Magazine

Federal vs. Private: Whose Workforce Is Better?

November 1, 2001

o find out how the federal workforce really stacks up against the private sector, Princeton Survey Research Associates polled both groups earlier this year. So who's better? It depends on what you're measuring. Uncle Sam clearly has the more motivated workforce. A little more than 30 percent of federal employees say their main motivation in coming to work every day is to pick up a paycheck, but almost half of private employees say money is the motivating factor. Private sector workers are less happy with their work, salary and benefits than their federal counterparts, and they don't think they have as much opportunity to accomplish something worthwhile.

On the other hand, private sector employees have better things to say about their organizations' hiring systems, calling them fast, simple and fair. Government employees describe the federal hiring process as slow, confusing and unjust.

Private sector employees clearly have a higher opinion of their senior leaders than federal employees do. And while federal and private sector employees are equally satisfied with their opportunities to advance and develop new skills, private sector workers consistently report a higher level of support from their organizations.

Both federal workers and those in the private sector have survived their share of management reform efforts in recent years. But private sector employees say they have been "reformed" less frequently-and that the efforts have had a much more positive impact. Surprisingly, federal and private sector employees estimate almost identical numbers of poor performers in their midst-roughly 25 percent. But private sector employees are far less likely than federal employees to say that their employers don't ask enough of poor performers. And they are much more likely to say their organizations do a good job of disciplining those who don't measure up.

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