An expert has claimed that the spectre of government spending cuts is causing particular concern among public sector workers who fear they may struggle to find work at private firms.

Institute for Employment Studies principal research fellow Dilys Robinson explained that although state-funded jobs had been considered a relatively safe form of employment in years gone by, thousands of staff are worried about being given the chop.

“Workers must be feeling demotivated and unvalued due to some of the messages coming out from the government,” she commented. “Older workers with children coming out of school or university are also worried.”

Ms Robinson added that Britain’s high rate of youth unemployment is adding further to public consternation, while the large bonuses paid out in the financial sector has led to perceptions of systematic inequality and a lack of fairness.

Research from Monster.co.uk published this week revealed that 73 per cent of employees are unhappy in their existing jobs, although 20 per cent had declined to look for a new one due to the weakness of the UK employment market.

Posted by Ross George