slightly more money. I ended up leaving that job cos I felt undervalued, was bullied by my manager and the stress was making me ill. I now work in education. Both now and in the civil service I feel like my time and effort is actually contributing to a worthwhile outcome other than profit for someone else. There are drawbacks definitely, but I'm much happier than I was in the private sector and have never dreaded going in to work the way I did then because most days I feel my effort actually means something and has benefits to others besides making money, which is important to me. Just different priorities rather than right or wrong ones, and being fortunate that my DP also earns enough (in a private sector job he enjoys) that I don't have to take a job I hate just to pay the bills.

The pension is miles better. The hours are often better, yes most places offer flexi but the public sector is usually more flexible. There is often less pressure and the pace is usually slower. Yes there's redundancies occasionally but it's still generally a safer bet than private. Schools, hospitals, local gov, central gov etc are always going to be there whatever happens whereas private companies disappear regularly. There's often less commute, (eg if you work in schools, hospital, local gov - there will always be a near one whereas if you're a specialist in the private sector, potential employers may be on the other side of the country). There tends to be greater flexibility around sickness. The gap between public and private sector pay is nowhere near as big as it used to be. Some surveys suggests there is now parity in parts of the civil service. Certainly when you add in the value of pensions and other benefits, there is sometimes little between the two financially. Parts of the public sector, particularly local gov, have developed hugely in terms of sophistication and efficiency so it is no longer full of dinosaurs.

There will always be exceptions to the above but, in the main, it's a very good place to work. I would absolutely recommend it to kids at the beginning of their career. ('Worship' is a strong word though!).

I don’t work in the CS, but elsewhere in the public sector. Something that no one else seems to have mentioned, I want to work in the CS/public sector because I do not want to work in a job driven by profit or others making money.

I temped in the home office after uni. They actually asked me to slow down! They asked me if I was interested in a job but I was so bored I didn't give it a second thought. perhaps that was a mistake'

Flexi time, great pension, stuck in the early 80s, easy life, good terms and conditions, never sack anyone, easy to stand out amongst some of the dinosaurs they employ.

whats not to worship.

It used to be seen as a job for life - and progression used to possible for people with little or no qualifications.

so many parents encouraged their children to take a safe civil service job. Certainly in my parents generation.

Nothing specific

the last person I worked with who had been in CS summed it up quite well- “I quickly, as anyone who is good in the CS does, ended up directing a department of 300 people”

Oh, and the chance to work on really interesting important stuff: which genuinely makes a difference to people.

and they paid for her degree.

Which CS jobs are you referring out of interest? Local government/ operational roles or policy/delivery roles? I’ve worked with some incredibly bright people in a variety of roles across Whitehall who would have plenty of options elsewhere.

for me, there are issues of course, but the pension, genuine flexibility, and 9 months full mat pay have been brilliant.

My friend has great annual leave and sickness too.

Quality of life. Depends on the department of course... but have worked in one, DH still does (35 years and counting)

Annual leave tomorrow? Sure.
Mum is ill, see you Friday? Take the time you need.
Flexi hours? Yep.
Year off maternity? No probs.
Support PhD study? Absolutely.
Extra week leave for long service? Yep.
I'm taking 2 weeks annual leave over Christmas.? Ok
Didn't use all my leave, can I bank it for next year? Sure.
Time out for charity work? Sounds great, what do you need...

When I retired (55) I worked in a shop a couple of mornings... omg the real world sucks...

Not everywhere has flexi working and wfh though. The private sector seems to be increasingly heading back to the office.

It’s not necessarily a job life in that there are redundancies but if there are redundancies you are first in line internally. There are opportunities to progress and move around. You can very easily spend your entire career in the civil service, even if your role is made redundant.

There is generous maternity, paternity and adoption leave. There is good annual leave entitlement. It’s usually easier to get a flexible working request approved or to reduce your hours or job share.

Pension is a big one though. The pension is why I would head into the civil service.

Hmmmm, not sure ‘worshipped’ is what I hear about CS roles! I’d say the pros vary hugely by role and department but in general:

• massive potential for internal change and/or promotion - once you are in, it’s easy to look at shadowing/secondment/‘acting up’ to progress your career or go in a different direction. The civil service is good about finding training and mentoring
• greater flexibility than I’ve seen in private sector roles, esp Ito family friendly hours and work practices
• in some areas, real respect and valuing of different experiences; genuine approach to ensuring accessibility of access and promotion (eg for ND staff; staff with disabilities; staff with caring responsibilities)
• ability to try and do real good; and act with integrity to support vulnerable people. Often ‘unsung’ but very meaningful work; albeit within constraints

I love working for the Civil Service. Great pension, WFH, good annual leave/sick policies, OK pay. I’m an SEO so fairly well paid but there’s alway room for improvement 😜 I worked for a charity for 3 months on NMW after taking voluntary redundancy from the NHS (again, loved it) and it was awful. Rubbish pay, crap holiday/sick policies and seem to work harder there than I do now in a professional job 🤷‍♀️

Yes! a teacher is actually exactly the profile of person I would imagine to be desperate to get into CS- a vocation and limited transferable skills, a crap workplace they’re trying to get away form

6 months full pay 6 months half pay for sickness. Better than average maternity/paternity leave. Special leave policy covering child illness. Good Annual Leave. Options for progression are good if you are interested. A chance to actually influence the governing of Britain instead of just moaning about it.

Maybe they don’t have many other options

Also good when you don’t fit the “desirable” profile for the private sector - one of DH’s colleagues moved to the civil service when she noticed younger, less experienced men being employed over her (IT contractor - sector notoriously likes to employ young men over 50-something women). DH still works in the sector but has also noticed it’s harder to find work in your 50s, unless you are in management.

I also know people who moved to the BBC for similar reasons - less likely to be managed out for being middle aged.