One in three of Whitehall blob moans about workload and barely half are ‘proud’ to be civil servant, survey finds, sparking accusations of ‘rotten tradition’
One in three of the Whitehall blob has moaned about their workload and barely half say they are ‘proud’ to be a civil servant, a survey has found.
Just 64 per cent of civil servants said their workload was ‘acceptable’, with more than one in four saying they don’t have a ‘good’ work-life balance.
Just four in ten (39 per cent) said they were ‘satisfied’ with their pay and perks while only two-thirds described themselves as ’90 per cent to 100 per cent’ productive.
Meanwhile, just 58 per cent said they were ‘proud’ of their department, with only the same proportion (58 per cent) saying they would recommend it as a ‘great place to work’.
More than one in ten (12 per cent) said they want to leave the civil service within a year, with one in five of these saying this was due to ‘unmanageable workload’.
The findings of the internal study of workers at 102 major departments and quangos comes despite official figures showing office attendance remains low compared to pre-pandemic levels as thousands of civil servants continue to work from home.
Public sector productivity has also remained below pre-pandemic levels despite the number of civil servants ballooning.
John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: ‘This shows just how rotten the culture is in parts of the civil service.
A survey of civil servants at 102 major departments and quangos found that just 64 per cent said their workload was ‘acceptable’
Critics say there are still some days when Whitehall appears deserted because civil servants continue working from home
Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it was time for many civil servants to stop moaning and return to the office
‘Britain’s bureaucrats have never had it so good, with bumper pay rises, unparalleled pensions, extraordinary job security, overgenerous annual leave and sick leave, and a political class now in power that treats them like gods.
‘Yet far too many will simply never be satisfied, no matter how much they’re showered with perks and salary increases.
‘Whitehall needs a root and branch overhaul, with a much smaller, delivery focused body being the focus of any reforms.’
Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said: ‘The leaders of the civil service have pandered for too long to much of the workforce.
‘You can still walk into departments and find people not there because they’re all still working from home.
‘It’s time for the civil service leadership to get people back to the office and start explaining that civil servants have a highly privileged position with career progression and pay and perks which most people across the country could only dream of.’
The results from the annual Civil Service People survey, quietly published last week, also found that as many as one in five apparently feel unchallenged by their work.
When asked ‘I am sufficiently challenged by my work’, 80 per cent said they ‘strongly agreed’ or ‘agreed’ that they were.
Asked ‘I have an acceptable workload’, just 64 per cent said they strongly agreed or simply agreed with this, with 72 per cent agreeing that they have a ‘good balance between my work life and my private life’.
Only four in ten (39 per cent) said they strongly agreed or agreed with the statement: ‘I am satisfied with the total benefits package (e.g. base pay, benefits and pension).’
Asked if they were ‘proud when I tell others I am part of [my organisation]’, just 58 per cent said they agreed with the statement, with the same proportion saying they would ‘recommend [my organisation] as a great place to work.’
Less than half (48 pre cent) had a ‘strong personal attachment to [my organisation]’, while the same proportion agreed that ‘[My organisation] motivates me to help it achieve its objectives’.
Asked ‘Over the last month, roughly how productive have you been?’, less than two-thirds (62 per cent) said they’d been ’90 to 100 per cent’ productive. This was down from 68 per cent in 2023.
The percentages were the mean average across workers from 102 Whitehall departments and quangos which took part in the survey in September and October last year.
In September, the Civil Service headcount hit 554,000. Just before the historic Brexit referendum vote in 2016, it was 384,000.
Labour has promised to cut around 50,000 Civil Service posts – one in ten – to reduce the size of Whitehall to pre-Brexit levels.
Despite a drive to get civil servants back into the office, attendance rates are still barely more than 60 per cent at several major departments.
A Cabinet Office Spokesperson said: ‘The Civil Service continues to be recognised as one of the best employers in the country, and our focus remains on delivering the best possible service for the taxpayer.
‘We are committed to fundamentally re-wiring the state, using new technology to boost efficiency, drive productivity and root out waste.’
