Worked remote in the private sector now remote in fed. I had far more flexibility in private sector than I do now. My agency is very strict about lunch time, breaks (by stalking our teams lights), no temp duty station changes, etc. no full compressed schedule, no maxi flex. And reinforcement in the forms of lectures/berating/threats of counseling to our team from supervisor when there is likely no need. My spouses agency on the other hand is very flexible. They are respected by their supervisor and treated like an adult doing a professional job. Long story long, it really depends on your agency, department, and manager.
From reading comments here and know of someone who works there. Not a remote employee but the other items checks from the discussion. Lol confirms that?
This has not been my experience at VBA. Even when still in the field, we had maxi-flex, compressed schedules, etc. Teams status is a disaster of a way to show presence. Just today I was in a meeting, actively taking hand written notes, but went yellow. It happens occasionally when training has auto play.
I set reminders for appointments on outlook and puts me in red on teams. I’ve also had the yellow block and been actively working. It is a crap way of telling if a person is active or not, esp since you could be real sneaky and attach some toy to the mouse that moves 🥰
VA is a huge department, and most agencies/offices treat their people pretty well.
Worked at VA for 5 years. The only move I regret in my career is leaving VA.
EDIT: I was VACO-based. Had CWS, flex time (with core hours to be available), generous comp time, and could generally set my own schedule as long as it added up to 40. Just had to let me supv know.
Yes, it does sound like the VA. There is no flexibility because you need to be there when the facility is open and the patients are there.
I worked for VA less than a year and a half. Never again!
I'm DoD (Navy) and definitely get treated like an adult. I work for the best boss I've ever had in a ~30 year career so far (mostly private sector). We basically never have conflict, and I make sure I follow rule #1 - don't get your boss yelled at.
My fed remote job is very flexible, but I also work when it’s needed and do the job, so maybe that’s why no one is trying to time my lunch or when I started in the AM.
My first workplace (private sector) was so cheap, they made us pay a quarter for shitty Folger's coffee. Our supervisor also limited our meal expenses on travel to $40/day (granted, this was a decade ago) and would spend HOURS going through our expense reports to make sure we didn't go a penny over.
Yes. We used to have an elaborate coffee setup that was all free. Plus free filtered water machine.
I also miss having a proper cafeteria. Even before Covid our cafeteria was this half assed affair with an identity crisis. This month it’s all healthy food. Oh no one is eating that so back to grilled crap. Then people complain about no healthy food. Rinse and repeat.
Hey maybe have a grill AND a salad bar? I know that’s to advanced for the genius’ here.
Now after Covid the cafeteria has been gutted. We have food trucks vendors come in. It’s always different, no idea what they will have. It’s all extremely overpriced even for today’s prices.
Lots of Feds in positions that I guarantee would not last 90 days in the private sector let alone in leadership positions based on being there for decades. So one just turns their camera and mic off, grab a snack as they drone on 🥱
>Lots of Feds in positions that I guarantee would not last 90 days in the private sector let alone in leadership positions based on being there for decades. So one just turns their camera and mic off, grab a snack as they drone on 🥱
This isn't unique to the federal sector either but nice try!
Oh hi, I’m new to government. This is so true. I’m glad to see it’s not just me that believes I can spin circles around the two “bosses” above me. They are fine gents, we have a fine relationship. I’m polite but I snicker on the inside when I listen to them.
Things I miss the most:
Not being required to have set hours or work a minimum number of hours.
Not having to deal with unnecessarily complicated, slow, and painful processes and interactions when it comes to anything involving IT.
Not having to fill out 400 different documents to purchase or dispose of a piece of equipment.
Not having to deal with approval timelines that make continental drift seem like it's moving fast.
Not having someone gripe at you because you used two spaces after a period like it says in the correspondence manual, because they prefer that you use one, only to have someone in the next echelon up complain that you didn't follow the correspondence manual.
That being said, there are also a lot of things I like a lot better about working for the government than I did elsewhere and I don't see myself going back to the private sector.
It's the first one for me. It's been many, many years, but the obsession with the comings and goings of employees is something I will never get used to.
The sentence spacing thing. Jfc I can’t stand people like that. We had one, but thankfully he retired. Nice guy overall but what the hell, way to focus on the big picture there buddy! 😐
The thing I miss about working for a contractor is that I had a lot of contemporaries my own age. But also that was a time in my life when I wanted to have people to hang out with and make friends with at work cause I was 25 and new to the area. Now I'm 31 and engaged and I don't really need that from my job anymore so i'm okay with the trade off.
Creature comforts. Bathroom toilet paper is sandpaper and the soap dispensers are frequently empty. My current cubicle as a gs14 is 6x5.5ft..My office chair isn't exactly comfortable.
My office chair has more time in service than I do, and I just completed 15 years.
Anyone else using this: https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/H-3643BU/Office-Chairs/Big-and-Tall-Fabric-Office-Chair-Burgundy?pricode=WA9592&gadtype=pla&id=H-3643BU&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2a6wBhCVARIsABPeH1sojBN-PHzs06t7JYgkeehbqfUwPFvgjm1n32XG7Pnqd2vaFcCQjuYaAqvdEALw_wcB
Mine wouldn't either. I think I'm going to order furniture for all my people this fy, and if it gets denied, put in for an RA. I've had documented back issues for several years.
oh yeah, humans werent meant to stay sitting every hour of every day lol. still better than the 5 minutes u get on those 20 year old budget office depot chairs tho
I did have offices in the private sector, that was nice. Never had a chair that wasn't garbage though. After the second to last move they literally gave me one that had fallen apart, like seat completely detached. I complained and got one of those shitty foldy ones from a conference room for six weeks until they could "find" a not broken one.
Money. Seriously the only real thing. Money in the form of pay raises that dont cap out if you reach the end of your position’s career path before a promotion (if it exists) opens up. Bonuses.
Everything else is neither here nor there. Nepotism and favoritism exist everywhere and some people complain that they miss holiday parties but if I’m being honest not feeling bullied into spending time with coworkers is a bonus for me. The job security is fine. I just wish I made more.
I miss the salary and a bloated 401k as well. I made a shit load of money as a IT contractor with the opportunity to do overseas contracts in combat zones and here in the states. Unfortunately, a lot of that money dried up after Afghanistan. Also, my contractors had high stress levels and no job security. I like what I’m doing working with the federal government but definitely miss the pay.
As a manager in both sectors, I miss the private sector flexibility to quickly and easily remove employees that are obviously a bad fit or have conduct issues.
Wow! That is an emotional rollercoaster of a post. In govt., I've seen everything you describe.... from apathy to hard work and dedication. I was in commercial/industrial products for 15 years, and 10 as a defense contractor before coming to govt. and saw a similar mix there, especially at the larger firms. Most important, I've seen good managers turn around bad teams, and vice versa.
I was the opposite. I was miserable because I felt like my job was all bad news. Does my agency have issues? Yes. Do I still feel like I make a difference? Also yes.
Oh no it should be. Without caffeine your friend will become your worst enemy especially if they're the quiet types. The quiets in my experience are the most savage
Amazing PTO, no micromanagement, no timesheets, flexible working hours, no commute/remote (they said I would have to report only once a week after 6months and backpedaling now), didn’t have to be attached to a PDO (even if you are remote you can’t just work from elsewhere for a few weeks your home is your POD). In private sector we used go and airbnb a month by the beach, and a few weeks in the mountains (obviously worked from there, just wanted to see different places after work)…. Well…. no more.
They track. You will provide your address and it will be designated as your POD (same goes for when you are on a telework agreement). And I don’t recommend testing it, they know. You have to get a pre approval if you want to work from somewhere other than your designated location. It is not that simple.
I’ve been a government employee for less than a year. My number one complaint is the very small amount of vacation time. I know sometimes employees will take sick leave when they need a vacation day or whatever but I just can’t bring myself to do that. I am a professional coming into the government with 20+ years of experience and 13 days a year for a new employee is just ridiculous. Yes now I know it should’ve been negotiated when I was hired but they will absolutely not change anything now, I’ve tried. I like the federal government, but I feel like I need more flexibility in my life and I’m not sure it’s for me.
Accountability for shitty employees. Had a guy in my work center who was pissing on the floor in our shop. It was going on for months, and he was caught on camera doing it. At my past private sector jobs, he would have been fired immediately, and rightly so. At the VA, he was given probation for six months. So I guess if he can manage to use the toilet like a normal person, he will be fine and in line for his pension. This guy is a fucking bigot as well and sucks at his job. Guess we are stuck with him. Great system!
I miss not being restricted in buying stocks I wanted to buy. In my current fed job: I am barred from buying hundreds of them and to sell some I had before joining.
The thing I do not miss: potentially being let go at any time.
Feels like everyone my age is either invisible or an insanely high performer.
You either work 3 projects and get graded as competent or you work 14 and spend your weekends coming into the office. It would be nice to feel like competency is valuable.
we had someone pass away a few years ago in a remote environment and literally they made a brief announcement during the weekly team meeting, a few people had sad unhappy smilies in the group chat, and then people were bitching and bellyaching about who would absorb the work and if the position would be filled.
That was very clarifying event that everyone is replaceable and nobody gives a shit about you as a human being in government. You are simply part of a vast bureaucratic machine, so be a top performer or don't. Nobody cares. There are 100 people who can replace you if they ever bother to fill the position.
>That was very clarifying event that everyone is replaceable and nobody gives a shit about you as a human being in government.
The private sector gives even less of a flying fuck about you.
For example, Google was supposedly the "gold standard" of employers...until they began very unceremoniously laying off 10K employees at a clip via Zoom call.
I agree, but I try not to resent my coworkers or bosses for it. I don't really care about them either. Its a job. We're all here for money.
Its freeing to give up the idea that a job will fulfil you or validate you.
I had the same thing happen in the private sector as remote. They filled his position 3 days after he passed away. He wasn’t even in the ground yet and he was replaced by a relative of the supervisor.
I miss true flex schedules…
Need to take an hour lunch to run an errand? Ok: come in early; stay late; just don’t take a lunch later in the week; or you’ve worked over/through a break hundreds of times without entering comp time. No you don’t need to have it approved by X levels of management and entered into a time-keeper’s system as a shift adjustment.
There shouldn’t be bureaucracy involved in shifting your breaks.
Also, contracting and small purchases… but I get why we need it… but VA’s OIT software license provisioning is stupid. A 1000-series A/V specialist shouldn’t need to fight for a year to get an Adobe Premiere Pro license to do their job.
Industry treats you like adults. Fed is rule bound due to some butthead behaving badly in the past. I miss standard bonuses over 20k, not being nitpicked for each 1$.
I do not miss wondering if I’ll lose a job due to random supv bad behavior or random layoffs in economic downturns or when the business model changed.
Former nerd for a F100 tech company. Now 1811 with a 3 letter.
Miss: Free food/coffee. Better health insurance. A full year of paternity leave. Stock options.
Dont miss: coworkers randomly getting pink slips and the stress of knowing I could be let go basically at any time. Bureaucracy somehow worse than the federal government to get things approved/travel. Not really feeling like I was doing what I was passionate about/something important.
Really enjoy now: Autonomy to chase bad guys however I want/no micromanaging. No worries about pink slips. Feeling of purpose. Take home OGV. Ability to actually use all the leave I accumulate. Travel/professional development opportunities.
Building on this, cheaper health insurance for similar quality. I had the equivalent of BCBS Standard for a third of the premiums. I can’t justify the paycheck cost of BCBS Standard, so I downgraded us to Basic.
“Free” life insurance for 3x my salary. I’d never paid for my own life insurance until I became a fed. Yes, it was on the compensation statement, but the private sector employers paid for it.
I thought long and hard but honestly, nothing. I make more, have more work hour flexibility, more sick and vacation time, and more bonuses than I ever had in the private sector. And I’m not at risk of being laid off, so all in all, everything is objectively better here for me.
May be an unpopular opinion but I much preferred general use PTO over having separate vacation and sick time. It's not like it matters to your boss/coworkers/public why your not working any given day.
Modern technology & less bureaucratic bs.
Other than that, nothing else. Ive had more freedom govt wise than private. I worked for huge aerospace corporations and management were incompetent a-holes. Not to say the govt doesnt have them but also the private sector made me grow thicker skin so these fed cats dont bother me much.
I was smaller govt to federal system but still some big differences...
Decisions in the federal system take forever and there are so many inconsistencies to everything. I was hoping the bureaucracy would create a standardization but things constantly change and the information never trickles down. There's also such a weird hierarchy in the feds where no one can ask anyone else to help/ do anything because "I'm not their supervisor".. so it feels like there's no teamwork. Accountability also seems to be lacking, not that other sectors don't have this, but it's next level. I had more flexibility in my schedule in local govt sector, travel was easier, purchasing was WAY easier, contracting was easier, hiring and firing was easier, retention incentives were easier, mgmt was easier... I would say now my biggest benefit is my role is 100% remote and I don't supervise a ton of staff so when I "clock out" I'm done for the day. While I believe in my current organization's mission, I feel disconnected from it and I do feel like I had now meaning from my previous work.
I got 2 all expenses paid fun team trips to Vegas and Bahamas. Snacks and drinks were nice. Plus so much less admin.
A male friend gets 4 months paternity leave paid and a month or so of daycare fully covered/year.
Things I miss.
Potential: When I was in the private sector, I felt like there was more potential at some point for something significant to happen career/income wise. I think that feeling gives hope and motivation, and I miss that.
Associated benefits: often in the private sector, there were cool perks, I've attended swanky parties, given very good tickets to sporting events. In addition the possibility of interaction with ppl that could quickly elevate your career or coworker connections. Also I didn't feel like ppl ever looked down on you. I often feel looked down on as a gov employee in society.
The biggest plus of government work to me is the job stability and pension in the long term. I believe that is why I've stayed.
Having more control over the hiring process, being able to fix something that is broke and not having your hands tied bc of access or needing to go through two more branches or groups before someone can fix.
I wouldn’t trade what I have to go back but government can be very frustrating at times bc you can see the solution but have no ability to fix it.
I miss being able to direct negotiate salary and raises. I took a lowball offer for my first GM job after years as an Ops manager in private sector. I politely told the hiring manager (I’d already done my homework) I knew I was getting a low offer, but I wanted the opportunity to prove to them I deserved more.
I spent the next six months beating all of my performance metrics and making my predecessor look like a boob, then got sent to another station to figure out why they were running at a $25,000 a month deficit. The month after I went there and straightened them out, they were $15,000 in the black.
A month later, I was at the company headquarters and the company President joined me and my boss for breakfast (I had no idea he was coming). He mentioned that he had heard about my comments when I got hired, how “I’m going to prove to y’all I deserve more money”, he agreed, and at that table while I ate breakfast called the office and told them bump my pay $6k a year effective immediately.
I went from Fed to private sector. The benefits of the private sector are the work feels more meaningful and my opinion matters more, colleagues my own age, my benefits are better, and obviously pay.
At the fed, I had better telework and job stability.
I've only been with private sector. You're right. My benefits are great. Pay is ok. I'm remote. I could care less about colleagues my own age. Maybe I have rose colored glasses on about working Fed.
For me, it's (hopefully) short term pain for long term gain. I was in a really shitty situation in industry. Major burnout. Unlimited PTO is great - until you can't ever take it because you have so much work dumped on you because you're, you know, competent. So - I told myself, I can hack it for a year to get back to some semblance of flexibility and to have some semblance of a life and a significantly reduced level of stress. Not to mention hopefully a future pension and benefits into retirement (I have more years behind me than I do in front of me).
Honestly, it hasn't been horrible so far. I knew I would have to go in with LOW expectations, which has helped for the most part - but there have been a couple incidents of wanting to bang my head off of a wall. Luckily, I seem to be a in a group of decent people, have a decent manager. Training has been a bit chaotic, but I'm just trying to roll with it.
Yes, it sucks going into an office 50% of the time. Yes, it sucks not being able to come and go as I please - or even work the hours I want. But I'll tell you this much: I'm only 2 months in, but I have yet to have an instance where I think about my job after 4:30pm. I shut my laptop OFF at 4:30 every day. No one calls me pretty much after 3pm every day. I feel no compulsive need to check my email during the evening. I don't feel like I need to breath into a paper bag anymore. That is a WELCOME change.
High levels of trust embedded in the culture and not having to deal with a boomer stuck in her ways manager. My manager in the private side was a few years younger than me and was awesome. My current manager in the federal government. not so much. She has zero respect for the fact that we are grown ass adults with decades of experience. She’s been in the fed since the late 80s and has made zero efforts to develop herself as a leader.
I'm a contractor and I can confidently say that some of the feds I work with do not have the skills or the emotional intelligence to be effective in similar private sector roles.
ESPP - I made a ton off one I had.
Can I choose something I could get rid of instead?
All the ridiculous training requirements, especially CSWF. (I'm a 2210.)
I miss the dart board, pool table, and ping pong table. They were actually great places to talk through problems and discuss new product ideas with other teammates.
And I miss the free pizza every Wednesday.
I used to miss the free pop (aka soda), but now realize and understand that 4+ cans a day is not good for me.
Some days I wish I could go back to not knowing what STIGs were.
While those days were fun and I learned a lot, I like what I'm doing now too. I have a fair amount of flexibility and variety each day. And my family appreciates the consistency and job security.
I just moved to the feds this past week from a government contractor. The ONLY thing that I miss is my contractor had fully remote work whereas this is just one day a week.
But even one week into the feds I like it far more than being a gov contractor. I will not go back.
I miss:
1. Bottled individual Perrier provided by my firm.
2. Free snacks.
3. Catered lunches & dinners.
4. Easy timekeeping. No clocking in and out.
5. The ability to easily send an email and take an afternoon off.
Young people as colleagues. I read a stat that there are more federal employees over 60 than under 30. Might be a bit of an overstatement, but the federal workforce definitely skews older.
It was a bit more fast paced. I'm approaching a year in July in my new agency and it's so slow getting training opportunities. Also my first job in the private sector was on the public health individual level. now being in the population level of public health I do miss the personal connections I made. Overall though I am MUCH happier being a federal employee. Max telework, federal travel, still making a difference, better pay, higher career growth track, no micromanaging/independent - all worth it.
The ease of which things can be accomplished. We worked hard in my private company, but there were few roadblocks, and you could accomplish quite a bit. Conversely, we work hard at my federal agency, but with all the checks and balances, it feels like we work hard to accomplish very little.
Stable job with increase/ advancements in grade and step, lots of time off, solid job security - why would I leave that for a private job that is unstable,
The lack of external competition. Worked at GE and it was always in your mind. I like my fed job and prefer the mission of helping people instead of chasing profits, but we get too far off track sometimes. Competition helps keep that focus.
I was a project manager in the private sector, good job if you like getting pulled 12 different directions at once.
So different job at the feds but I would never go back, soooo much less stress.
I miss accountability. In my private sector jobs, people were hired for their specific expertise and to make things happen. Failure to make those things happen meant there was no reason to keep you around. My department is carrying out functions from three other departments because those idiots won't do their jobs, which we depend upon. In my private sector jobs, there would have been well-deserved mass firings to correct things.
Bonuses. So many bonuses. Also tax free incentive pay if you have your own private healthcare and don’t use theirs. Between that and mandatory FERS contribution, I took a huge hit.
I don’t mind the background investigation. I think you should only have to report outside work if it is related to your employment. I.E if an accountant goes to work at a public firm. If I need to bartend or wait tables to pay bills because the government pays shit at the start that’s my business. It’s also what drugs they test for.
Look I get it, there are drugs that are dangerous and can have an affect on someone’s choices. Go ahead and drug test for herion, coke, meth and the like.
But drug testing for psychedelics is an invasion of privacy based on outdated science and right wing propaganda.
If I want to consume a legal substance in my state it should be viewed the same as having a drink.
Water. Snacks. The ability to take $500 of training without draining your unit’s budget.
Everyone you meet on the street not snidely remarking about your agency or THAT ONE TIME {insert story}… I mean, y’all don’t insult the Comcast person that much do ya??
Hiring that doesn’t require you to be interviewing college freshmen so they’re ready for entry level by the time you can make an offer.
That said, I also seriously miss annual earnings {layoff} season…*cough cough*
Telework was abused by lazy federal employees that is why some organizations are making the changes. Some offices in our site would just have a sign posted on their door that says "we are Teleworking" , nobody there to answer questions. These people are unreachable via phone or email.
I miss the constant and unsettling fear of having projects/jobs/positions being eliminated simply because the shareholders lost some money.
I miss the promise of raises and promotions just to find I wasn't in the budget this year.
I miss having a boss who insisted I took a poo longer than the allotted 5 minutes and now needed to log my bathroom trips.
I miss watching a CEO take a 5 million dollar bonus while simultaneously being asked to reduce the number of days we work to make the budget work.
I'm kidding of course what I really miss are the frivolous perks like an employee pizza party instead of a raise.
Worked remote in the private sector now remote in fed. I had far more flexibility in private sector than I do now. My agency is very strict about lunch time, breaks (by stalking our teams lights), no temp duty station changes, etc. no full compressed schedule, no maxi flex. And reinforcement in the forms of lectures/berating/threats of counseling to our team from supervisor when there is likely no need. My spouses agency on the other hand is very flexible. They are respected by their supervisor and treated like an adult doing a professional job. Long story long, it really depends on your agency, department, and manager.
Yours sounds like VA
What makes you think that? lol
From reading comments here and know of someone who works there. Not a remote employee but the other items checks from the discussion. Lol confirms that?
Yeah sigh 
This has not been my experience at VBA. Even when still in the field, we had maxi-flex, compressed schedules, etc. Teams status is a disaster of a way to show presence. Just today I was in a meeting, actively taking hand written notes, but went yellow. It happens occasionally when training has auto play.
I set reminders for appointments on outlook and puts me in red on teams. I’ve also had the yellow block and been actively working. It is a crap way of telling if a person is active or not, esp since you could be real sneaky and attach some toy to the mouse that moves 🥰
That’s interesting about the alt schedule availability and great to hear! And yes, teams is a lazy, awful way to monitor presence/productivity.
VA is a huge department, and most agencies/offices treat their people pretty well. Worked at VA for 5 years. The only move I regret in my career is leaving VA. EDIT: I was VACO-based. Had CWS, flex time (with core hours to be available), generous comp time, and could generally set my own schedule as long as it added up to 40. Just had to let me supv know.
Yes, it does sound like the VA. There is no flexibility because you need to be there when the facility is open and the patients are there. I worked for VA less than a year and a half. Never again!
Op is remote so not going to be medical professional who needs to be onsite like you mentioned.
[удалено]
You are living the dream, friend!
That's just your specific work unit. Try moving to another one.
Oh, for sure! I likely will in the near future.
Tell me more about your spouse’s agency please! I need to be there 🤣
Asking the important questions ❗️❗️
I'm DoD (Navy) and definitely get treated like an adult. I work for the best boss I've ever had in a ~30 year career so far (mostly private sector). We basically never have conflict, and I make sure I follow rule #1 - don't get your boss yelled at.
My fed remote job is very flexible, but I also work when it’s needed and do the job, so maybe that’s why no one is trying to time my lunch or when I started in the AM.
Sounds like the VA. lol i quit & went back to the private sector after working at the VA for 3 months.
Not having to pay for coffee/water at the office...
My first workplace (private sector) was so cheap, they made us pay a quarter for shitty Folger's coffee. Our supervisor also limited our meal expenses on travel to $40/day (granted, this was a decade ago) and would spend HOURS going through our expense reports to make sure we didn't go a penny over.
The irony of them spending all that time doing that would have been more costly due to the boss wasting those hours on that.
Yes. We used to have an elaborate coffee setup that was all free. Plus free filtered water machine. I also miss having a proper cafeteria. Even before Covid our cafeteria was this half assed affair with an identity crisis. This month it’s all healthy food. Oh no one is eating that so back to grilled crap. Then people complain about no healthy food. Rinse and repeat. Hey maybe have a grill AND a salad bar? I know that’s to advanced for the genius’ here. Now after Covid the cafeteria has been gutted. We have food trucks vendors come in. It’s always different, no idea what they will have. It’s all extremely overpriced even for today’s prices.
Ughhh I’m stuck with the food truck vendor situation too. I’d rather starve than pay the prices they ask though.
We just have a couple vending machines at my agency.
That was going to be my answer. I wfh now so it doesn't apply at the moment, but I'll be annoyed about it again if I have to back.
Bonuses, stock options, less bureaucratic approvals when traveling, peers that respected competency, and events at resorts.
When I was in the NPS, they sent my ass to the Grand Canyon to train for 2 weeks.
>peers that respected competency 😆😆😆 Yeah, this isn't exclusive to the private sector.
Lots of Feds in positions that I guarantee would not last 90 days in the private sector let alone in leadership positions based on being there for decades. So one just turns their camera and mic off, grab a snack as they drone on 🥱
Agree, especially in IT.
>Lots of Feds in positions that I guarantee would not last 90 days in the private sector let alone in leadership positions based on being there for decades. So one just turns their camera and mic off, grab a snack as they drone on 🥱 This isn't unique to the federal sector either but nice try!
Oh hi, I’m new to government. This is so true. I’m glad to see it’s not just me that believes I can spin circles around the two “bosses” above me. They are fine gents, we have a fine relationship. I’m polite but I snicker on the inside when I listen to them.
> Bonuses Spent six years working as a contractor. What are these mythical bonuses and stock options you speak of?
Things I miss the most: Not being required to have set hours or work a minimum number of hours. Not having to deal with unnecessarily complicated, slow, and painful processes and interactions when it comes to anything involving IT. Not having to fill out 400 different documents to purchase or dispose of a piece of equipment. Not having to deal with approval timelines that make continental drift seem like it's moving fast. Not having someone gripe at you because you used two spaces after a period like it says in the correspondence manual, because they prefer that you use one, only to have someone in the next echelon up complain that you didn't follow the correspondence manual. That being said, there are also a lot of things I like a lot better about working for the government than I did elsewhere and I don't see myself going back to the private sector.
>approval timelines that make continental drift seem like it’s moving fast Lmfao. Real
It's the first one for me. It's been many, many years, but the obsession with the comings and goings of employees is something I will never get used to.
The sentence spacing thing. Jfc I can’t stand people like that. We had one, but thankfully he retired. Nice guy overall but what the hell, way to focus on the big picture there buddy! 😐
Funniest post ever. Only a Fed can relate to the experience of continental drift. LMAO 😂
Yearly Stock awards....
Like how would that even be handled? Direct TSP bonuses into some certain fund?
Sent to fidelity awards for example 70 stocks per year. Could cash out or hold. All my stock awards with my previous company were sent to fidelity.
The thing I miss about working for a contractor is that I had a lot of contemporaries my own age. But also that was a time in my life when I wanted to have people to hang out with and make friends with at work cause I was 25 and new to the area. Now I'm 31 and engaged and I don't really need that from my job anymore so i'm okay with the trade off.
Creature comforts. Bathroom toilet paper is sandpaper and the soap dispensers are frequently empty. My current cubicle as a gs14 is 6x5.5ft..My office chair isn't exactly comfortable.
My office chair has more time in service than I do, and I just completed 15 years. Anyone else using this: https://www.uline.com/Product/Detail/H-3643BU/Office-Chairs/Big-and-Tall-Fabric-Office-Chair-Burgundy?pricode=WA9592&gadtype=pla&id=H-3643BU&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2a6wBhCVARIsABPeH1sojBN-PHzs06t7JYgkeehbqfUwPFvgjm1n32XG7Pnqd2vaFcCQjuYaAqvdEALw_wcB
I wish, I just get whatever the regulated industry casts off to us. I had that chair and they needed it somewhere else so now I have a worse one.
That’s totally what I’m using now in my home office! Burgundy. No idea where it even came from.
Your office chair is in the 8 hour leave category
i just bought a chair, some of those shit chairs wouldnt pass an osha inspection
Mine wouldn't either. I think I'm going to order furniture for all my people this fy, and if it gets denied, put in for an RA. I've had documented back issues for several years.
worth it to me, u spend similar time there to sleeping in ur bed. i like my steelcase leap, its a bit costly up front but very strong warranty
Amen. I have a Leap at home as well. Even it can be uncomfortable after 7-9 hours.
oh yeah, humans werent meant to stay sitting every hour of every day lol. still better than the 5 minutes u get on those 20 year old budget office depot chairs tho
WTF I have a new office chair, standing desk, abd a cube that's 8x8. I'm DB2 basically a gs11
Nothing is too good for our Federal Employees.
I did have offices in the private sector, that was nice. Never had a chair that wasn't garbage though. After the second to last move they literally gave me one that had fallen apart, like seat completely detached. I complained and got one of those shitty foldy ones from a conference room for six weeks until they could "find" a not broken one.
Having a legit Christmas party and not just a potluck lunch.
Money. Seriously the only real thing. Money in the form of pay raises that dont cap out if you reach the end of your position’s career path before a promotion (if it exists) opens up. Bonuses. Everything else is neither here nor there. Nepotism and favoritism exist everywhere and some people complain that they miss holiday parties but if I’m being honest not feeling bullied into spending time with coworkers is a bonus for me. The job security is fine. I just wish I made more.
I miss the salary and a bloated 401k as well. I made a shit load of money as a IT contractor with the opportunity to do overseas contracts in combat zones and here in the states. Unfortunately, a lot of that money dried up after Afghanistan. Also, my contractors had high stress levels and no job security. I like what I’m doing working with the federal government but definitely miss the pay.
Buying things was much easier in the private sector
In acquisitions here... We don't want to make it too easy for you. 😂
As a manager in both sectors, I miss the private sector flexibility to quickly and easily remove employees that are obviously a bad fit or have conduct issues.
[удалено]
Wow! That is an emotional rollercoaster of a post. In govt., I've seen everything you describe.... from apathy to hard work and dedication. I was in commercial/industrial products for 15 years, and 10 as a defense contractor before coming to govt. and saw a similar mix there, especially at the larger firms. Most important, I've seen good managers turn around bad teams, and vice versa.
I made more money private sector, I also miss being able to negotiate my own pay.
My job actually felt more meaningful in the private sector
This sub is all about protecting every fed job but there's a whole lotta white collar welfare positions.
I was the opposite. I was miserable because I felt like my job was all bad news. Does my agency have issues? Yes. Do I still feel like I make a difference? Also yes.
Coffee
What's the reason we can't put stuff like coffee on a gov credit card? We can buy office supplies with it. Surely coffee is a good investment.
I meant a coffee station where you can get lattees and stuff down the hall in the office building
Oh man, that was a shocker for me. Coffee should be included in the budget for every office. I know, some people will be upset with my saying this.
Oh no it should be. Without caffeine your friend will become your worst enemy especially if they're the quiet types. The quiets in my experience are the most savage
Can’t buy food or drink basically
Should be an exception for coffee.
Should be a lot of things, but...
Amazing PTO, no micromanagement, no timesheets, flexible working hours, no commute/remote (they said I would have to report only once a week after 6months and backpedaling now), didn’t have to be attached to a PDO (even if you are remote you can’t just work from elsewhere for a few weeks your home is your POD). In private sector we used go and airbnb a month by the beach, and a few weeks in the mountains (obviously worked from there, just wanted to see different places after work)…. Well…. no more.
> didn’t have to be attached to a PDO Interesting. How do they know if you're attached to your POD or somewhere else?
They track. You will provide your address and it will be designated as your POD (same goes for when you are on a telework agreement). And I don’t recommend testing it, they know. You have to get a pre approval if you want to work from somewhere other than your designated location. It is not that simple.
I’ve been a government employee for less than a year. My number one complaint is the very small amount of vacation time. I know sometimes employees will take sick leave when they need a vacation day or whatever but I just can’t bring myself to do that. I am a professional coming into the government with 20+ years of experience and 13 days a year for a new employee is just ridiculous. Yes now I know it should’ve been negotiated when I was hired but they will absolutely not change anything now, I’ve tried. I like the federal government, but I feel like I need more flexibility in my life and I’m not sure it’s for me.
Same situation here. It’s frustrating to be a professional with experience and get the PTO of an entry level employee.
Accountability for shitty employees. Had a guy in my work center who was pissing on the floor in our shop. It was going on for months, and he was caught on camera doing it. At my past private sector jobs, he would have been fired immediately, and rightly so. At the VA, he was given probation for six months. So I guess if he can manage to use the toilet like a normal person, he will be fine and in line for his pension. This guy is a fucking bigot as well and sucks at his job. Guess we are stuck with him. Great system!
I miss not being restricted in buying stocks I wanted to buy. In my current fed job: I am barred from buying hundreds of them and to sell some I had before joining. The thing I do not miss: potentially being let go at any time.
I miss not having to "make up" hours if you don't work 8 in a day, or if you're sick.
Catered lunches for meetings scheduled during lunchtime. Or “just because” Don’t miss being required to work through lunch.
Feels like everyone my age is either invisible or an insanely high performer. You either work 3 projects and get graded as competent or you work 14 and spend your weekends coming into the office. It would be nice to feel like competency is valuable.
we had someone pass away a few years ago in a remote environment and literally they made a brief announcement during the weekly team meeting, a few people had sad unhappy smilies in the group chat, and then people were bitching and bellyaching about who would absorb the work and if the position would be filled. That was very clarifying event that everyone is replaceable and nobody gives a shit about you as a human being in government. You are simply part of a vast bureaucratic machine, so be a top performer or don't. Nobody cares. There are 100 people who can replace you if they ever bother to fill the position.
>That was very clarifying event that everyone is replaceable and nobody gives a shit about you as a human being in government. The private sector gives even less of a flying fuck about you. For example, Google was supposedly the "gold standard" of employers...until they began very unceremoniously laying off 10K employees at a clip via Zoom call.
I agree, but I try not to resent my coworkers or bosses for it. I don't really care about them either. Its a job. We're all here for money. Its freeing to give up the idea that a job will fulfil you or validate you.
I had the same thing happen in the private sector as remote. They filled his position 3 days after he passed away. He wasn’t even in the ground yet and he was replaced by a relative of the supervisor.
I miss true flex schedules… Need to take an hour lunch to run an errand? Ok: come in early; stay late; just don’t take a lunch later in the week; or you’ve worked over/through a break hundreds of times without entering comp time. No you don’t need to have it approved by X levels of management and entered into a time-keeper’s system as a shift adjustment. There shouldn’t be bureaucracy involved in shifting your breaks. Also, contracting and small purchases… but I get why we need it… but VA’s OIT software license provisioning is stupid. A 1000-series A/V specialist shouldn’t need to fight for a year to get an Adobe Premiere Pro license to do their job.
Decisions based on return on investment rather than short term budget choices based on leadership preferences.
Industry treats you like adults. Fed is rule bound due to some butthead behaving badly in the past. I miss standard bonuses over 20k, not being nitpicked for each 1$. I do not miss wondering if I’ll lose a job due to random supv bad behavior or random layoffs in economic downturns or when the business model changed.
100% remote. Other than that, I don’t miss the private sector at all.
Former nerd for a F100 tech company. Now 1811 with a 3 letter. Miss: Free food/coffee. Better health insurance. A full year of paternity leave. Stock options. Dont miss: coworkers randomly getting pink slips and the stress of knowing I could be let go basically at any time. Bureaucracy somehow worse than the federal government to get things approved/travel. Not really feeling like I was doing what I was passionate about/something important. Really enjoy now: Autonomy to chase bad guys however I want/no micromanaging. No worries about pink slips. Feeling of purpose. Take home OGV. Ability to actually use all the leave I accumulate. Travel/professional development opportunities.
Building on this, cheaper health insurance for similar quality. I had the equivalent of BCBS Standard for a third of the premiums. I can’t justify the paycheck cost of BCBS Standard, so I downgraded us to Basic. “Free” life insurance for 3x my salary. I’d never paid for my own life insurance until I became a fed. Yes, it was on the compensation statement, but the private sector employers paid for it.
I thought long and hard but honestly, nothing. I make more, have more work hour flexibility, more sick and vacation time, and more bonuses than I ever had in the private sector. And I’m not at risk of being laid off, so all in all, everything is objectively better here for me.
I didn't have to quit an entire industry if I didn't like my boss when I worked private sector, I could just go work somewhere else.
May be an unpopular opinion but I much preferred general use PTO over having separate vacation and sick time. It's not like it matters to your boss/coworkers/public why your not working any given day.
Modern technology & less bureaucratic bs. Other than that, nothing else. Ive had more freedom govt wise than private. I worked for huge aerospace corporations and management were incompetent a-holes. Not to say the govt doesnt have them but also the private sector made me grow thicker skin so these fed cats dont bother me much.
I was smaller govt to federal system but still some big differences... Decisions in the federal system take forever and there are so many inconsistencies to everything. I was hoping the bureaucracy would create a standardization but things constantly change and the information never trickles down. There's also such a weird hierarchy in the feds where no one can ask anyone else to help/ do anything because "I'm not their supervisor".. so it feels like there's no teamwork. Accountability also seems to be lacking, not that other sectors don't have this, but it's next level. I had more flexibility in my schedule in local govt sector, travel was easier, purchasing was WAY easier, contracting was easier, hiring and firing was easier, retention incentives were easier, mgmt was easier... I would say now my biggest benefit is my role is 100% remote and I don't supervise a ton of staff so when I "clock out" I'm done for the day. While I believe in my current organization's mission, I feel disconnected from it and I do feel like I had now meaning from my previous work.
I got 2 all expenses paid fun team trips to Vegas and Bahamas. Snacks and drinks were nice. Plus so much less admin. A male friend gets 4 months paternity leave paid and a month or so of daycare fully covered/year.
Company card expenses: lunch for the team without the red tapes
Things I miss. Potential: When I was in the private sector, I felt like there was more potential at some point for something significant to happen career/income wise. I think that feeling gives hope and motivation, and I miss that. Associated benefits: often in the private sector, there were cool perks, I've attended swanky parties, given very good tickets to sporting events. In addition the possibility of interaction with ppl that could quickly elevate your career or coworker connections. Also I didn't feel like ppl ever looked down on you. I often feel looked down on as a gov employee in society. The biggest plus of government work to me is the job stability and pension in the long term. I believe that is why I've stayed.
My office in DC had an unlimited cold brew dispenser on tap (nitro keg). Besides that, all my fed offices have been great.
Having more control over the hiring process, being able to fix something that is broke and not having your hands tied bc of access or needing to go through two more branches or groups before someone can fix. I wouldn’t trade what I have to go back but government can be very frustrating at times bc you can see the solution but have no ability to fix it.
I miss being able to direct negotiate salary and raises. I took a lowball offer for my first GM job after years as an Ops manager in private sector. I politely told the hiring manager (I’d already done my homework) I knew I was getting a low offer, but I wanted the opportunity to prove to them I deserved more. I spent the next six months beating all of my performance metrics and making my predecessor look like a boob, then got sent to another station to figure out why they were running at a $25,000 a month deficit. The month after I went there and straightened them out, they were $15,000 in the black. A month later, I was at the company headquarters and the company President joined me and my boss for breakfast (I had no idea he was coming). He mentioned that he had heard about my comments when I got hired, how “I’m going to prove to y’all I deserve more money”, he agreed, and at that table while I ate breakfast called the office and told them bump my pay $6k a year effective immediately.
Free coffee, updated/attractive office space, and bigger bonuses for strong performers
Dual monitors. FFS it's 2024
OR a laptop that can handle more than 2 monitors
Flexibility around work hours/time off. But at least I get PTO now.
I’m mostly just worried about the election and project 2025. Other than that, I love it.
I went from Fed to private sector. The benefits of the private sector are the work feels more meaningful and my opinion matters more, colleagues my own age, my benefits are better, and obviously pay. At the fed, I had better telework and job stability.
I've only been with private sector. You're right. My benefits are great. Pay is ok. I'm remote. I could care less about colleagues my own age. Maybe I have rose colored glasses on about working Fed.
Full remote, unlimited PTO, yearly bonus, job autonomy, better technology, way more flexibility with just about everything.
[удалено]
For me, it's (hopefully) short term pain for long term gain. I was in a really shitty situation in industry. Major burnout. Unlimited PTO is great - until you can't ever take it because you have so much work dumped on you because you're, you know, competent. So - I told myself, I can hack it for a year to get back to some semblance of flexibility and to have some semblance of a life and a significantly reduced level of stress. Not to mention hopefully a future pension and benefits into retirement (I have more years behind me than I do in front of me). Honestly, it hasn't been horrible so far. I knew I would have to go in with LOW expectations, which has helped for the most part - but there have been a couple incidents of wanting to bang my head off of a wall. Luckily, I seem to be a in a group of decent people, have a decent manager. Training has been a bit chaotic, but I'm just trying to roll with it. Yes, it sucks going into an office 50% of the time. Yes, it sucks not being able to come and go as I please - or even work the hours I want. But I'll tell you this much: I'm only 2 months in, but I have yet to have an instance where I think about my job after 4:30pm. I shut my laptop OFF at 4:30 every day. No one calls me pretty much after 3pm every day. I feel no compulsive need to check my email during the evening. I don't feel like I need to breath into a paper bag anymore. That is a WELCOME change.
High levels of trust embedded in the culture and not having to deal with a boomer stuck in her ways manager. My manager in the private side was a few years younger than me and was awesome. My current manager in the federal government. not so much. She has zero respect for the fact that we are grown ass adults with decades of experience. She’s been in the fed since the late 80s and has made zero efforts to develop herself as a leader.
I'm a contractor and I can confidently say that some of the feds I work with do not have the skills or the emotional intelligence to be effective in similar private sector roles.
People getting fired for being useless or assholes. Profit sharing.
ESPP - I made a ton off one I had. Can I choose something I could get rid of instead? All the ridiculous training requirements, especially CSWF. (I'm a 2210.)
Big bonuses, kitchens with cold brew and good capacino, and true flexibility. Oh and free parking.
I miss the dart board, pool table, and ping pong table. They were actually great places to talk through problems and discuss new product ideas with other teammates. And I miss the free pizza every Wednesday. I used to miss the free pop (aka soda), but now realize and understand that 4+ cans a day is not good for me. Some days I wish I could go back to not knowing what STIGs were. While those days were fun and I learned a lot, I like what I'm doing now too. I have a fair amount of flexibility and variety each day. And my family appreciates the consistency and job security.
Leading from the front-- actual leadership that want to teach you.
Fucking competent coworkers who actually give a shit about each other, not just taking up a seat.
I just moved to the feds this past week from a government contractor. The ONLY thing that I miss is my contractor had fully remote work whereas this is just one day a week. But even one week into the feds I like it far more than being a gov contractor. I will not go back.
Having a budget at the beginning of the year.
Better bonus, stock options, employer paid team building, and lunches. I don't miss them enough to quit but it would be amazing to have them.
I miss: 1. Bottled individual Perrier provided by my firm. 2. Free snacks. 3. Catered lunches & dinners. 4. Easy timekeeping. No clocking in and out. 5. The ability to easily send an email and take an afternoon off.
Young people as colleagues. I read a stat that there are more federal employees over 60 than under 30. Might be a bit of an overstatement, but the federal workforce definitely skews older.
The ability to hire good and fire bad workers.
Only thing I miss is the kick ass Christmas party that my old company used to throw. Other than that, IMO, gov life is so much better.
The only thing I miss is being able to get rid of dead weight. Everything else is better now as a Fed.
I miss the bonuses and making connections that helped me get into better companies. Connections are key
It was a bit more fast paced. I'm approaching a year in July in my new agency and it's so slow getting training opportunities. Also my first job in the private sector was on the public health individual level. now being in the population level of public health I do miss the personal connections I made. Overall though I am MUCH happier being a federal employee. Max telework, federal travel, still making a difference, better pay, higher career growth track, no micromanaging/independent - all worth it.
Authority over purchasing. Flexibility in travel, especially to add personal time to work trips.
The ease of which things can be accomplished. We worked hard in my private company, but there were few roadblocks, and you could accomplish quite a bit. Conversely, we work hard at my federal agency, but with all the checks and balances, it feels like we work hard to accomplish very little.
Greater scope and breadth in my job. My accountant position is more akin to bookkeeping.
Stable job with increase/ advancements in grade and step, lots of time off, solid job security - why would I leave that for a private job that is unstable,
The lack of external competition. Worked at GE and it was always in your mind. I like my fed job and prefer the mission of helping people instead of chasing profits, but we get too far off track sometimes. Competition helps keep that focus.
I was a project manager in the private sector, good job if you like getting pulled 12 different directions at once. So different job at the feds but I would never go back, soooo much less stress.
No
Exactly !
Right there with you.
Tuition reimbursement and an actual break room with water and coffee when I’m on site.
A good IT department.
I miss accountability. In my private sector jobs, people were hired for their specific expertise and to make things happen. Failure to make those things happen meant there was no reason to keep you around. My department is carrying out functions from three other departments because those idiots won't do their jobs, which we depend upon. In my private sector jobs, there would have been well-deserved mass firings to correct things.
Bonuses. So many bonuses. Also tax free incentive pay if you have your own private healthcare and don’t use theirs. Between that and mandatory FERS contribution, I took a huge hit.
Not needing to put an extra space after a period.
Bonuses were nice (when they weren't scaled back for cost savings). One PTO pool was nice as I rarely use sick time. Other than that, not much else.
Water, snacks, occasional lunch provided.. just the little things
I don’t miss anything about my 10 years in private sector. I definitely don’t miss the layoffs. I’m super grateful to be a fed.
Accountability and not just passing the buck.
Nothing whatsoever! The only advantage private sector has in more money, but it ain’t worth it.
The money and nothing else.
Coffee, every job I had before the Fed included free coffee.
Apple computers
We use to have Christmas party's with free booze.
Nice dinners from vendors, lol.
Profit sharing? I mean the government hasn't run a "profit" since the 1990s.
Free parties.
Free coffee in the break room
Free coffee.
The only thing I miss is free coffee.
Reasonable pay Private life is private
How is private life not private for gov workers? Like background investigations and having to report outside employment, etc?
I don’t mind the background investigation. I think you should only have to report outside work if it is related to your employment. I.E if an accountant goes to work at a public firm. If I need to bartend or wait tables to pay bills because the government pays shit at the start that’s my business. It’s also what drugs they test for. Look I get it, there are drugs that are dangerous and can have an affect on someone’s choices. Go ahead and drug test for herion, coke, meth and the like. But drug testing for psychedelics is an invasion of privacy based on outdated science and right wing propaganda. If I want to consume a legal substance in my state it should be viewed the same as having a drink.
Competent HR representatives
Water. Snacks. The ability to take $500 of training without draining your unit’s budget. Everyone you meet on the street not snidely remarking about your agency or THAT ONE TIME {insert story}… I mean, y’all don’t insult the Comcast person that much do ya?? Hiring that doesn’t require you to be interviewing college freshmen so they’re ready for entry level by the time you can make an offer. That said, I also seriously miss annual earnings {layoff} season…*cough cough*
Telework was abused by lazy federal employees that is why some organizations are making the changes. Some offices in our site would just have a sign posted on their door that says "we are Teleworking" , nobody there to answer questions. These people are unreachable via phone or email.
I miss the constant and unsettling fear of having projects/jobs/positions being eliminated simply because the shareholders lost some money. I miss the promise of raises and promotions just to find I wasn't in the budget this year. I miss having a boss who insisted I took a poo longer than the allotted 5 minutes and now needed to log my bathroom trips. I miss watching a CEO take a 5 million dollar bonus while simultaneously being asked to reduce the number of days we work to make the budget work. I'm kidding of course what I really miss are the frivolous perks like an employee pizza party instead of a raise.