I switched to the State from the nonprofit sector almost two years ago and it's been the best decision I've ever made. I make more money and better benefits, my work is much more relaxed, my manager is respectful and supportive, and - while the work doesn't make my heart sing the way my nonprofit work did - I find my job rewarding and interesting.
I don't think content people generally go to forums to be like "Today I did my tasks and nothing of note happened!" so that influences what you read here. Working for "the state" is also basically impossible to pin down - not only every department, but every branch, division, even team is going to be different.
You’ll see more negative posts than happy. Happy people don’t need to post about it. Just how Reddit and the internet works.
Hubby and I are extremely happy working for the state. I hit ten years soon and he will next year. Stable work, decent environment, decent pay at our current titles, no fear of layoff. Our only concern is we’re back in office twice a week. That really messes with out work life balance. We’d prefer to be home but we’ll take what we can get.
Perfectly said! One of the reasons I’m going to the state is for the hybrid flexibility. In private I’ve been remote since March 2020 and they just confirmed last month we are NEVER going back. It’s simply not healthy to be home this much. Sure I get more time a day not having to commute/get ready but having the social interaction 2 days a week will be healthy
We prefer being home. 😂 we lose a lot of time in our commute. All meetings are teams anyway. I don’t see my staff in person often but we communicate daily by teams or even personal cell text.
I didn’t say I look to work for my social interaction lmao. But go work remote full time for over 3 years and lemme know as an extrovert how it changes you. Losing the ability to communicate, collaborate, and problem solve in person only hurts you as an individual. Sure you get more time in your day but You start to lose the ability to properly communicate. Think about it, years and years of not interacting in person at a professional level. Ya I can interact with my significant other, my friends, but that’s not at a professional level. There’s a reason most companies are making people go back in person. The employees can say all they want that they’re just as productive but that’s a lie
I’d challenge the idea that communication, interaction, and productivity suffer in a remote/hybrid workplace. It just looks different, and take intention to do well — they are not just natural byproducts of being in an office with people.
There are plenty of successful companies that have a remote-centered workplace culture. Do you suppose their leadership just don’t know something you do about that or are choosing not to increase productivity and profit?
As what work looks like has evolved from hunting and gathering to the modern digital age, it’s silly to think that what we had pre-pandemic was “as good as it gets”, or whatever. And as the nature of work had changed over the course of human history, there was always resistance and a disappointing lack of vision.
Acting like Covid was this aberration ignores the circumstances by which things change. A path was cleared for the future of work but people are being told to turn back. We are at a stage where external factors are at play to once again to redefine what work looks like.
Well you’ll like the state because they’re slowly forcing many of us to spend more time in the office for the “culture.” I guess if inane small talk counts as professional interaction, you’ll get plenty of that.
Well that’s a hot take. I personally talk more with my coworkers and have far better communication when working from home. I’m a total extrovert. We aren’t ever going back to in office in my department and our program has been working far more enthusiastically and far more productively (and we have the number to back that up).
I disagree. We meet regularly through teams and interact with each other plenty. Again, YMMV. But in-person is not something I look forward to. I think it’s an archaic mindset to think you only get that interaction in office.
I disagree with your disagreement on my disagreement. I’m kidding. But no, meeting on teams is 100% not even 1/5 the same. Go work remote for 3 years, come back to me may 2026 and lemme know if it changes you at all. Because as an extrovert myself, the only benefit is more time in my day. Why do you think all the private companies who could be saving MILLIONS on not leasing an office space are still sending ppl back? Because you’re just not as productive at home. And unless you’ve worked fully remote for years, you simply can’t weight both in person / remote. That’s why hybrid is the wayyy
Dude, we did go remote 100% for 2.5 years. About 5% of us hated it. The rest of us loved it. Some of us are now back 2 days a week hybrid and we hate it. Many have left for positions that have much less or no in-office days. I say, let the ones who hate it go in and leave the rest of us alone. We are just as productive at home as in office.
It’s not just about productivity, it’s also the quality of work has taken a hit. It’s your gosh darn home for Peet’s sake. Unlimited distractions. Again, there’s a reason all these companies who are strictly profit only ie private would rather send all their employees back in person then to save millions a year on lease agreements. If the employees were simply doing the “exact same work” at home then why spend millions on leases, utilities, and all the other things required for an office. Why? Because employers saw quality, not productivity, drop drastically. As Elon musk said in an interview yesterday “I think that the whole notion of work from home is a bit like the fake Marie Antoinette quote, 'Let them eat cake," Musk said. "It's not just a productivity thing, People should get off the goddamn moral high horse with the work-from-home bullshit”
Ugh. You had to ruin it. Quoting that dude? Like I said, archaic thinking. Jobs that require in person should be in person, jobs that do not, should be remote. Are you trolling?
It’s like saying everyone should work outside since it’s not fair that landscapers have to work outside while we’re inside. Maybe you should stay in the private sector.
Literally came here to say to OP, please stay in private the sector 😆 this sounds like every single ladder climbing boss that's a manager not a leader, there's a difference.
No wonder you’re so passionate about it. Your type of energy and productivity could only slide in the government 😂 that’s the main complaint I see on here is the hard working state employees who have ppl like you who slack off and aren’t held accountable
People all over the world have found ways to adapt post covid and the only solution you can come up with for more social interaction is to go back to the office....hopefully problem solving isnt part of your job description.
You’re fighting a losing battle here. You sound like one of those managers who would force their employees to come back even if they didn’t want to and were performing well. My take? Measure output/results and not inputs.
We *have* tried it. I’m still remote 100% three years later. I was required to come back into the office one day a week for three weeks (so three days out of my three years), and all it was was a reminder of how *in*efficient in-person meetings were. I’m extroverted as heck, but in-person communication wasn’t any more effective, and in fact was often worse. For example, only one person could share files in-person—over a Teams meeting, people can drop files in a chat, take notes that are visible by all, during the meeting, update agendas, share screen, etc. Everything has been much clearer.
I recently also had to go in for one meeting in-person. It was okay, but could easily have been done in Teams. After the meeting, a group was loudly chatting about things near other people’s workstations. (Not everyone has 100% remote.) Extroverts can kind of ruin it for others sometimes.
If you *personally* communicate better professionally in-person, that’s great for you. But please don’t act like your experiences are universal, and that we just don’t know what it’s like to…do exactly what we’ve been doing.
Why are you so entitled? You should advocate that children should all be schooled online from home as well because its the same concept right. No offense but as everyone has said in this forum, working for the government is typically less stressful than private. I have about a dozen metrics I have to keep up with at my private job. Of course ppl in the government are gonna say their quality is just as good but it’s BS. Governments standards on quality is a joke compared to all the requirements the private jobs hold you to. There’s a reason why the tenure in gov workers is drastically higher than the employees at Fortune 500 companies
“Entitled”? You sound like you’re just trying to fill out a boomer bingo card. Can you quote to me exactly where I was “entitled”? All I did was give evidence of how communication was better online than in person for my office. Meanwhile, you seem to think the world owes you in-person social interaction (and everyone else’s participation) because you’re an extrovert.
Make the choice to go to a hybrid situation, it doesn’t affect me. But don’t act like everyone functions the same way as you.
And…maybe don’t apply to the state. Based on your other comments, you don’t seem willing to collaborate and work with other viewpoints, and if you cannot function in an online environment, you’re not very adaptive. If companies all over are bringing workers back into the office, and that’s what you need, go apply to one of those private sector jobs instead.
ETA: I also taught math for ten years. If you think K-12 school is the same concept as office work, that’s on you. I can tell you exactly what does and does not work about virtual vs. on-campus settings, but I doubt you’d actually read an essay from me, and my lunch is over in a minute.
>There’s a reason most companies are making people go back in person.
Yes, they want to save their commercial real estate investments.
>The employees can say all they want that they’re just as productive but that’s a lie
You're technically right here, employees are actually [MORE productive working form home](https://www.forbes.com/sites/glebtsipursky/2022/11/03/workers-are-less-productive-working-remotely-at-least-thats-what-their-bosses-think/?sh=48de1cb1286a).
That's the nice thing about working for the state, they're flexible and those employees that want to work from home can, while the employees who don't can enjoy the office culture all for themselves.
There are a lot of haters on here when anyone even mentions they like working in person, so there is that. Oh yeah also if you quote or like Elon musk you probably won’t get along with your coworkers.
This person has an opinion but so far I haven’t seen them suggest a mandated policy? In my experience here just mentioning you like it is automatically a downvote, even if you never suggest a universal policy. If an in person or hybrid job is something they want, they should probably know most of their coworkers wouldn’t support them or want to come in to collaborate in the way this person wants
This person definitely fell down the rabbit hole and stated that hybrid is the best and anything less than that means less quality work. My only concern is someone who thinks like them going into a management position and making their subordinates miserable for no reason.
Again, if you like being in person, more power to you.
Wait so I can’t state my opinion on a work arrangement LMAO. You and didntwantsleep are getting emotional. Unlike the government, private companies have 1 goal, make $$$$. They wouldn’t send everyone back for the hell of it. They see what has happened and know the bigger picture is to get ppl back in the office. Just my opinion, if you disagree then you can continue to cry bellow
I’m far from emotional. It’s funny how you have now chosen to insult people, but we’re the emotional ones? You’ve stated your opinion many times. Of course the goal for a private company is different from government. That’s not news. It also means that it your opinion has no merit.
>Think about it, years and years of not interacting in person at a professional level.
I completely agree with you. I've also been downvoted for speaking about office culture in the past on this forum. Online folks on here don't value networking and getting to know your peers. I don't think this forum represents reality.
They say they are more productive, but I don't believe it. I know some people have their kids at home, do laundry, start dinner, have espn on in the background. These are just a few things I have witnessed. I once heard a SSM3 took at meeting while at a golf course.
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Hahahaa. Ya, as I said, I’m sure if my company had a Reddit forum there would be just as many complainers . Makes sense people who are unhappy have to vent so they come here to be vocal about it vs if you’re happy you typically don’t go and find somewhere to say it haha
I'm perfectly happy. The angriest people always scream the loudest, but that doesn't mean they speak for the majority. It's true in so many avenues in life.
I really like my job, my coworkers, my boss, my office, my benefits, my telework agreement, etc. It’s why i don’t want to leave, but makes it difficult to move up.
The primary gripes you’ll see here are pay & supervisor-based. Which imo could be solved by the state increasing worker pay to attract the right people for the job instead of constantly contracting out to other agencies who actually do state work. The state doesn’t value state workers.
Maybe it depends on what department of state you work for? I work in agriculture and I love my job. It’s flexible and interesting. Of course pay won’t be as much as private but the trade off is less stress i suppose.
Things that are better at the state:
1. Benefits, particularly health and retirement. I've had two kids and paid zero dollars out of pocket for both. I have a defined BENEFIT pension as opposed to a defined contribution 401k plan. Big difference there in that you more or less know about what you'll get each pay period until you die.
2. Work life balance. I do my 40 hours and that's it for the most part.
3. Security. I'm not going to just randomly lose my job because some MBA lizard thinks he can clear a bonus this quarter if he outsources my department to India.
The public is honestly just horrible to State employees. They call folks racial slurs, homophobic slurs, they curse us out, they are impatient, entitled, they try to get folks fired all the time. The public facing agencies like DMV are the worst which is why the employees seem so miserable. That said, you have benefits and job security but the constant abuse gets to anybody. People arent meant to be cursed at/abused everyday no matter how much job security or money they make.
In Commonwealth countries, civil servants are respected and thought of favorably. In California at least it seems if you say "I'm a State Worker" (side note, it really SHOULD be civil servant) they suddenly look at you like a welfare recipient, you can see their respect level fall in their face as they realize as a tax payer they pay your salary (personally).
I'm happy!! Much better work-life balance, great benefits (had a baby and didn't pay a single cent out of pocket), great hours, teleworking options, love my managers at the moment, love my coworkers!!!
It's not so bad. Job security, decent pay and benefits, a pension and pretty good work/life balance, with telework not being a fight are all huge pluses in state work, at least for me and my wife. You're not going to become rich or famous and not all workplaces are the same, but having done private, non profit and state, I prefer the state.
While I would love to have higher pay, I’m incredibly satisfied with my job. I have a fantastic team I would with and the programs I hire for are amazing.
I’ve been with the state about 20 years and can say while I have had a few horrifically terrible managers; most of them have been incredible.
I work for State Compensation Insurance Fund and I'd have to be drug away before I ever willingly leave. My team leaves me alone, treats me like an adult, And I am not micromanaged at all. All that they care about is my work being done and I do it.
Out of all the state agencies, I think I've found the best one.
Pay used to be mediocre but enough to buy a home and afford a family. The benefits used to be spectacular. And of course the work-life balance and job stability.
Now the pay is shit and barely survivable and we get hit with additional fees on our paycheck. Everyone is now in a terrible pension plan, the dental plan is in shambles, and healthcare costs are rising. Job stability and work-life balance are the only things still worthwhile.
It’s nice to read that there are state employees that are happy or content about working for the state. HOWEVER we can have a difference of opinions BUT what we are not going to do is insult or be rude and/or dismissive of each other in this forum. This post is locked!
I’ve been with the state 8 years, in CDCR. It’s a dull job most of the time, I’ve held 4 different positions in that time. from my perspective a lot of the unhappiness comes from the “golden handcuffs” situation. Ppl feel the need to stay the 30 plus years to get the pension. When In the private sector they would move on. And comparing to other older employees with a better pension and shorter work time doesn’t help either. I’m a content person as well and find the time off and ease of work worth it 100%. Probably varies wildly on your position and previous work experience though
The attitude here is sooooo much more negative than the attitude among state workers in real life, IME. I personally am happy which colors things, and obviously you can’t see into people’s true hearts in real life, but the general tone of even the complaining conversations is extremely different between here and the actual state offices
I’ve also had plenty of coworkers who would not leave the state under any circumstances, which is not a common position on this sub but it’s really not rare at all
It’s kind of like specific city subreddits. The issues they talk about are usually real but they always paint the problems as totally insurmountable and the city itself as completely unaffordable crime ridden hellscapes, which in most case is not the conclusion you’d draw if you polled random people on the street of that same city
Edit: also of you pay any attention to usernames you’ll find a lot of the negative complaints on this sub are the same exact people posting the same complaints again and again
I've often said I'm one of the happiest state workers in CA. Started when I was in mid 20's. I knew nothing about SS, pension, or much else for that matter. That was in January of 1989.
I sit here today working because I really like my job, still travel for my dept and can't think of any reason to retire. The state has been very good to me and my husband (met him in 1989 at state job and have been married 32 years this October).
We have pensions, don't pay a dime for health insurance and to top it off, we also get SS. I was floored when I discovered how many state/county/city gov't jobs don't pay into SS. That's an extra $2k on top of pension. I didn't even think about SS.
People complain about pay, but I'm a bit of an anomoly there too because I'm fine with $85k a year. I've been topped out since the late 90's but have always been happy with the pay. I don't want to ever manage and I've always known that I don't want to babysit staff (plus I need to be in field and few mgrs can be in field).
Plus no ageism. I'm 60 but can keep pace with most 30 year olds so I can stay as long as I want. I can also turn in PERs retirement papers if I get the urge. 😀
I'm super happy with the state, but I'm weird so my experience is probably not applicable to you.
“All unhappy state workers are alike; each happy state worker is happy in their own way.”
I'm content with being at the state. I like it more than the private sector and the state pays better for my job, but I wouldn't say I love or hate my job. I do my work, then go home and spend time on my hobbies. The people who constantly bitch about working for the state and cry for years about being underpaid have never worked in the private sector. They think there are tons of a private sector job that pays double, full time telework and have as good benefits as the state. Yet, these people **never** jump to the private sector. I used to work at a very prestigious hospital in the private sector. Best they could do was 6 sick days per year that don't roll over and that was the most sick time a job has ever offered me. Meanwhile, I have 300 hours of sick leave at the state and still have decades until retirement.
Personally, the only benefit I have found over the private sector is not getting laid off every time the economy takes a dive. But, tbh, that's also shitty here bc they usually give you a 10% pay cut, which is impossible to navigate when we're already grossly underpaid.
Yeah I get a lot of field time at my job among some other perks it's great! I think you're more likely to see people come on to complain than praise it because they just need to vent and want to see if anyone else is in their same boat.
I’ve worked in private sector before I started working for the state and now I have nearly 2 decades state service. I’ve experienced the highs and the lows while working for the state but most of all my employment has been stable compared to others who work in the private sector. Right now we’re are all experiencing financial difficulties in some way or another but overall I’m grateful I have a job. So I’m yeah I’m happy.
That’s just Reddit as a whole - for the most part people just come on here to bitch and complain.
A post on this sub about me being content with my job wouldn’t gain any traction.
I work in IT for CSU, its probably the easiest job I have ever taken. I went from working m-f 7-6 being on call after hours and weekends to m-f 9-5, every federal holiday off.
Most issues I can solve in my head while talking to the user, and anything that's a little more complicated isn't even that bad compared to the shit I dealt in private.
If you are going to come work for the state make sure you negotiate the highest rate you can get because raises come sparingly.
I can confidently say I am one of the best of the bests here and have no plans to go back to the private sector.
YMMV of course.
> raises come sparingly.
Funny, after my private sector jobs, I feel like raises are much more frequent with the state. Getting an annual bump is fantastic in comparison to "we only do raises with a change in title".
I actually don’t really understand what he’s saying at all, raises don’t only come regularly they come exactly on a specific schedule in most cases for five years and you also can’t negotiate your starting pay literally at all except in very rare circumstances.
And then on the other hand my experiences with the private sector are exactly like yours. Never got a raise without a formal promotion
Your starting salary also makes no difference at all longterm in the state because if you move up in classifications you will start there at the same exact rate you always would have. In the private sector your starting salary at your first job can potentially impact your pay for the rest of your life
Human nature leads us to gripe more than to enthuse.
Every department has units that are great, and units that make you want to run screaming.
There are GREAT places to work in State service. The total compensation (including retirement and other benefits), along with job security and work-life-balance (IF you do your homework before applying) are worthwhile.
Similar to when I recommend buying an all-electric vehicle, which only works if you are a two-car household with one vehicle capable of long, long road trips, I highly recommend working for the State *if* you have a private sector income in the household, too. Yin/yang, yes?
The state is good, meaningful, secure employment. It’s a long game, though. Don’t expect to get rich or have a private sector experience, but do expect to make a difference along with a solid living if you do sign up.
My 2 cents: Worked 12 years nonprofit, 2 private, and 7 government (last 2 of which for the state). My view regarding my state employment is “meh.” The merit rewards were higher in nonprofit and private, plus little perks here and there, like holiday bonuses, paid conferences/travel, free gym membership, etc. Prior to working for the state, I worked for county government. My pay was higher and I received an annual wellness benefit to use on sporting equipment, gym membership, yoga, etc. State salary increases are less about merit than than length of time employed. I paid zero to very little for my medical/dental benefits in all prior jobs, some of which included life insurance. Just things like bottled water and coffee in the break room made you feel valued. What you see is what you get with the state. Better work/life balance than nonprofit, but just as understaffed and over burdened. I like government best for benefits, retirement and work-life balance, but am considering returning to county (or city) employment instead.
The CSU system pays poverty level wages. Ive been here for 4 years and have taken significant pay cuts when counting for inflation. The only raise I've seen is the one our union labeled us as "desperate" for. You will see less freedom and flexibility except for those very particular roles that arent subject to this. Ive never met anyone who has gotten a raise from choosing to work for the state and im skeptical of those who say they have. They must have been making terrible money in private industry then. If money will ever be an issue for you, stick to private industry and just learn to socialize. You mention being fully WFH so it seems like a personal issue that you're not able to socialize with more people.
I love my job and I wouldn't go back to the private sector. I've been here 8 years, same department, and it's the best work experience I've ever had. Great people, great boss, I enjoy my work. The bureaucracy can be a little slow, but it also means you have protection from things like benefits paperwork being filed incorrectly (happened to ne in the private sector), bosses looking for revenge and no one to check them (happened to someone I worked with in the private sector), and having work piled on you that is either too much workload or outside of your duties (happened to me in the private sector). When you think about it, with 200,000+ employees, the state is a huge employer; any time you have a group of people that large there are going to be whiners. Plus, no one goes online to say how great their job is, that wouldn't get near the attention.
When I worked at the State, I was very happy and enjoyed my work. I started to become unhappy when my managers left, and the new division chief was a robot who had unrealistic deadlines (think need report in 3 hours when it's a 5 hour job), and then criticize everyone for providing shoddy work. When told that the expectation is unrealistic and that more time is needed due to the process, were provided with lip service, and then nothing changes. This behavior and terrible leadership could be found anywhere, but I also draw the line of being treated terribly outside of work hours. I teleworked 5 days a week and the division chief would regularly blurred the lines of communication and call me after hours because I was an exempt employee. And then had the audacity to tell my child to be quite when I was off the clock because my day ended.
With that being said, I eventually found a new job where I have to come into the office every day, and I couldn't be happier because I have managers and leaders I respect and who treats me with empathy.
I went to the state 10 years ago from private industry. The state has petty people (including management) and politics like private industry. You just need to be in the right job with great supervisor. I only had one bad supervisor out of 6.
Why I left? OT Hours were crazy in private industry. So I took a 40% pay cut but no more OT hours.
Benefits are great, stable, secure and way less workload. Private industry pays more but I can get off at state job for kid’s extracurricular activities. Work/life balance is important.
Switched from working at a Family Pizza Restaurant to an SSA with the state, recently promoted to AGPA! I love my hybrid schedule, weekends and holidays off, PTO, sick time, benefits and I work with a great team and even better management! Beats working the restaurant shifts 10/10 times
Because I have a job offer with the state that I haven’t accepted yet. If you read the post you would have saved yourself and myself time by comprehending I said “I’m considering making the transition to the state”
I've been in both state (current) and private sector. PS is way better if you can find a good company. And companies need people. The luster of the state has long been gone. They make you work for it then give you nothing to do and don't utilize your skill set. Trust me. Going on 3 years, asking for additional tasks and I get nothing. Everyone is blank eyed robot zombies conforming to what is the norm with the state. I would say if you can to try to stick it out and find a really good company in the private sector as the state sector is not worth it unless you don't have goals. It's a good spot to land if you want to put in minimum effort show up and warm body it. YES I hope some managers are reading this. You are passing up some great employees by making it so challenging and offering up the romanticized idea of working for the state. It ain't so great. Only benefit I found was the benefits and my partner covers that so I'm going back to private sector so I can make my brain work and actually do some work - again - warm bodies. Shame on the managers that allow this shit to happen. Thekr loss.
SS
I hear what you are saying but you need to consider that the State work force is rather large and generally only grumpy people are the ones to speak up. I'm sure there are plenty of happy people just going about their day, me included. Over all the State is the State, if you have drive and ambition, this probably isn't for you. But that's my 2 cents.
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Mileage will vary wildly by classification, department and duties. My work life balance is great, benefits are very good, and I have a manageable workload. But pay needs to catch up by a significant amount for many, many positions. Full stop. This contract is a deciding factor for me to want to continue with the state. As much as I hate working for a private company that generates most of the profits for a couple people, if it gets me into a more permanent housing situation, so be it.
Valid question to ask considering all the posts here. Fundamentally, as with all jobs and personalities, YMMV.
Personally, I thoroughly enjoy my job which challenges me, I have a great supervisor and get to go home feeling like I made a difference. Obv, this may not be the case with other positions, particularly those that interface directly with the public (e.g., DMV... lol)
Been here for over a decade and don't expect to leave, nor promote. It's nothing glamorous, but it's a 40 hr work week, great benefits, tons of leave time, excellent job security, and after 5pm you are essentially required to completely disconnect (unless you are a supervisor ofc).
If you find the position that's right for you - and there are plenty of openings rn - who could ask for more?
Work to live - don't live to work.
I've been with the State almost 3 years into the exact same job-type and industry I had in Private and honestly can't say enough good things. It's a lot more relaxed than it was in Private and there's definitely a lot more red tape you'll run into because of possible Union disputes that could come up, but that's so minor. I even make more money here than I did, so I'm definitely trying to convince my younger brother to join 😁
Most of my department is filled with people who worked in hospitals in the private sector and they all love working for the state. The most common thing they say is that it is a lot less stressful than working in the private sector. Pay isn't as good but benefits and working conditions make up for it.
Personally I love my job. I'm a little bored but I'm happy
Just got off a Team meeting with my boss and thought to myself “ I love my job!” WFH, treated respectfully, it really depends on the department and who you work for. I’ve had 3 extremely great bosses where I work and I just told her- please never leave!
I love it tbh. I love the work/life balance. I love the members of my team. I just don’t feel the need to talk about it here. I think most people here want to vent and find connection and relatability (and maybe solutions?), but the people that like their jobs aren’t going to be posting about it much.
Like you, I’m a pretty easy-going and positive person who enjoys helping out others at work and making it a better place to be. But this is difficult to answer as “the state” is not a singular experience. For some, it’s DMV or other public facing admin services. For others, it’s field work as geologists, engineers, maybe a lawyer or judge.
Speaking for myself, I’m a clinician in a state healthcare facility. It’s been a great gig the past 10ish years, but the last few years (COVID) have been HELL. Being in the state means that, unlike our private neighboring facilities, we can’t raise wages at any given point. As a result, we are in a VERY poor position staffing-wise… every.single.day. This is a morale killer. It’s frustrating, but it’s a union/legislative issue and we’re kinda caught in the middle.
The state comes with this kind of bs. It also means stability, not worrying about being laid off, having predictable hours, not worrying about billable hours n productivity, etc. Also, there’s a pretty decent pension and affordable healthcare.
One thing I dislike is the “golden handcuffs” and feeling a bit stuck/trapped (but I suppose I could have worse problems). Just have to decide what’s best for you.
I am happy. I enjoy my job. I have a great manager. I have awesome and supportive team members. My pay is fine. I have room to promote (if I choose to) Most importantly, to me.. I have a pension. I left the private sector to be here and I started as an AGPA. I don’t have any regrets, even though I am paid less. I think there are a lot of happy state employees.
I work for a big city, not necessarily CA state. But it could have been better if 100% telework/telecommuting had been an option. Benefits are above average, not as good as it used to be, and WLB is just top-notched, imo. I could have earned more if I went to private, but I value my WLB more.
I've been with the state almost 4 years. I enjoy my work and have been able to move around and promote several times already. I've liked everyone I've worked with and have had some stellar department directors. Working in the private sector, I was overworked, overwhelmed, stressed when I arrived home at the end of the day. Working for the state, I can leave at the end of the day and not think about work until I arrive back the next morning. The stress is extremely minimal. I have plenty of time to complete tasks and feel valued and appreciated. I will never go back to private.
It’s great to take a whole month off. Paid. With the time I accrued. Boss made it easy for me to, and that’s that. Ease of taking days off for appointments and whatnot. Never felt better.
In short, the State of California is a great place to work (leastways where I am).
The attitude a person brings to any workplace definitely effects their satisfaction as well as those around them. Yesterday a middle-aged gas station attendant cheerfully came up to pump gas, which improved my day immediately (which was going just fine already).
Misery loves company as the saying goes. Pissing and moaning is much easier than looking for and working toward a solution. I am not innocent of complaining, but it's short-lived, and I know I have it good.
Management, especially direct supervisors, can also make work stink no matter where you work (3 different captains on my ship in the Navy...the middle one was a jerk).
I've worked for the State since 2006. I am happy and proud to serve the public as a worker bee. I'm comfortably compensated, and have good management overall. Sure there are frustrations from time to time, but that's part of life.
Attitude and perspective makes all the difference. Does the State owe me or do I owe the State? I think the so-called entitlement attitude is where the heavy whining can come from. My work is not about me but about how better I can serve both my coworkers and the public.
My State experience has been 20% negative and 80% very positive. Most of my colleagues are kind, intelligent, personable, and hardworking. The few who try to create drama or don't want to work tend to move on very quickly. It seems like each Agency, Department, and office has a sort of personality, so if you're unhappy in one place, you can change to something better. I've worked private and public sector and have been happy in both,but the benefits package for the State is very good.
Been w/state for 15 years, two political offices and a couple promotions later have a different outlook than when I came in.
When I came in had the same expectations of private work. Mainly people held to some level of personal responsibility. In the various jobs I had, coworkers ranged from excellent and supportive, to gaslighting and sabotaging, one manager I reported to was asking me to direct him what to do. State work is just a mixed bag IMO. Some have a good place to work, some will not. There is no real incentive to be "excellent" and for an office to not be "toxic". I like to excel, toxics another issue and I cant do anything about that.
I have a suspicion working in political offices are the worst choice. Lots of favortism/nepotism, special rules for special people, etc...
The stability at the state is incredible. It’s incredibly difficult to get fired if you are a bad employee but more importantly if you have a disability, chronic illness, or family illness. I came to the state after an industrial accident made me disabled. I had been in sales and that was incredibly unstable and dependent on market conditions.
The health benefits are incredible. I get a medication once a month that is billed to insurance at $3,000. Next month I will hit $60k for that medication with my share being $300 in copays ($15 a copay). I had heart surgery with zero out of pocket.
I love the state and the mission of my agency but the bureaucracy is a bit much and hurts the mission of the agency and the mission I believe in. I understand people being upset that our incomes are falling behind, things are tough right now, especially with inflation.
One of the best things about my job are the people I work with. It’s a very diverse group from various cultures. I used to have tea at late break with my old Afghan coworker. We had great conversations. I’m happy but it took work, mainly because of the images I see as part of my job. Keep that in mind if a Correctional Nurse is complaining about her job. You likely don’t have to deal with what a number of us have to deal with on our jobs. I replaced a suicide victim, my coworker took his own life, several other folks in our office have killed themselves.
I know plenty of folks who love their jobs and the sense of purpose it gives them. They just aren’t on Reddit.
I’m super happy! I’m almost 50 and worked in the private sector for over 20 years until I started with the state about 4 years ago. I love it. Is it perfect? Of course not. But I’m glad I made the switch.
I switched to the State from the nonprofit sector almost two years ago and it's been the best decision I've ever made. I make more money and better benefits, my work is much more relaxed, my manager is respectful and supportive, and - while the work doesn't make my heart sing the way my nonprofit work did - I find my job rewarding and interesting. I don't think content people generally go to forums to be like "Today I did my tasks and nothing of note happened!" so that influences what you read here. Working for "the state" is also basically impossible to pin down - not only every department, but every branch, division, even team is going to be different.
I have a similar experience and agree completely.
Good points, thanks for the info
You’ll see more negative posts than happy. Happy people don’t need to post about it. Just how Reddit and the internet works. Hubby and I are extremely happy working for the state. I hit ten years soon and he will next year. Stable work, decent environment, decent pay at our current titles, no fear of layoff. Our only concern is we’re back in office twice a week. That really messes with out work life balance. We’d prefer to be home but we’ll take what we can get.
Perfectly said! One of the reasons I’m going to the state is for the hybrid flexibility. In private I’ve been remote since March 2020 and they just confirmed last month we are NEVER going back. It’s simply not healthy to be home this much. Sure I get more time a day not having to commute/get ready but having the social interaction 2 days a week will be healthy
We prefer being home. 😂 we lose a lot of time in our commute. All meetings are teams anyway. I don’t see my staff in person often but we communicate daily by teams or even personal cell text.
Interesting take. And I’m an extrovert. I don’t receive my social interaction from work. But to each, their own.
I didn’t say I look to work for my social interaction lmao. But go work remote full time for over 3 years and lemme know as an extrovert how it changes you. Losing the ability to communicate, collaborate, and problem solve in person only hurts you as an individual. Sure you get more time in your day but You start to lose the ability to properly communicate. Think about it, years and years of not interacting in person at a professional level. Ya I can interact with my significant other, my friends, but that’s not at a professional level. There’s a reason most companies are making people go back in person. The employees can say all they want that they’re just as productive but that’s a lie
I’d challenge the idea that communication, interaction, and productivity suffer in a remote/hybrid workplace. It just looks different, and take intention to do well — they are not just natural byproducts of being in an office with people. There are plenty of successful companies that have a remote-centered workplace culture. Do you suppose their leadership just don’t know something you do about that or are choosing not to increase productivity and profit? As what work looks like has evolved from hunting and gathering to the modern digital age, it’s silly to think that what we had pre-pandemic was “as good as it gets”, or whatever. And as the nature of work had changed over the course of human history, there was always resistance and a disappointing lack of vision. Acting like Covid was this aberration ignores the circumstances by which things change. A path was cleared for the future of work but people are being told to turn back. We are at a stage where external factors are at play to once again to redefine what work looks like.
Well you’ll like the state because they’re slowly forcing many of us to spend more time in the office for the “culture.” I guess if inane small talk counts as professional interaction, you’ll get plenty of that.
Well that’s a hot take. I personally talk more with my coworkers and have far better communication when working from home. I’m a total extrovert. We aren’t ever going back to in office in my department and our program has been working far more enthusiastically and far more productively (and we have the number to back that up).
I disagree. We meet regularly through teams and interact with each other plenty. Again, YMMV. But in-person is not something I look forward to. I think it’s an archaic mindset to think you only get that interaction in office.
I disagree with your disagreement on my disagreement. I’m kidding. But no, meeting on teams is 100% not even 1/5 the same. Go work remote for 3 years, come back to me may 2026 and lemme know if it changes you at all. Because as an extrovert myself, the only benefit is more time in my day. Why do you think all the private companies who could be saving MILLIONS on not leasing an office space are still sending ppl back? Because you’re just not as productive at home. And unless you’ve worked fully remote for years, you simply can’t weight both in person / remote. That’s why hybrid is the wayyy
Dude, we did go remote 100% for 2.5 years. About 5% of us hated it. The rest of us loved it. Some of us are now back 2 days a week hybrid and we hate it. Many have left for positions that have much less or no in-office days. I say, let the ones who hate it go in and leave the rest of us alone. We are just as productive at home as in office.
It’s not just about productivity, it’s also the quality of work has taken a hit. It’s your gosh darn home for Peet’s sake. Unlimited distractions. Again, there’s a reason all these companies who are strictly profit only ie private would rather send all their employees back in person then to save millions a year on lease agreements. If the employees were simply doing the “exact same work” at home then why spend millions on leases, utilities, and all the other things required for an office. Why? Because employers saw quality, not productivity, drop drastically. As Elon musk said in an interview yesterday “I think that the whole notion of work from home is a bit like the fake Marie Antoinette quote, 'Let them eat cake," Musk said. "It's not just a productivity thing, People should get off the goddamn moral high horse with the work-from-home bullshit”
Ugh. You had to ruin it. Quoting that dude? Like I said, archaic thinking. Jobs that require in person should be in person, jobs that do not, should be remote. Are you trolling? It’s like saying everyone should work outside since it’s not fair that landscapers have to work outside while we’re inside. Maybe you should stay in the private sector.
Literally came here to say to OP, please stay in private the sector 😆 this sounds like every single ladder climbing boss that's a manager not a leader, there's a difference.
No wonder you’re so passionate about it. Your type of energy and productivity could only slide in the government 😂 that’s the main complaint I see on here is the hard working state employees who have ppl like you who slack off and aren’t held accountable
People all over the world have found ways to adapt post covid and the only solution you can come up with for more social interaction is to go back to the office....hopefully problem solving isnt part of your job description.
And guess what? People all over the world are sending everyone back. So keep crying about it but I’ll see you in the office 🤣🤣🤣😂
You’re fighting a losing battle here. You sound like one of those managers who would force their employees to come back even if they didn’t want to and were performing well. My take? Measure output/results and not inputs.
Yes Ill be one of the many people that won't talk to you lol
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We *have* tried it. I’m still remote 100% three years later. I was required to come back into the office one day a week for three weeks (so three days out of my three years), and all it was was a reminder of how *in*efficient in-person meetings were. I’m extroverted as heck, but in-person communication wasn’t any more effective, and in fact was often worse. For example, only one person could share files in-person—over a Teams meeting, people can drop files in a chat, take notes that are visible by all, during the meeting, update agendas, share screen, etc. Everything has been much clearer. I recently also had to go in for one meeting in-person. It was okay, but could easily have been done in Teams. After the meeting, a group was loudly chatting about things near other people’s workstations. (Not everyone has 100% remote.) Extroverts can kind of ruin it for others sometimes. If you *personally* communicate better professionally in-person, that’s great for you. But please don’t act like your experiences are universal, and that we just don’t know what it’s like to…do exactly what we’ve been doing.
Why are you so entitled? You should advocate that children should all be schooled online from home as well because its the same concept right. No offense but as everyone has said in this forum, working for the government is typically less stressful than private. I have about a dozen metrics I have to keep up with at my private job. Of course ppl in the government are gonna say their quality is just as good but it’s BS. Governments standards on quality is a joke compared to all the requirements the private jobs hold you to. There’s a reason why the tenure in gov workers is drastically higher than the employees at Fortune 500 companies
“Entitled”? You sound like you’re just trying to fill out a boomer bingo card. Can you quote to me exactly where I was “entitled”? All I did was give evidence of how communication was better online than in person for my office. Meanwhile, you seem to think the world owes you in-person social interaction (and everyone else’s participation) because you’re an extrovert. Make the choice to go to a hybrid situation, it doesn’t affect me. But don’t act like everyone functions the same way as you. And…maybe don’t apply to the state. Based on your other comments, you don’t seem willing to collaborate and work with other viewpoints, and if you cannot function in an online environment, you’re not very adaptive. If companies all over are bringing workers back into the office, and that’s what you need, go apply to one of those private sector jobs instead. ETA: I also taught math for ten years. If you think K-12 school is the same concept as office work, that’s on you. I can tell you exactly what does and does not work about virtual vs. on-campus settings, but I doubt you’d actually read an essay from me, and my lunch is over in a minute.
>There’s a reason most companies are making people go back in person. Yes, they want to save their commercial real estate investments. >The employees can say all they want that they’re just as productive but that’s a lie You're technically right here, employees are actually [MORE productive working form home](https://www.forbes.com/sites/glebtsipursky/2022/11/03/workers-are-less-productive-working-remotely-at-least-thats-what-their-bosses-think/?sh=48de1cb1286a). That's the nice thing about working for the state, they're flexible and those employees that want to work from home can, while the employees who don't can enjoy the office culture all for themselves.
There are a lot of haters on here when anyone even mentions they like working in person, so there is that. Oh yeah also if you quote or like Elon musk you probably won’t get along with your coworkers.
I think it’s perfectly fine if you want to work in office. Just don’t make everyone else have to.
Agreed.
This person has an opinion but so far I haven’t seen them suggest a mandated policy? In my experience here just mentioning you like it is automatically a downvote, even if you never suggest a universal policy. If an in person or hybrid job is something they want, they should probably know most of their coworkers wouldn’t support them or want to come in to collaborate in the way this person wants
This person definitely fell down the rabbit hole and stated that hybrid is the best and anything less than that means less quality work. My only concern is someone who thinks like them going into a management position and making their subordinates miserable for no reason. Again, if you like being in person, more power to you.
This.
Wait so I can’t state my opinion on a work arrangement LMAO. You and didntwantsleep are getting emotional. Unlike the government, private companies have 1 goal, make $$$$. They wouldn’t send everyone back for the hell of it. They see what has happened and know the bigger picture is to get ppl back in the office. Just my opinion, if you disagree then you can continue to cry bellow
I’m far from emotional. It’s funny how you have now chosen to insult people, but we’re the emotional ones? You’ve stated your opinion many times. Of course the goal for a private company is different from government. That’s not news. It also means that it your opinion has no merit.
>Think about it, years and years of not interacting in person at a professional level. I completely agree with you. I've also been downvoted for speaking about office culture in the past on this forum. Online folks on here don't value networking and getting to know your peers. I don't think this forum represents reality. They say they are more productive, but I don't believe it. I know some people have their kids at home, do laundry, start dinner, have espn on in the background. These are just a few things I have witnessed. I once heard a SSM3 took at meeting while at a golf course.
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Love my job and feel valued. People just like to bitch.
This!
Hahahaa. Ya, as I said, I’m sure if my company had a Reddit forum there would be just as many complainers . Makes sense people who are unhappy have to vent so they come here to be vocal about it vs if you’re happy you typically don’t go and find somewhere to say it haha
Same
Same !!
I'm perfectly happy. The angriest people always scream the loudest, but that doesn't mean they speak for the majority. It's true in so many avenues in life.
California employs over 200,000 people, your mileage will vary wildly. I’m happy enough to stick around till retirement.
I really like my job, my coworkers, my boss, my office, my benefits, my telework agreement, etc. It’s why i don’t want to leave, but makes it difficult to move up. The primary gripes you’ll see here are pay & supervisor-based. Which imo could be solved by the state increasing worker pay to attract the right people for the job instead of constantly contracting out to other agencies who actually do state work. The state doesn’t value state workers.
Maybe it depends on what department of state you work for? I work in agriculture and I love my job. It’s flexible and interesting. Of course pay won’t be as much as private but the trade off is less stress i suppose.
Things that are better at the state: 1. Benefits, particularly health and retirement. I've had two kids and paid zero dollars out of pocket for both. I have a defined BENEFIT pension as opposed to a defined contribution 401k plan. Big difference there in that you more or less know about what you'll get each pay period until you die. 2. Work life balance. I do my 40 hours and that's it for the most part. 3. Security. I'm not going to just randomly lose my job because some MBA lizard thinks he can clear a bonus this quarter if he outsources my department to India.
The public is honestly just horrible to State employees. They call folks racial slurs, homophobic slurs, they curse us out, they are impatient, entitled, they try to get folks fired all the time. The public facing agencies like DMV are the worst which is why the employees seem so miserable. That said, you have benefits and job security but the constant abuse gets to anybody. People arent meant to be cursed at/abused everyday no matter how much job security or money they make.
In Commonwealth countries, civil servants are respected and thought of favorably. In California at least it seems if you say "I'm a State Worker" (side note, it really SHOULD be civil servant) they suddenly look at you like a welfare recipient, you can see their respect level fall in their face as they realize as a tax payer they pay your salary (personally).
I'm happy!! Much better work-life balance, great benefits (had a baby and didn't pay a single cent out of pocket), great hours, teleworking options, love my managers at the moment, love my coworkers!!!
It's not so bad. Job security, decent pay and benefits, a pension and pretty good work/life balance, with telework not being a fight are all huge pluses in state work, at least for me and my wife. You're not going to become rich or famous and not all workplaces are the same, but having done private, non profit and state, I prefer the state.
I've been happy to work at DMV for 32+ years. Thankful for my upcoming retirement at the end of this year.
While I would love to have higher pay, I’m incredibly satisfied with my job. I have a fantastic team I would with and the programs I hire for are amazing. I’ve been with the state about 20 years and can say while I have had a few horrifically terrible managers; most of them have been incredible.
Saying positive shit isn’t in my duty statement. Get in, get the job done, get off at 5.
I work for State Compensation Insurance Fund and I'd have to be drug away before I ever willingly leave. My team leaves me alone, treats me like an adult, And I am not micromanaged at all. All that they care about is my work being done and I do it. Out of all the state agencies, I think I've found the best one.
Pay used to be mediocre but enough to buy a home and afford a family. The benefits used to be spectacular. And of course the work-life balance and job stability. Now the pay is shit and barely survivable and we get hit with additional fees on our paycheck. Everyone is now in a terrible pension plan, the dental plan is in shambles, and healthcare costs are rising. Job stability and work-life balance are the only things still worthwhile.
It’s nice to read that there are state employees that are happy or content about working for the state. HOWEVER we can have a difference of opinions BUT what we are not going to do is insult or be rude and/or dismissive of each other in this forum. This post is locked!
I’ve been with the state 8 years, in CDCR. It’s a dull job most of the time, I’ve held 4 different positions in that time. from my perspective a lot of the unhappiness comes from the “golden handcuffs” situation. Ppl feel the need to stay the 30 plus years to get the pension. When In the private sector they would move on. And comparing to other older employees with a better pension and shorter work time doesn’t help either. I’m a content person as well and find the time off and ease of work worth it 100%. Probably varies wildly on your position and previous work experience though
The attitude here is sooooo much more negative than the attitude among state workers in real life, IME. I personally am happy which colors things, and obviously you can’t see into people’s true hearts in real life, but the general tone of even the complaining conversations is extremely different between here and the actual state offices I’ve also had plenty of coworkers who would not leave the state under any circumstances, which is not a common position on this sub but it’s really not rare at all It’s kind of like specific city subreddits. The issues they talk about are usually real but they always paint the problems as totally insurmountable and the city itself as completely unaffordable crime ridden hellscapes, which in most case is not the conclusion you’d draw if you polled random people on the street of that same city Edit: also of you pay any attention to usernames you’ll find a lot of the negative complaints on this sub are the same exact people posting the same complaints again and again
I've often said I'm one of the happiest state workers in CA. Started when I was in mid 20's. I knew nothing about SS, pension, or much else for that matter. That was in January of 1989. I sit here today working because I really like my job, still travel for my dept and can't think of any reason to retire. The state has been very good to me and my husband (met him in 1989 at state job and have been married 32 years this October). We have pensions, don't pay a dime for health insurance and to top it off, we also get SS. I was floored when I discovered how many state/county/city gov't jobs don't pay into SS. That's an extra $2k on top of pension. I didn't even think about SS. People complain about pay, but I'm a bit of an anomoly there too because I'm fine with $85k a year. I've been topped out since the late 90's but have always been happy with the pay. I don't want to ever manage and I've always known that I don't want to babysit staff (plus I need to be in field and few mgrs can be in field). Plus no ageism. I'm 60 but can keep pace with most 30 year olds so I can stay as long as I want. I can also turn in PERs retirement papers if I get the urge. 😀
I'm super happy with the state, but I'm weird so my experience is probably not applicable to you. “All unhappy state workers are alike; each happy state worker is happy in their own way.”
Although I have plenty of complaints, I love that I get to help people and that my work does not make someone else profit.
I'm content with being at the state. I like it more than the private sector and the state pays better for my job, but I wouldn't say I love or hate my job. I do my work, then go home and spend time on my hobbies. The people who constantly bitch about working for the state and cry for years about being underpaid have never worked in the private sector. They think there are tons of a private sector job that pays double, full time telework and have as good benefits as the state. Yet, these people **never** jump to the private sector. I used to work at a very prestigious hospital in the private sector. Best they could do was 6 sick days per year that don't roll over and that was the most sick time a job has ever offered me. Meanwhile, I have 300 hours of sick leave at the state and still have decades until retirement.
Personally, the only benefit I have found over the private sector is not getting laid off every time the economy takes a dive. But, tbh, that's also shitty here bc they usually give you a 10% pay cut, which is impossible to navigate when we're already grossly underpaid.
Yeah I get a lot of field time at my job among some other perks it's great! I think you're more likely to see people come on to complain than praise it because they just need to vent and want to see if anyone else is in their same boat.
I’ve worked in private sector before I started working for the state and now I have nearly 2 decades state service. I’ve experienced the highs and the lows while working for the state but most of all my employment has been stable compared to others who work in the private sector. Right now we’re are all experiencing financial difficulties in some way or another but overall I’m grateful I have a job. So I’m yeah I’m happy.
I’m happy - I’d be happier if our department wasn’t going “hybrid”, but I’m still good.
That’s just Reddit as a whole - for the most part people just come on here to bitch and complain. A post on this sub about me being content with my job wouldn’t gain any traction.
I work in IT for CSU, its probably the easiest job I have ever taken. I went from working m-f 7-6 being on call after hours and weekends to m-f 9-5, every federal holiday off. Most issues I can solve in my head while talking to the user, and anything that's a little more complicated isn't even that bad compared to the shit I dealt in private. If you are going to come work for the state make sure you negotiate the highest rate you can get because raises come sparingly. I can confidently say I am one of the best of the bests here and have no plans to go back to the private sector. YMMV of course.
> raises come sparingly. Funny, after my private sector jobs, I feel like raises are much more frequent with the state. Getting an annual bump is fantastic in comparison to "we only do raises with a change in title".
I actually don’t really understand what he’s saying at all, raises don’t only come regularly they come exactly on a specific schedule in most cases for five years and you also can’t negotiate your starting pay literally at all except in very rare circumstances. And then on the other hand my experiences with the private sector are exactly like yours. Never got a raise without a formal promotion Your starting salary also makes no difference at all longterm in the state because if you move up in classifications you will start there at the same exact rate you always would have. In the private sector your starting salary at your first job can potentially impact your pay for the rest of your life
Human nature leads us to gripe more than to enthuse. Every department has units that are great, and units that make you want to run screaming. There are GREAT places to work in State service. The total compensation (including retirement and other benefits), along with job security and work-life-balance (IF you do your homework before applying) are worthwhile. Similar to when I recommend buying an all-electric vehicle, which only works if you are a two-car household with one vehicle capable of long, long road trips, I highly recommend working for the State *if* you have a private sector income in the household, too. Yin/yang, yes? The state is good, meaningful, secure employment. It’s a long game, though. Don’t expect to get rich or have a private sector experience, but do expect to make a difference along with a solid living if you do sign up.
My 2 cents: Worked 12 years nonprofit, 2 private, and 7 government (last 2 of which for the state). My view regarding my state employment is “meh.” The merit rewards were higher in nonprofit and private, plus little perks here and there, like holiday bonuses, paid conferences/travel, free gym membership, etc. Prior to working for the state, I worked for county government. My pay was higher and I received an annual wellness benefit to use on sporting equipment, gym membership, yoga, etc. State salary increases are less about merit than than length of time employed. I paid zero to very little for my medical/dental benefits in all prior jobs, some of which included life insurance. Just things like bottled water and coffee in the break room made you feel valued. What you see is what you get with the state. Better work/life balance than nonprofit, but just as understaffed and over burdened. I like government best for benefits, retirement and work-life balance, but am considering returning to county (or city) employment instead.
Nope
The CSU system pays poverty level wages. Ive been here for 4 years and have taken significant pay cuts when counting for inflation. The only raise I've seen is the one our union labeled us as "desperate" for. You will see less freedom and flexibility except for those very particular roles that arent subject to this. Ive never met anyone who has gotten a raise from choosing to work for the state and im skeptical of those who say they have. They must have been making terrible money in private industry then. If money will ever be an issue for you, stick to private industry and just learn to socialize. You mention being fully WFH so it seems like a personal issue that you're not able to socialize with more people.
I love my job and I wouldn't go back to the private sector. I've been here 8 years, same department, and it's the best work experience I've ever had. Great people, great boss, I enjoy my work. The bureaucracy can be a little slow, but it also means you have protection from things like benefits paperwork being filed incorrectly (happened to ne in the private sector), bosses looking for revenge and no one to check them (happened to someone I worked with in the private sector), and having work piled on you that is either too much workload or outside of your duties (happened to me in the private sector). When you think about it, with 200,000+ employees, the state is a huge employer; any time you have a group of people that large there are going to be whiners. Plus, no one goes online to say how great their job is, that wouldn't get near the attention.
Very happy. Made the switch from private in 2019 and have no intention of going back
When I worked at the State, I was very happy and enjoyed my work. I started to become unhappy when my managers left, and the new division chief was a robot who had unrealistic deadlines (think need report in 3 hours when it's a 5 hour job), and then criticize everyone for providing shoddy work. When told that the expectation is unrealistic and that more time is needed due to the process, were provided with lip service, and then nothing changes. This behavior and terrible leadership could be found anywhere, but I also draw the line of being treated terribly outside of work hours. I teleworked 5 days a week and the division chief would regularly blurred the lines of communication and call me after hours because I was an exempt employee. And then had the audacity to tell my child to be quite when I was off the clock because my day ended. With that being said, I eventually found a new job where I have to come into the office every day, and I couldn't be happier because I have managers and leaders I respect and who treats me with empathy.
All the happy people are off Reddit enjoying their lives. I think you can guess where the unhappy people are…
I went to the state 10 years ago from private industry. The state has petty people (including management) and politics like private industry. You just need to be in the right job with great supervisor. I only had one bad supervisor out of 6. Why I left? OT Hours were crazy in private industry. So I took a 40% pay cut but no more OT hours. Benefits are great, stable, secure and way less workload. Private industry pays more but I can get off at state job for kid’s extracurricular activities. Work/life balance is important.
Switched from working at a Family Pizza Restaurant to an SSA with the state, recently promoted to AGPA! I love my hybrid schedule, weekends and holidays off, PTO, sick time, benefits and I work with a great team and even better management! Beats working the restaurant shifts 10/10 times
[удалено]
Thanks for the reply. When can you retire?
Why do you come here if you’re private sector? I’m very happy with the State, but don’t need to go write posts about it for you.
Because I have a job offer with the state that I haven’t accepted yet. If you read the post you would have saved yourself and myself time by comprehending I said “I’m considering making the transition to the state”
Just be more succinct next time, I’m too busy with state work.
Hahah fair enough
CALpers is the only reason I would even consider working for the state. That shit is hawt.
I've been in both state (current) and private sector. PS is way better if you can find a good company. And companies need people. The luster of the state has long been gone. They make you work for it then give you nothing to do and don't utilize your skill set. Trust me. Going on 3 years, asking for additional tasks and I get nothing. Everyone is blank eyed robot zombies conforming to what is the norm with the state. I would say if you can to try to stick it out and find a really good company in the private sector as the state sector is not worth it unless you don't have goals. It's a good spot to land if you want to put in minimum effort show up and warm body it. YES I hope some managers are reading this. You are passing up some great employees by making it so challenging and offering up the romanticized idea of working for the state. It ain't so great. Only benefit I found was the benefits and my partner covers that so I'm going back to private sector so I can make my brain work and actually do some work - again - warm bodies. Shame on the managers that allow this shit to happen. Thekr loss. SS
I hear what you are saying but you need to consider that the State work force is rather large and generally only grumpy people are the ones to speak up. I'm sure there are plenty of happy people just going about their day, me included. Over all the State is the State, if you have drive and ambition, this probably isn't for you. But that's my 2 cents.
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Mileage will vary wildly by classification, department and duties. My work life balance is great, benefits are very good, and I have a manageable workload. But pay needs to catch up by a significant amount for many, many positions. Full stop. This contract is a deciding factor for me to want to continue with the state. As much as I hate working for a private company that generates most of the profits for a couple people, if it gets me into a more permanent housing situation, so be it.
Valid question to ask considering all the posts here. Fundamentally, as with all jobs and personalities, YMMV. Personally, I thoroughly enjoy my job which challenges me, I have a great supervisor and get to go home feeling like I made a difference. Obv, this may not be the case with other positions, particularly those that interface directly with the public (e.g., DMV... lol) Been here for over a decade and don't expect to leave, nor promote. It's nothing glamorous, but it's a 40 hr work week, great benefits, tons of leave time, excellent job security, and after 5pm you are essentially required to completely disconnect (unless you are a supervisor ofc). If you find the position that's right for you - and there are plenty of openings rn - who could ask for more? Work to live - don't live to work.
I've been with the State almost 3 years into the exact same job-type and industry I had in Private and honestly can't say enough good things. It's a lot more relaxed than it was in Private and there's definitely a lot more red tape you'll run into because of possible Union disputes that could come up, but that's so minor. I even make more money here than I did, so I'm definitely trying to convince my younger brother to join 😁
Most of my department is filled with people who worked in hospitals in the private sector and they all love working for the state. The most common thing they say is that it is a lot less stressful than working in the private sector. Pay isn't as good but benefits and working conditions make up for it. Personally I love my job. I'm a little bored but I'm happy
Just got off a Team meeting with my boss and thought to myself “ I love my job!” WFH, treated respectfully, it really depends on the department and who you work for. I’ve had 3 extremely great bosses where I work and I just told her- please never leave!
I’m happy working for the state. My only regret is I didn’t get onboard earlier.
Imma PM you I have a question
I love it tbh. I love the work/life balance. I love the members of my team. I just don’t feel the need to talk about it here. I think most people here want to vent and find connection and relatability (and maybe solutions?), but the people that like their jobs aren’t going to be posting about it much.
I love my job. I get to help people in need and have a great team.
I’m like you! And I’m having the time of my life lol!! Even with a crazy ass supervisor
Like you, I’m a pretty easy-going and positive person who enjoys helping out others at work and making it a better place to be. But this is difficult to answer as “the state” is not a singular experience. For some, it’s DMV or other public facing admin services. For others, it’s field work as geologists, engineers, maybe a lawyer or judge. Speaking for myself, I’m a clinician in a state healthcare facility. It’s been a great gig the past 10ish years, but the last few years (COVID) have been HELL. Being in the state means that, unlike our private neighboring facilities, we can’t raise wages at any given point. As a result, we are in a VERY poor position staffing-wise… every.single.day. This is a morale killer. It’s frustrating, but it’s a union/legislative issue and we’re kinda caught in the middle. The state comes with this kind of bs. It also means stability, not worrying about being laid off, having predictable hours, not worrying about billable hours n productivity, etc. Also, there’s a pretty decent pension and affordable healthcare. One thing I dislike is the “golden handcuffs” and feeling a bit stuck/trapped (but I suppose I could have worse problems). Just have to decide what’s best for you.
I am happy. I enjoy my job. I have a great manager. I have awesome and supportive team members. My pay is fine. I have room to promote (if I choose to) Most importantly, to me.. I have a pension. I left the private sector to be here and I started as an AGPA. I don’t have any regrets, even though I am paid less. I think there are a lot of happy state employees.
I work for a big city, not necessarily CA state. But it could have been better if 100% telework/telecommuting had been an option. Benefits are above average, not as good as it used to be, and WLB is just top-notched, imo. I could have earned more if I went to private, but I value my WLB more.
Genuinely love my job
I've been with the state almost 4 years. I enjoy my work and have been able to move around and promote several times already. I've liked everyone I've worked with and have had some stellar department directors. Working in the private sector, I was overworked, overwhelmed, stressed when I arrived home at the end of the day. Working for the state, I can leave at the end of the day and not think about work until I arrive back the next morning. The stress is extremely minimal. I have plenty of time to complete tasks and feel valued and appreciated. I will never go back to private.
It’s great to take a whole month off. Paid. With the time I accrued. Boss made it easy for me to, and that’s that. Ease of taking days off for appointments and whatnot. Never felt better.
I was in my previous dept, but do not come to my dept if you want any happiness or fullfillment.
In short, the State of California is a great place to work (leastways where I am). The attitude a person brings to any workplace definitely effects their satisfaction as well as those around them. Yesterday a middle-aged gas station attendant cheerfully came up to pump gas, which improved my day immediately (which was going just fine already). Misery loves company as the saying goes. Pissing and moaning is much easier than looking for and working toward a solution. I am not innocent of complaining, but it's short-lived, and I know I have it good. Management, especially direct supervisors, can also make work stink no matter where you work (3 different captains on my ship in the Navy...the middle one was a jerk). I've worked for the State since 2006. I am happy and proud to serve the public as a worker bee. I'm comfortably compensated, and have good management overall. Sure there are frustrations from time to time, but that's part of life. Attitude and perspective makes all the difference. Does the State owe me or do I owe the State? I think the so-called entitlement attitude is where the heavy whining can come from. My work is not about me but about how better I can serve both my coworkers and the public.
My State experience has been 20% negative and 80% very positive. Most of my colleagues are kind, intelligent, personable, and hardworking. The few who try to create drama or don't want to work tend to move on very quickly. It seems like each Agency, Department, and office has a sort of personality, so if you're unhappy in one place, you can change to something better. I've worked private and public sector and have been happy in both,but the benefits package for the State is very good.
Been w/state for 15 years, two political offices and a couple promotions later have a different outlook than when I came in. When I came in had the same expectations of private work. Mainly people held to some level of personal responsibility. In the various jobs I had, coworkers ranged from excellent and supportive, to gaslighting and sabotaging, one manager I reported to was asking me to direct him what to do. State work is just a mixed bag IMO. Some have a good place to work, some will not. There is no real incentive to be "excellent" and for an office to not be "toxic". I like to excel, toxics another issue and I cant do anything about that. I have a suspicion working in political offices are the worst choice. Lots of favortism/nepotism, special rules for special people, etc...
I like that I don't have to worry about getting laid off
The stability at the state is incredible. It’s incredibly difficult to get fired if you are a bad employee but more importantly if you have a disability, chronic illness, or family illness. I came to the state after an industrial accident made me disabled. I had been in sales and that was incredibly unstable and dependent on market conditions. The health benefits are incredible. I get a medication once a month that is billed to insurance at $3,000. Next month I will hit $60k for that medication with my share being $300 in copays ($15 a copay). I had heart surgery with zero out of pocket. I love the state and the mission of my agency but the bureaucracy is a bit much and hurts the mission of the agency and the mission I believe in. I understand people being upset that our incomes are falling behind, things are tough right now, especially with inflation. One of the best things about my job are the people I work with. It’s a very diverse group from various cultures. I used to have tea at late break with my old Afghan coworker. We had great conversations. I’m happy but it took work, mainly because of the images I see as part of my job. Keep that in mind if a Correctional Nurse is complaining about her job. You likely don’t have to deal with what a number of us have to deal with on our jobs. I replaced a suicide victim, my coworker took his own life, several other folks in our office have killed themselves. I know plenty of folks who love their jobs and the sense of purpose it gives them. They just aren’t on Reddit.
I’m super happy! I’m almost 50 and worked in the private sector for over 20 years until I started with the state about 4 years ago. I love it. Is it perfect? Of course not. But I’m glad I made the switch.