MEDIA RELEASE
Latest Public Service workforce figures released

The State Services Commissioner, Iain Rennie, today released the results of the Human Resource Capability Survey for 2010.

The report provides a summary of workforce statistics for the Public Service, for the year to 30 June 2010. The report covers five main topics: staff numbers, recruitment and retention, pay and benefits, equality and diversity, and leave.

“Latest figures show Public Service Departments are beginning to make hard decisions which affect the size and composition of their workforce,” says State Services Commissioner, Iain Rennie. “For the Public Service as a whole, people are the single largest expense so it is vital that our people resources are being well managed and delivering on the Government’s priorities.”

Published yearly since 2000, the HRC Survey provides a snapshot of the Public Service workforce at 30 June each year.

The latest figures highlight significant changes to the composition and makeup of the Public Service. Staff numbers in the Public Service are down on an annual basis for the first time since 1999. There has also been a significant decline in the growth in Public Service wages.

In the year to 30 June 2010 the number of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) employees in the Public Service declined by 0.3% - down 118 to 44,554. This is the first June to June decrease since 1999.

The increase in the average base salary for public servants has dropped back significantly to 1.5%, down from historical highs of 5.0-6.0% during the previous four years.

Public Service wage and salaries are increasing at a slower rate than the private sector. Statistics NZ’s Labour Cost Index recorded an increase of 0.5% in Public Service wages and salaries during the year to June 2010. Over the same period, private sector wages and salaries increased by 1.5%.

Latest HRC survey figures also show public servants are staying in their jobs for longer, with core unplanned turnover now at a historical low of 9.2%. This year saw the lowest number of new recruits hired since the survey began, representing a drop of 19% from the previous year.

The Human Resource Capability Survey is published on the SSC website at: http://www.ssc.govt.nz/hrc-survey-2010

ENDS

Frequently Asked Questions
Who does the survey cover?
This HRC survey report covers the Public Service - the 35 core departments as at June 30 2010. It does not cover any of the wider State Services agencies, like Crown entities, Crown Research Institutes or State Owned Enterprises.
The survey includes all permanent and fixed term employees but does not include contractors or employees who work on a casual or as-required basis.
Where does the data come from?
Information in this report comes mainly from the Human Resource Capability (HRC) survey, which has collected anonymous unit-record data on staff in Public Service departments annually since 2000. Data from Statistics New Zealand's labour market surveys are also used to allow comparisons with the labour force as a whole.
How does this differ from the Capping data?
The capping data is collected to monitor the Government's cap on the number of positions in core government administration, which is not the same as the Public Service. The capping data focused on the number of FTE positions within the cap on core government administration. The latest data on capping can be found on the SSC website at: www.ssc.govt.nz/capping-data-to-30june10
The HRC report provides more detailed analysis of the Public Service workforce.
Key points from the latest HRC data
In the year to 30 June 2010, the number of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) employees in the Public Service decreased by 118 to 44,554 (down 0.3%). This was the first June to June decrease since 1999.

In the year to 30 June 2010, 780 employees in the Public Service were made redundant; an increase of 479 from the previous year. The 780 redundancies were offset by an increase of 736 FTEs in uncapped parts of Corrections (581) and the Ministry of Social Development (155).

The average base salary increased by 1.5 percent to $63,655 (the average base salary increased by 5.3% in 2009). The median base salary for public servants as at 30 June 2010 was $54,981 ($54,529 in 2009).

Wages and salaries in the Public Service are increasing at a slower rate than the private sector. Statistics NZ’s Labour Cost Index recorded an increase of 0.5 percent in Public Services wages and salaries during the year to June 2010. Over the same period, private sector wages and salaries increased by 1.5 percent.

Public servants are staying in their jobs for longer, with core unplanned turnover now at a historical low of 9.2%.

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