Infozone: the briefing – 12/03/10

PUBLIC SECTOR LOSING ITS SPARKLE

The popularity of the public sector as an employer has fallen sharply, research has revealed. A poll of more than 500 private sector staff by recruitment agency Hays found that less than 38% would consider working for either local or central government or the NHS. Last year 72% stated they were considering a move to the public sector.

Meanwhile, the study found that the search for job stability is far less important this year as a driver of career change (50%), compared with 2009 (73%). Andy Robling, public services director of Hays, said: "People are feeling more confident about the private sector as we move out of recession, and less about the public [sector] as we move into an era that anticipates significant job cuts in the sector."

MINISTERS TO TURN DOWN PAY RISE

MPs will get a rise of nearly £1,000 in their basic salary from 1 April, taking their pay to £65,737 a year, despite the fact that many workers across the country will see no rise in their wages this year. The 1.5% increase has been recommended by the Senior Salaries Review Body, which calculates MPs' pay based on the median increases given to 15 other groups of public sector workers. The Government said that ministers would turn down the rise.

GENDER GAP STILL EXISTS AT THE TOP

Women account for less than 5% of top company bosses worldwide, according to a report by the World Economic Forum (WEF). It said that in the 20 countries covered by its Corporate Gender Gap Report, an average of less than 5% of companies had women chief executives, rising to 13% in Finland and 12% in Norway, where recent legislation means 40% of a public company board must be female. Respondents to the survey blamed the gender gap on "masculine or patriarchal corporate cultures" and a lack of role models.