demoralized in public service

LegacyUser

I'm grateful to have a job don't get me wrong but I have worked in public service admin for almost 20 years and past 3 years have become progressively beaten down by system and lost confidence and drive. I was always known for being conscientious and passionate about projects . New managers assigned 4 years ago and had conflicting messages about my role etc. Spoke to manager but nothing changed. I tried to make the best of things but past 6 months I've just stopped caring . I've heard other stories about public service so know am not alone and its the culture. Saddest thing is if I was promoted to position of power now,I've become those ineffectual managers who wore me down and so the cycle continues. My confidence is so shattered I can't ever see myself working in private sector,I really feel I've been destroyed. This is more of a rant against public service ethos and culture. The sooner they do away with permanent positions,the sticker management will perform.the concepts of planning,targets etc don't exist apart from a few dynamic people but these are far and between. Even with recession money is still wasted and its workobvious that it isn't a private company as cost savings aren't priority. I know I need to pick myself up and try get back my drive but Im sick of trying to be honest. Its like depression related to work.

midlands1

demoralizedPS wrote: »

I'm grateful to have a job don't get me wrong but I have worked in public service admin for almost 20 years and past 3 years have become progressively beaten down by system and lost confidence and drive. I was always known for being conscientious and passionate about projects . New managers assigned 4 years ago and had conflicting messages about my role etc. Spoke to manager but nothing changed. I tried to make the best of things but past 6 months I've just stopped caring . I've heard other stories about public service so know am not alone and its the culture. Saddest thing is if I was promoted to position of power now,I've become those ineffectual managers who wore me down and so the cycle continues. My confidence is so shattered I can't ever see myself working in private sector,I really feel I've been destroyed. This is more of a rant against public service ethos and culture. The sooner they do away with permanent positions,the sticker management will perform.the concepts of planning,targets etc don't exist apart from a few dynamic people but these are far and between. Even with recession money is still wasted and its workobvious that it isn't a private company as cost savings aren't priority. I know I need to pick myself up and try get back my drive but Im sick of trying to be honest. Its like depression related to work.

Walk away so !!!!

Claregirl

You might have gotten better advice here if you had not mentioned the fact that you are a PS worker!! Seriously P**ses me off the way we're treated. Apparently we're all too busy on our tea breaks calculating how were going to spend the millions in pension payments that we're going to get:rolleyes:

I know what you're going through and it's one of the worst things to cope with. I have a senior manager and I've consistently put forward ideas for improvements to systems, alerted him to problems that need to be resolved at Senior level for legislative changes etc and he either does not understand the issues involved or just can't be bothered. This leads to items needing attention being "parked" the wonderful term in the PS for not dealing with anything until crisis hits!!

Thankfully we have a new senior manager appointed and my manager is now effectively "parked". New manager is bypassing him and getting things done. All I can say to you is try not to loose hope - I've often thought of just giving up and going through the motions but to be honest that doesn't sit well with me I need to feel that I'm doing an honest days work for an honest day's pay!

You could consider seeking a transfer sometimes a change is as good as a rest!

thefinalstage

Claregirl wrote: »

You might have gotten better advice here if you had not mentioned the fact that you are a PS worker!! Seriously P**ses me off the way we're treated. Apparently we're all too busy on our tea breaks calculating how were going to spend the millions in pension payments that we're going to get:rolleyes:

I know what you're going through and it's one of the worst things to cope with. I have a senior manager and I've consistently put forward ideas for improvements to systems, alerted him to problems that need to be resolved at Senior level for legislative changes etc and he either does not understand the issues involved or just can't be bothered. This leads to items needing attention being "parked" the wonderful term in the PS for not dealing with anything until crisis hits!!

Thankfully we have a new senior manager appointed and my manager is now effectively "parked". New manager is bypassing him and getting things done. All I can say to you is try not to loose hope - I've often thought of just giving up and going through the motions but to be honest that doesn't sit well with me I need to feel that I'm doing an honest days work for an honest day's pay!

You could consider seeking a transfer sometimes a change is as good as a rest!

All we ever say is you have it far easier then private workers for better pay.

wmpdd3

I have a friend feeling this from the other side, I worked with her in a supermarket for 4 years while she trained. She now has her dream job and is happy with the pay but after 9 months she can't see herself there in 9 years time.

As you said, she feels her manager wasnt trained at all, she has just been there the longest. Her manager never pulls others up on what they do wrong. Things that are doen wrong are blown out of proportion as they are never curtailed.

My friend did a management course where I work just for experience and could sort out her office in one year, but she knows she would never be allowed to do it. She feels she would have to be there for atleast 15 years before her ideas on conflict resolution would even be heard.

She suffers greatly too because of the treatment of sporadic sickness in her office. There is no absence policy in place there.

She is young and she is looking at emigrating.

OP never say you could never work in the private sector, I have worked with some ex civil servants and after a year they fitted in, they just had to be incentivised.

Think how you would feel when you love getting out of the car and walking in to work!

Can you give an indication of what part of the private sector you would like to work in?