There is some very interesting food for thought in all these messages. I would agree with all the above contributions at face value. However, I can't help feeling that the "big ticket" item is to do with the quality of immediate management. At the moment I am working in a lower paid contract position in a government sector, even though I could return to a higher salary in my "home" department. Why? A culture of cut-throat management that is allowed to fester in a workforce of 26,000 people. The hierarchical structure is so deeply embedded that the grossest of injustices are not dealt with (vilification, sexual harassment- you name it!). I have not often been victim to this kind of behaviour, (and when I have been, I've openly challenged) but the culture is a morale killer. I'm working in an OHS and injury management context in this contract job, and have been involved in research on "psychological injury" over 5 justice related departments. What do we find? More than 70% of these claims relate to aggressive or disinterested managers. The rest are mostly to do with colleague conflict that is poorly handled. A tiny 2 - 3 % relate to traumatic incidents (attending road accidents/crime scenes/prison violence etc). It would be hard to find tougher, more macho workforces anywhere, but a bad boss is too much for many. To me, this says it all! The costs of this fatal weakness is staggering!