Our 2019 employer brand research reveals the perceptions of employees and job seekers working in the public sector.

We are witnessing the largest transformation in a decade, as the importance of customer service is fully embraced by the public sector. Brand respect will first come from improving the employee experience. Your people are not only customers, but their employee experience goes far beyond the walls of the office to influence the perception of public sector organisations. 

Here are trends that can help you navigate as the sector transitions.

renewed focus on customer service

For the first time, there will be a department of customer service in the New South Wales Government. This change in mindset that citizens are in fact customers of the state has public sector workers looking towards NSW Government as spearheading a new approach to employer branding through customer experience.

The NSW Government is an example of the benefits of investing in employer branding, as it retains its position among the top most attractive employer among the states in our Employer Brand Research.

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attracting top talent

The public sector has long attracted workers with job security, financial health and career progression as the strongest employer value propositions. The wider array of job types and opportunities to participate in multimillion-dollar projects is another public sector employer brand attribute that trumps the private sector.

This year our research showed that the public sector is highly attractive to younger job seekers. 50% of 25-35-year-olds are more attracted to the sector than their older counterparts. Federal Government is the most well known at 77%  followed by the NSW Government at 73%.

This high awareness of the NSW state employer is in part due to the successful relaunch of their career site IWorkForNSW. The new platform leverages technology to centralise active recruitment for NSW Transport, the Department of Education and other areas of the Government.

employee benefits

In our 2019 employer brand research, job security remains within the top five factors people are attracted to work in the public sector. My feeling is that this is an indication that people see the government as a long term job proposition, but not necessarily something for life, as in the past.

Work-life balance and more recently flexible work are now viewed as necessary to deliver real diversity and inclusion to attract quality talent from all backgrounds. For example, the reelected NSW Premier has expressed a priority for women in leadership and greater participation of indigenous employees in government.

We can expect to see some great initiatives with the diverse portfolio and support of employees with flexible working options to support all people.

recruiting for the future

Proposed multi-million dollar projects and new priorities post-election signal an increase in recruitment efforts. Government departments must invest in employer branding, especially as they compete with the private sector for the same talent pool.

key takeaways:

  • Rewiring the public sector to be customer-first to attract talent to expanding departments.
  • Further developing work-life balance alongside diversity and inclusion principles will be key to talent acquisition in the coming years
  • Despite the turbulent political landscape, people still view the public sector as an attractive long term option for work

Randstad has a proud legacy of being the government recruiter and the place to come for quality candidates and expert advice.

Stay on top of where the public sector sits in the eyes of working Australians by requesting our Employer Branding Research 2019.

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