Desire to move into the private sector outstrips opportunities for public sector professionals, according to Andy Lowe, head of talent management at outplacement consultancy Right Management.

Lowe told Recruiter:“People are definitely looking to move to the private sector. I’m not sure many sectors are recruiting, so there is more desire to move than opportunity.

“Our outplacement side of the business is seeing people coming through on outplacement programmes. There hasn’t been a lot of resizing of organisations, although it is just around the corner. We are seeing a pattern of business leaders worried about losing really good people in support functions. Lots of organisations are looking to retain people through incentive programmes.”

For more on the public sector, see the next issue of Recruiter, out next Wednesday (9 February).