STATE SERVICES “Commencing Pay Hinders Recruiting”

Press, Volume C, Issue 29673, 17 November 1961, Page 16

STATE SERVICES “Commencing Pay Hinders Recruiting”

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Nov. 16. Probably the major disadvantage the Public Service laboured under was that it could offer a prospective entrant an initial maximum salary of only £B5O a year, the director of the Social Security Department (Mr W L. Watson) told the Royal Commission on State Services today. Another deterrent was that it was so often necessary to accept a transfer to obtain promotion, he said. "Many of our competitors offer an initial maximum of £lOOO a year or more. The school leaver goes to the employer offering the highest maximum.” he said. "Applicants do not realise that career cadets are out of the basic grade long before they reach £ 850 ” It was normal for the average male cadet to be promoted after about four years’ service, when he was 21 and receiving a salary of £750 or £7OO a year. By the time he was 24, he was receiving £940 and was promoted further on merit. Young people resisted white collar work, said Mr Watson. It was comparatively easy for the youth of today to continue their education till ready to enter the professional or technical field of their choice. Such worl had much more appeal than clerical work and the rewards were greater. These were the people who would normally progress to the higher administrative positions if they joined the service.

The following remedies were suggested:— The Public Service Commission must “sell” the service to careers advisers. It must be investigated why they did not recommend the service as a career. If something along the lines of an earlier proposal for an executive grade which provided for automatic promotion to class Iv (£1030) could be introduced, the service would have some prospect of competing with other organisations. “I can see little prospect of reducing staff losses while conditions of over-full employment continue and there is such strong competition between employers for the available labour pool.” said Mr Watson Under these conditions people could readily change their jobs with no loss of salary and, with so much competition for their services. many bettered themselves. Young people also appeared to want to try out several jobs before settling into a permanent occupation. Probably the main cause of avoidable resignation in the early stages of employment was lack of leadership in the lower supervisory grades. “In this respect we find ourselves in a vicious circle because of the calibre and lack of experience of people we have been forced to promote as a result of inadequate recruitment. many staff at the lower levels do not get good leadership.” he said.