Suppose you have a job with a budget of billions of tomans and thousands of employees and your work has an important effect on society or even the country. These are just some of the reasons why many people are looking for a job in the public sector.
Management in government organizations.
But there are also big challenges that public sector managers have to face. For example, the budget of public sector employees is usually pre-determined and the organization does not have the flexibility to reward the excellent performance of its employees.
It takes a long time for some necessary changes to be approved by several boards and their management hierarchies. Management in government organizations.
You may also have to pursue a set of executive goals related to political commitments that conflict with the real needs of the people you serve. (Municipal example)
If you work in the public sector and if you have just moved from the private sector to the public sector. How do you overcome these unique challenges? In this article, we identify the main differences between management in the public sector. And management in the private sector and show you what skills you will need to succeed in the public sector.
Understanding the public sector environment.
What exactly is the public sector? In short, this term refers to the services and facilities that the government provides to the public. Such as national parks, government works, tax collection, national health organizations, education, defense. And other government projects and organizations. Management in government organizations.
Unlike private companies, the public sector does not aim to make money. It is to meet the needs of the citizens who pay for these services through taxes. This important difference underlies many of the challenges facing the public sector. Management in government organizations.
Special challenges for the public sector.
The nature of the public sector poses particular challenges for managers. Here are some important issues that public sector employees face:
- It may be difficult to motivate. In the public sector, the amount of salary often depends on the length of time a person has served in the organization. Not his or her performance. In some cases, this causes some employees to have the least possible performance during working hours. Regardless of the principle of customer service or doing the right thing. Also because positions in the public sector are relatively guaranteed (such as layoffs). People are hard), employees do not have much motivation to perform better, because if they have half. And a half performance, they do not have to worry about losing their jobs.
- Organizations may resist change. Due to the large size of organizations. And the layers of the bureaucracy, implementing changes in government agencies. Even on a small scale, can take years. This slow progress could frustrate forward-looking managers.
- Hiring is often inflexible. Private sector companies usually control how and when they are hired and fired. For example, if the company finds an extraordinary person to hire. It can define a new job for him. But in the public sector, creating a new position may take a year or more. And on the other hand, it may take months to find a suitable person for the new position.
- Some managers solve this problem by hiring temporary staff. But this may create other problems related to company loyalty and salary increases. The fact that the rate of dismissal. And employment is low may also be one of the factors that cause group resistance to change.
- Budgets are set much earlier. In the public sector. The budget is often set a year in advance and is usually very limited, as it is financed through tax revenue. It is difficult to approve additional budgets. And many sectors face budget and manpower shortages. In addition, unlike the private sector, operating costs are not related to revenue.
- Workplace culture can be restrictive and bureaucratic. The culture of the public sector is often highly bureaucratic. And places great emphasis on following the rules. This can lead to inflexibility when faced with unusual situations.
- Issues are often more important. Public sector issues, such as health care or education reform. Often affect millions of people on a large scale. This creates a lot of workloads and as a result. There may be a feeling that there is not enough staff and time to do all the work.
- Managers have often appointed by-election. The public sector has managers who are either elected or appointed by high-ranking officials.
- This means that the person in charge is not necessarily the most qualified or experienced person for the job. Half-full glass says that this can lead to creative innovations. As this person may have new perspectives or different experiences. But the blank half says inappropriate political appointments can waste time and resources or even costly mistakes.
- Shareholder management is important. In order to carry out their duties, public sector managers must establish effective relationships. A wide range of stakeholders outside the organization, including the general public, voters. Elected representatives, pressure groups, and unions.
- Trust is very important. Many private sector executives seldom think about whether the public really trusts their products and services. But in the public sector, a bad manager can reduce or even destroy public trust in the government through corruption. Incompetence, or setbacks, and can have lasting consequences for society.
Essential public sector skills.
Succeeding in public sector management requires a combination of patience and determination. If you go from the private sector to the public sector, you may feel confused because the culture there is completely different.
These skills will help you to perform well as a public sector manager:
Think creatively. Although you may not be able to promise a salary increase to your team members due to budget constraints, you do need ways to motivate employees. Government agencies usually have strict rules about rewards and benefits, so be creative.
For example, some private companies may give gifts to their group in the form of goods, but this is often illegal in the public sector. Obviously, you can not reward for high profits or increased sales, but you can reward other metrics such as lower error rates or higher productivity and identify the value of your team members.
People who work in the public service sector are more likely to care about public welfare. Try to offer rewards based on the way they think, not just on what you think they like. Have clear goals and be ready to interact with others to achieve common goals. Consider inspiring and motivating others as well.
Have the courage to decide. Many government agencies do not make progress because they cannot make decisions. Of course, this decision does not help. Successful government managers must have the courage to make decisions and understand that progress is essential. Without decision and action, nothing meaningful will be done.
Share information.
Government agencies are often interconnected; If they are not, they should be. Imagine how sad it was for the police, the hospital, and the school to realize that if they had been in contact with each other, they could have prevented a crime against a child.
Be prepared to share resources and information (within your legal limits). Be patient. Bureaucracies in the public sector can be very widespread, and if you hope to do something, you have to work within that system. This should not deter you from making changes, but if you always want to be in control, then working in the public sector will not work for you.
