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Two-thirds of public sector workers would be happy to take a pay cut – and travel further to work – in order to protect their job during the spending squeeze, new research suggests. A survey of public sector job-seekers, published by online recruitment consultant Total Jobs on 30 August, found that attitudes to public pay and conditions had changed dramatically since the coalition government came to power and earmarked thousands of job cuts across the sector. More than half (54%) of the survey's 1,600 respondents said they felt less secure about their job since the coalition government came to power, while 64% said they would be willing to take a pay cut, compared with just 20% of people polled shortly before the general election. One-quarter (25%) of respondents said they would accept a pay cut of 4% to 6%, while 15% said they would take a pay cut of 10% or more, simply to retain work. Around 30% of people said they had already taken a pay freeze or cut within the past year. Following work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith's recent call for job-seekers to move to areas where employment prospects were brightest, the survey also indicated that an increasing number of people were prepared to move to, or travel to, areas such as south-east England – which has seen a 35% rise in job postings in recent months – to secure the job they wanted. John Salt, director, Totaljobs.com, said: ‘Public sector job-seekers have a high level of transferable skills. However, in today's market, this isn't enough. Job-seekers need to be flexible to secure that next position, and it seems they finally understand this. ‘Those willing to move with the times will find they will reap the benefits in the long term.' Mr Duncan Smith was heavily criticised for echoing Norman Tebbit's infamous, albeit misquoted, ‘get on your bike and look for work' speech in 1981, when he urged greater employment mobility, in June. But while ministers will be pleased that job-seekers appear to have responded positively, an influx of public sector job-seekers into southeast England could sound the death knell for stalled Whitehall plans to relocate thousands of public sector staff outside the region. A senior Whitehall source told The MJ: ‘Recent evidence suggests a slow-down in relocation aims, brought about by the recession and the Government's forthcoming austerity measures. ‘Sensibly, that has put a lot of planned departmental initiatives on hold until we have a better idea of budgets and desired headcounts .'

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WHITEHALL

Public staff 'will take pay cuts' to save jobs

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