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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

"Public sector - so no"

353 replies

OhpoorMe · 11/12/2023 11:00

Anyone else get quite frustrated seeing this on threads about Christmas parties/ bonuses / staff perks etc

The public sector isn't one homogenous organisation. I've only ever worked in PS organisations and have always had a paid for staff party, sometimes bonuses, sometimes perks etc.

It's not a given that public sector = badly treated!

OP posts:
EvelynKatie · 11/12/2023 14:17

I’ve been public sector my whole working life across various different ones, and never had paid for parties and bonuses? I mean, I’d feel uncomfortable if we did given it’s tax payers money. I work in Higher Education, and whilst we do receive some government funding, I also wouldn’t want us to spending student tuition fees on staff parties.

Flatulence · 11/12/2023 14:21

No, it's not homogeneous.
However, having worked in 5 public sector orgs of varying kinds I've never once had a Christmas party paid for from the public purse, nor would I expect to either. The only time I've had stuff paid for at Christmas is when bosses have put their hands into their pockets. The years I spent in the private sector were quite different.

I also don't think most people who work in the public sector think we're "badly treated" by our employers; I certainly don't and much prefer my life now to the life I had at private sector firms. We'd just have liked it if our wages had kept pace with private sector equivalents and/or the cost of living.

KimberleyClark · 11/12/2023 14:22

For the last years of my working life I worked for a public body but was not employed by the government. Same stricture re spending taxpayers money as in government department. We did have an all staff meeting at Christmas followed by a lunch buffet provided by the in house caterers which was paid for out of the hospitality budget. No alcohol served.

sherloc · 11/12/2023 14:23

EvelynKatie · 11/12/2023 14:17

I’ve been public sector my whole working life across various different ones, and never had paid for parties and bonuses? I mean, I’d feel uncomfortable if we did given it’s tax payers money. I work in Higher Education, and whilst we do receive some government funding, I also wouldn’t want us to spending student tuition fees on staff parties.

Steer well clear of the Vice Chancellor's office then.

ChocolateCinderToffee · 11/12/2023 14:24

I worked in local government for twenty years and the only gifts I got were from colleagues, bought out of their own pocket. The last ten years, even our Christmas ’do’ was in our own time. If anyone outside the organisation even OFFERED us a gift, we had to refuse and declare it.

Cailleachian · 11/12/2023 14:26

I used to work public sector until about a decade ago. There were always paid for xmas parties, but usually modest affairs (turkey sandwiches + a single glass of wine type affair) except one year where we had a meal and party in a really posh hotel which was negotiated as part of a compensation package for them f'ing up a contract for a major conference.

There also used to be modest bonuses, I think one year we got £100 and a couple of other years we got £50 M&S vouchers.

So, yeah, there were perks, but nothing to write home about. I suspect they are probably long gone now tho.

bombastix · 11/12/2023 14:26

I'd just love to know where the OP works. Even Boris Johnson's lockdown parties were funded by the participants wallets, not the state.

Kleptronic · 11/12/2023 14:29

No idea how it is funded! We are in IT so maybe they’re mining bitcoin 🤔

maddiemookins16mum · 11/12/2023 14:31

I’ve always worked private sector, many a party and the odd perk.
My DBIL is public sector for decades, few if any parties.
That said he’s now retired at 61 with a flipping good public sector pension that I can only dream of.

roseopose · 11/12/2023 14:36

Gingernaut · 11/12/2023 11:04

I've only ever worked in PS organisations and have always had a paid for staff party, sometimes bonuses, sometimes perks etc.

Where the fuck do you work?

Are they hiring?

I have never had a Christmas 'do' in a PS job or bonuses

Same!

Puzzledandpissedoff · 11/12/2023 14:54

It's not a given that public sector = badly treated!

Unless you're unfortunate enough to be one of their clients ... Hmm

ActDottie · 11/12/2023 14:56

Floralsofa · 11/12/2023 11:47

Plenty of private companies offer equal or better maternity/sick pay.

The pension has also been watered down over the years.

Show quote history

Agree many private companies offer better sick pay and maternity pay etc.

But the pension is DB in public sector which even if it’s career average rather than final salary is much much much better than the DC pensions offered in the private sector.

Peacelily001 · 11/12/2023 14:59

Puzzledandpissedoff · 11/12/2023 14:54

It's not a given that public sector = badly treated!

Unless you're unfortunate enough to be one of their clients ... Hmm

Public sector workers are also in receipt of public sector services Hmm

ginoohginoginelli · 11/12/2023 15:56

maddiemookins16mum · 11/12/2023 14:31

I’ve always worked private sector, many a party and the odd perk.
My DBIL is public sector for decades, few if any parties.
That said he’s now retired at 61 with a flipping good public sector pension that I can only dream of.

Edited

If I retire at 61 (NHS) I won't get a "flipping good pension".

It's been years since I've worked in a service that provides stationery, FFS!

FrangipaniBlue · 11/12/2023 16:04

I'm public sector and I get a bonus.

It's performance related and is subject to independent audit/validation.

If it means PS can attract and retain the best people to deliver the work (my sector is very much in competition with some big private sector organisations for the best talent) then that's surely in the interests of the taxpayer?

fitzwilliamdarcy · 11/12/2023 16:09

Bonuses? I'd just like to stop having do free overtime! Service need is increasing exponentially whilst we're haemorrhaging staff to the private sector.

But any perk given to the public sector - or indeed any basic expectation such as not having to work for free - is met with sniffing about taxpayers money, so I can't see it happening.

Peacelily001 · 11/12/2023 16:20

FrangipaniBlue · 11/12/2023 16:04

I'm public sector and I get a bonus.

It's performance related and is subject to independent audit/validation.

If it means PS can attract and retain the best people to deliver the work (my sector is very much in competition with some big private sector organisations for the best talent) then that's surely in the interests of the taxpayer?

I work in the NHS. We cannot recruit to roles that are also deemed essential - but hey, the remaining staff doing the work of 2 people will just carry the can.
Maybe we too need bonuses to aid recruitment and retention.

Jeffsmeffsmiff · 11/12/2023 16:26

@fitzwilliamdarcy you do know that private sector (office work) don't actually even call it overtime? The work is just expected to get done, and if that means you're there till 8.30, well then your manager will probably just say you need to get better at "time management".
But actually I work for a charity which is probably the worse of all worlds. Crappy pension, crappy pay, no paid for party. Ours is next week and it's BYOB and will be held in the office. We do get time off in lieu of extra hours worked in theory. But it's tricky to take because there's too much work - that's why we ended up working the extra hours in the first place. And like some public sector workers we feel guilted into going the extra mile or our end users are the ones who suffer.
In all honesty if I had the opportunity I'd take public sector work on a heartbeat for the pension alone.

Catza · 11/12/2023 16:27

I think we got a box of mince pies for every team a couple of years back (post Covid "thank you" from the Trust CEO). That was as far as it went with bonuses/parties in the NHS.
Oh actually, I had a £10 wellbeing voucher this year from a different trust. Does it count as a bonus?

Heyhoherewegoagain · 11/12/2023 16:51

Catza · 11/12/2023 16:27

I think we got a box of mince pies for every team a couple of years back (post Covid "thank you" from the Trust CEO). That was as far as it went with bonuses/parties in the NHS.
Oh actually, I had a £10 wellbeing voucher this year from a different trust. Does it count as a bonus?

Some idiot will come along and say you need to declare it for tax…(and I’m genuinely not saying it, this thread is like public sector bingo)

bettingpencil · 11/12/2023 17:03

I've worked in both local government and now I work for the civil service. Never had a paid do, never had a bonus - barely have biscuits provided when we go on training etc.

fitzwilliamdarcy · 11/12/2023 17:07

Jeffsmeffsmiff · 11/12/2023 16:26

@fitzwilliamdarcy you do know that private sector (office work) don't actually even call it overtime? The work is just expected to get done, and if that means you're there till 8.30, well then your manager will probably just say you need to get better at "time management".
But actually I work for a charity which is probably the worse of all worlds. Crappy pension, crappy pay, no paid for party. Ours is next week and it's BYOB and will be held in the office. We do get time off in lieu of extra hours worked in theory. But it's tricky to take because there's too much work - that's why we ended up working the extra hours in the first place. And like some public sector workers we feel guilted into going the extra mile or our end users are the ones who suffer.
In all honesty if I had the opportunity I'd take public sector work on a heartbeat for the pension alone.

Yes, I'm aware - I've worked in the private sector. The main differences were that the base salary was (much) better and there were enough staff to do the work. Overtime happened where you had a particular project that needed to get across the line, not every day because we're 5 people below the base level of people needed to deliver the service. That's probably why it felt different, for me. Other people's experiences vary, obviously.

Feel free to apply for the public sector - many departments are desperate for staff.

Jeffsmeffsmiff · 11/12/2023 17:16

Yeah I am keeping an eye out for local govt roles / NHS roles. Nothing my way at the moment. Hopefully soon.

FrangipaniBlue · 12/12/2023 10:14

@Peacelily001 if recruitment and retention is an issue then yes, all potential solutions should be considered around pay and reward if it improves performance and the service offering!

Heyhoherewegoagain · 12/12/2023 10:15

maddiemookins16mum · 11/12/2023 14:31

I’ve always worked private sector, many a party and the odd perk.
My DBIL is public sector for decades, few if any parties.
That said he’s now retired at 61 with a flipping good public sector pension that I can only dream of.

Edited

Which let’s not forget, he has paid for through his working life…

it used to always be the case that you accepted the not brilliant public sector pension but knew you’d have a comfortable retirement due to final salary pensions but that’s changed now. Final salary is only attributable to co tribulations till 2015 in my pension, thereafter it’s career average