More than half of Russians would like to work in govt sector – poll

(Interfax – MOSCOW, July 20, 2013) Public service looks attractive to 55% of Russians, although 22% believe public officials have to agree to compromises with their conscience, a nationwide public opinion poll conducted by www.superjob.ru has shown.

‘Stable salary and powers,’ ‘maximum salary and minimum efforts – public service is a dream for any idler’, ‘you can take large bribes and kickbacks all the time and without any punishment’ – these are just a few comments given by those polled.

Moreover, the poll showed that public service is attractive not only to the older generation but also to young people: 58% of the respondents younger than 24 and 57% of those older than 45 would like to have such a job.

As many as 51% of those currently working for business companies are interested in being employed in the public sector, compared to 58% of those already working for government organizations or unemployed, while 22% of those polled do not want to work for government organizations.

‘I worked in a not very high-ranking position at a state institution. Bureaucracy and disorder’, ‘working for the state and remaining honest to yourself is unrealistic’, say some of those who do not want to be public servants.

The number of those not wishing to work for the state is slightly higher than average among the respondents aged from 35 to 44 (24%) and those working for business companies (26%).

As many as 23% of those polled were undecided as to whether they would like to be public servants.

Among those who would like to be public servants, 43% prefer state-run companies, up from 37% in a similar poll in 2010. This number is higher among the respondents older than 45 (55%) and lower among the people younger than 24 (33%).

On the contrary, the number of those preferring to work for government and administrative bodies has slid to 31% from 41% in 2010. This work looks attractive to 34% of men and 28% of women and also to 35% of those aged from 25 to 34.

Only 12% of those polled would like to serve for law enforcement or supervisory agencies (14% in 2010). This share is bigger among the respondents under 24 (20%) and smaller among those older than 45 (7%).

Another 5% of those polled would choose other government sectors, and 9% were undecided.