Productivity in the public sector - what makes a good job?

This new Talking Points publication from PwC and Demos explores what can be done to lift productivity and how the public sector can play its part.

The UK as a whole has a productivity problem. Its workers produce less per hour than their counterparts in France, Germany and the US, with the gap widening since the onset of the financial crisis.The question of how to improve productivity is where debates on growth, living standards and deficit reduction come together. And the public sector has a key role to play in finding the answer.

By creating the right environment for business through their policies, government at all levels can help places build on their strengths and attract the talent and investment that companies need to succeed. And the public sector - as a huge employer - has the potential to make a unique impact to this issue.

In this Talking Points publication from PwC and Demos, we examine the issue of low productivity and the challenges ahead for the public sector, consider the role of the workforce as a partner in solving these dilemmas and draw together discussions over a series of three roundtables on ‘good jobs’, to present some potential responses including:

  • Job design for high productivity working
  • Learning and development for an adaptable public sector workforce
  • Pay and rewards and their links to productivity