With almost half of workers considering leaving the public service in the next year, the potential loss of skilled talent needs addressing urgently.

Almost half of public sector workers plan to explore new career opportunities within the next year, revealed The Mandarin's recent Frank and Fearless Survey. The critical question is, how can public sector organisations stop them?

According to the world's #1 job site, Indeed, public service organisations need to urgently rethink their retention strategies.

Indeed recently sat down with The Mandarin to assess and better understand the mood of public sector workers in Australia. The findings of the Frank and Fearless survey serve as a crucial guide for government employers, offering some surprising insights into the sentiments of public sector workers and pinpointing areas where employers need to concentrate to attract and retain talent effectively.

In the first of three articles unpacking the survey findings for employers, Indeed will explore the rising challenge of retention and how public-sector employers can tackle it head-on.

In the survey, 48.9% of public sector workers reported that they will be looking for new career horizons within the next year, with 31% of those looking within the next six months.

While this statistic is worrying, it corresponds with broader Australian labour market trends across sectors. Indeed's 2023 Workplace Wellbeing Report highlighted that 50% of workers are likely to look for a new job in the next 12 months, with almost a quarter (23%) saying they are very likely to do so.

With nearly a third of workers considering leaving the public service in the near future the potential loss of skilled talent is a stark reality that employers need to address urgently.

Indeed's Career Coach Sally McKibbin says public sector organisations need to rethink their employee value proposition (EVP) for retention strategies to be effective.

"It's never been more important to understand what public servants want beyond a salary increase," McKibbin says.

"You need to be constantly asking, what is the unique value we offer to our employees and how can we demonstrate this to them?"

Career advancement is high on the list for public servants. In the Frank and Fearless survey, one in three respondents said they would leave the public service if there was a lack of career advancement opportunities -- only slightly less than the 34.4% who would leave due to insufficient pay.

There was a stronger response among public servants aged 44 years and under, of whom around half (48.5%) highlighted a lack of career advancement opportunities as a reason to leave, compared to 26.6% of those aged over 45 years.

The problem is employees don't think the public service is hitting the mark with career advancement opportunities. One in five survey respondents (21%) said they "have no opportunities to advance" in their current job. This was higher for those 45 years and older (27.3%), who said they felt hopeless about their career advancement options compared to those aged under 44 years (10.3%).

McKibbin said this desire for career advancement is consistent with global and Australian trends across sectors.

"Our data shows that career development and growth is typically the third biggest driver for job seekers after salary and flexibility," she said.

"Public sector employers must use career development programs in their hiring and retention strategies if they want to compete for talent and stop their employees from becoming a flight risk."

McKibbin recommends that government departments implement a structured process for employees to set personal development goals aligned with department objectives. Managers should work with employees to build a clear pathway for their careers. This could involve regular career discussions, the creation of individual development plans, and periodic reviews of progress.

"Investing in upskilling and reskilling employees through career development programs will also ensure teams are equipped with the latest skills to meet evolving demands thereby strengthening a department's resilience and adaptability," says McKibbin.

Public sector workers need to believe their work matters, and they look to their employer to provide a clear sense of purpose. The Frank and Fearless survey revealed that half of the respondents were attracted to a job in the public service because it aligned with their personal values and mission (50%), followed by job security (16%), pay and benefits (11.3%), and work-life balance (10.4%).

This contrasts motivations across the private sector, where Indeed's data consistently shows that the number one driver for job seekers is salary and compensation, followed by flexibility. What's more, Indeed's 2024 Global Wellbeing Report uncovered that 48% of workers globally do not agree that their work has a "clear sense of purpose".

But McKibbin says that employers need to see "purpose" as more than a buzzword for the employee value proposition.

"It's a proven concept that can drive government employee retention and engagement.

"It requires culture development along with effective, inspiring leadership to help employees understand how their work contributes to the overall mission and goals of the organisation."

Diving deeper into how to align your work to your purpose, Indeed recently launched the Wellness Twin Workbook, which steps through seven interactive self-awareness exercises designed to help you thrive both professionally and personally. Whether you choose to explore independently or implement these strategies with your team, each page offers practical tools for immediate action.

We can't escape the fact that flexibility is a big ticket item for employees in Australia, and the public service is no exception. Two-thirds (67%) of the Frank and Fearless survey respondents said they currently have hybrid working arrangements and that their employer offered them flexible working options (90%).

The most important part? They want it to stay that way.

Over half (54%) of respondents responded "Absolutely" when asked whether they believe public servants without public-facing roles should be able to work from home. This is hardly surprising when you consider that, according to Indeed's Senior Economist Callam Pickering, Australians are showing growing interest in a four-day workweek.

Pickering says that as some governments consider changing their flexible work policies, it's important to consider whether employers risk losing staff to more flexible organisations.

"Work-life balance takes precedence over salary for most Australians. At Indeed, we've seen flexible working hours emerge as the top benefit sought during job searches. And more and more employers are willing to meet this demand-a record share of Australian job postings are remote-friendly."

"For most Australians, two days working from home is ideal. Government employers should recognise that the flexibility they offer plays a pivotal role in employee satisfaction."

Retention and hiring strategies have never been more critical for public-sector employers. Understanding what your employees want and taking steps to support them is crucial if you want to ensure higher job satisfaction and retention.

As a matching and hiring platform with a strong interest in the future of work, Indeed conducts research throughout the year to keep abreast of what's happening in the labour market and uncover what job seekers and employers really want. You can subscribe to Indeed's Hiring Lab for the latest labour market updates and to LEAD for access to a range of reports and thought leadership around the changing world of work.