Civil Service United Kingdom Reviews

I have been working at Civil Service United Kingdom full-time for more than 10 years

Pros – Flexible working, the opportunity to take your career in new and unexpected directions, good access to training, generally good terms and conditions.

Cons – Knowing that whatever you do will never be good enough for some opportunistic politicians and sections of the media. The current pay freeze, changes to the pension and revised terms and conditions have all reduced the benefits of working in the civil service, without any compensating improvement elsewhere.

Advice to Senior Management – Don't let your higher salaries and immunity from many of the changes coming let you stop fighting to defend your staff and the value of what we do..

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

I have been working at Civil Service United Kingdom full-time

Pros – Flexi time is the largest positive, pay is lower than equivalent positions in private sector and culture is much more laid back than in private sector

Cons – Pay is a significant con and there are always strikes related to this and the public sector. It is hard to justify over paying employees with public money.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

I have been working at Civil Service United Kingdom full-time for more than 8 years

Pros – Working for the public good. Committed, intelligent colleagues. Good work life balance. Excellent holiday and welfare support benefits.

Cons – Over-centralised. Little opportunity for rapid promotion unless on one of the various 'Fast Streams'. Weak management of poor performers. Trying to keep up with the latest fad from politicians.

Advice to Senior Management – Truly de-centralise and empower mid/senior managers. Use 'mission tactics' not soviet style command & control management.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

I have been working at Civil Service United Kingdom full-time for more than 10 years

Pros – As secure an occupation as likely these days. Levels of continuous change are extremely high which can be exhausting but also very challenging and gives opportunities to progress with the experience. Terms & Conditions are relatively good and most departments are very flexible and supportive.

Cons – Work loads are far higher than non Civil Service imagine and DWP in particular has very high demands on productivity and always seeking more.
Salary was good once and comparable with many other employers but there is very little rewards and no bonus structure - public view is Civil Servants are underworked and overpaid so bonuses are a crime!

Advice to Senior Management – Listen more - don't pretend and then do what you want anyway - staff need to be engaged to bring out the best.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

I have been working at Civil Service United Kingdom full-time for more than a year

Pros – great atmosphere, kind, knowlegeable and helpful people

Cons – the only con I can think of is the lunch hour sometimes got extended.

Advice to Senior Management – keep up the great work

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend – I'm optimistic about the outlook for this company

I worked at Civil Service United Kingdom full-time for more than 7 years

Pros – Get to see how the Government really works and how much of the work carried out is actually done by you. Great holiday benefits and flexible working patterns.

Cons – Very structured and grade dependent so exposure to higher level work at times limited. Rewards and pay always dependent on Government budgets.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend – I'm not optimistic about the outlook for this company

I have been working at Civil Service United Kingdom

Pros – Benefits excellent: Flexi time, great training opportunities, easy to move into or out of part time, professional subscriptions paid, etc.
High levels of responsibility at all levels.
Mission makes the difference. You are often making a real difference to the country and its people.
Lots of intelligent people can make it a stimulating environment to work within.

Cons – You'll not get rich, financially at least. Salaries are fair (especially at graduate entry and high grades) though not too competitive in between, especially for IT specialists.
Can be quite bureaucratic, with particular ways to get stuff done.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

I have been working at Civil Service United Kingdom

Pros – Lots of time off, loads of options for flexible working, excellent PENSION (even with the proposed changes), very secure job.

Cons – No career system or prospects, a promotion lottery, rubbish basic salary and a senior management who don't really have the respect of thier employees.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

I have been working at Civil Service United Kingdom

Pros – Common sense of purpose arising from public service
Fair and meritocratic
Management go out of their way to make staff feel valued and consulted
Some of the brightest people I've met.
Participating in key news headline issues.

Cons – Poor pay
Management need to lead as well as empower/consult
Bureaucratic and political
Muddled management structures

Advice to Senior Management – Leading is as important as getting buy in from the staff.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

I worked at Civil Service United Kingdom

Pros – job security was always one but job cuts and redeployment not suited to employee now rule the day . service now looks to cost cut everywhere but where it should really be made.

Cons – lack of real inclusion especially if siting in provincial (non head office type )offices. Civil service often for politicla reasons has various sites. If you are not on the site where cheif mandarins sit (ie london) you do not matter. Do not get cream or important "contracts" and consequently non of the recognition

Advice to Senior Management – Need to be more inclusive and less nepotistic with only opportunities for favoured staff arising as they by postion they are able to show they have carreer progression potential

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend