Private or Public, expectations are the same - and so are the rules of the game.
The popularity of Public Sector Enterprises never seems to have been at a high when it came to prospective employees. That's not to say that no one wanted to work for PSU's. They did. And that was when people considered "Job Security" sacrosanct. "Where else would you be safe but for the Government Sector?"
Now, that "S" word is long gone; people are a lot more used to uncertainty these days. PSU's dont splurge when it comes to compensation of employees. Bureaucracy rules in most Government undertakings - expect for a handful that have resolved to relegate the red tape into oblivion. Is this what makes the young aspirant think more than twice before applying for a job in a PSU?
What I could gather was that something else was the prime reason for youngsters opting not to aspire for a 'Government job' - "Lack of Growth Prospects"! This is the factor that comes first in inhibiting Generation Y! "What's in it for me in growth terms? Will be there a professional Employee Performance Appraisal system in place in a PSU? How long would I have to keep climbing up the ladder? How many hindrances would I have from the 'leaders'? Who would vouch for my progress?"
These questions are the most prominent ones in the minds of the youth. And this is followed by the factors mentioned earlier - bureaucracy, Red Tapism, lack of Professionalism, insufficient pay . . .
Upon receiving this feedback from a bunch of MBA students, I posed this question to them. "How many of you would be willing to work for Maruti Udyog?" Almost everyone expressed their ready agreement to be part of the company. A car maker that took the market by storm is still one of the most sought after employers.
The inference from the episode is two-fold: PSU's are being looked down upon not because of their being PSU's but because of the image that they have created for themselves. And "Growth" in career occupies prime time in the minds of an ambitious employee. Companies do have some lessons there.
