When support's on target

Across the UK, people are feeling the strain of tightening finances, with research showing 59% of low-paid workers were regularly forced to skip meals, despite nearly three-quarters (73%) of employees receiving a pay rise in the past year.But in the public sector, the pressure lands differently. This is a workforce driven not by financial reward, but by purpose – supporting communities, caring for others and making a tangible difference. Yet, it is increasingly those same people who are struggling to cover the basics, from the weekly shop to heating their homes.Research from CIPD highlights that morale, wellbeing and retention remain persistent challenges across the public sector, with work-related stress more commonly reported in the public sector, than private.For local government leaders, this raises a pressing question: how do you motivate and retain staff at a time of sustained financial pressure and organisational flux?Why the answer is not as simple as salaryPay will always matter, but it is not the only answer. The real opportunity lies in moving beyond blanket approaches towards more targeted, meaningful support, where small, practical gestures signal something bigger: that people are seen, understood and supported during times of economic hardship.Across council offices, there are conversations that rarely make it into workforce strategies. Another resignation, another experienced colleague lost to a higher-paying role and more pressure on those who remain. Often overlooked is how everyday support and consistent recognition influence whether people stay.Leaders are being asked to solve workforce challenges with limited resources. Pay dominates the conversation, but if it were the full solution, many of these issues would already be solved. The reality is more complex. Many employees feel not only financial strain, but also overlooked, constrained and disconnected from the impact of their work.Rethinking support through smarter deliverySome organisations are already showing what a different approach can look like. At Hafod, a housing, care and support provider in South Wales, a move to a more flexible, digital approach to delivering housing support reduced administrative time by nearly 90%, from close to 100 hours to just over 11.The impact was not only operational. It freed up time for colleagues to focus on the people they support. In a system where time is one of the most constrained resources, that shift matters.It shows that recognition is not always about adding more, but about removing barriers to these individuals doing good work.It also benefitted those leading the scheme, giving them confidence that their efforts were making a meaningful difference.What increasingly matters is how people feel day-to-day: whether they are recognised, have a sense of control over their work, and remain connected to the vocation that brought them into public service.Recognition, in particular, is often underestimated. Not large, infrequent gestures, but consistent, specific acknowledgement.Small changes. Big differenceSmall, practical interventions can have a meaningful impact. Support with everyday essentials, whether travel, food or flexibility in how and where people work, carries weight because it reflects the reality of people's lives. It shows an organisation is paying attention.Creating a culture of recognition, enabling better conversations, targeting support effectively and reducing unnecessary complexity are all within reach, even in constrained circumstances.Meeting motivation with the right kind of supportThe public sector workforce has always been defined by resilience and purpose. People continue to show up because they believe in what they do. The challenge for leaders is to match that commitment with the right kind of support, not just financial, but human.When people feel seen, trusted and supported, they stay. And in a system under as much pressure as local government, that may be the most valuable outcome of all.James Malia is president UK and Europe at Prezzee, a global digital gifting platform working with public sector and housing organisations

Title

HR

When support's on target

By James Malia | 29 April 2026

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