MONEY
Simon Cowell is not the only one with
Factor is the element of military pay that balances the relative disadvantage of conditions of service
responsibility and feel they are making a positive contribution.
X FACTOR… X
experienced by Armed Forces personnel compared to civilian employees. X Factor is reviewed every 5 years by the Armed Forces Pay Review Body (AFPRB); 2012 is a review year…
X factor takes account of a range of factors, some positive, some negative. The balance of advantage and disadvantage is averaged across the Services and is intended to reflect service over a career. The factors considered are: Job Security; Promotion; Opportunity/ Early Responsibility; Adventure; Variety; Travel; Opportunity to learn a Trade; Leave, Turbulence and Separation; Inability to resign at will; Military discipline and codes of conduct; Danger; and Liability for Duty at all times.
Based on the Federation’s experience of dealing with families over the last five years, what follows is a summary of our thoughts under the various headings, which will be supplemented by the results of our survey.
Adventure and Travel Positive comments: Families appreciate that, in comparison to many civilians, there are more opportunities for serving personnel to undertake travel and adventurous activities within the RAF. However, access and opportunity are often limited – see negative comments. Negative comments: Closure of units, both overseas and in the UK has limited opportunity for travel. Many feel that access to Adventurous Training is limited, reducing the sense of adventure that prevailed when the Service had more capacity for such activities.
Job Satisfaction Positive comments: Most serving personnel have reasonable job satisfaction, particularly during ops, when many get additional
30 Envoy Summer 2012
Negative comments: Many comment on the additional stress caused by increased workloads- covering for those deployed. This impacts on job satisfaction as people feel overworked and undervalued. There is concern that increased gapping due to the 2 redundancy rounds will add to this pressure as will the loss of many Civil Service support posts. The Olympics, Diamond Jubilee and threatened fuel tanker strikes all raise questions about doing more with less.
Job Security Positive comments: Good for the uniformed member, but only if not affected by redundancy and draw down – see negative comments. Negative comments: Impacted adversely by recent redundancy rounds – people are far less certain they will enjoy a full career. Reduction in uniformed numbers is reducing opportunities for promotion, which is linked to further service and job security. Job security for partners trying to pursue separate careers is non-existent.
Trade Union Membership and Industrial Action Positive comments: General acceptance that this is part of the job and that service in the RAF means you put service ahead of individual rights. Negative comments: Families feel that the lack of an independent, professional Armed Forces Federation, similar to the Police Federation, is becoming more of an issue with the steady dilution of Terms and Conditions of Service.
Promotion & Early Responsibility Negative comment: Most feel that promotion is far harder to obtain and that levels of responsibility have been eroded, particularly at the junior non-commissioned level, unless on deployed ops, where responsibility levels are higher.
Degree of Autonomy/Management Control Workplace Flexibility Positive comment: Some report good experiences of flexible management.
Negative comment: Most report a poor level of autonomy, albeit it gets better when on operations where individuals feel a greater sense of control. Returning to the home base can then be very frustrating as they revert to lower levels of responsibility. Flexible working practices are not core to the RAF ethos despite efforts to introduce ‘family-friendly’ employment policies. Too much depends on the personality and management style of the boss.
Training Positive comment: Most feel that the RAF still provides high quality training. Negative comment: It can be difficult to get released from primary duties to undertake professional and/or personal development training. Resettlement training can also be difficult to achieve and the large number of redundees across all 3 Services raise fears of blockages in the delivery of resettlement training.
Family members find it difficult to pursue training courses as postings disrupt studies and access to colleges.
Impact of the Job – Danger Negative comment: The level of danger and risk being faced by deployed RAF personnel continues to be high. The long-term impact of combat stress has not been properly evaluated and families fear that repeated exposure to operational activity could have a negative impact on the mental and physical health of the Serviceperson, with knock-on effects to other family members.
Impact of the Job – Hours of Work Negative comment: Most report that uniformed partners are working longer hours, carrying extra duties to cover for those deployed or assuming more secondary duties as force reductions begin to bite.
Impact of the Job – Leave Positive comment: Families acknowledge that military leave entitlement is generous in
www.raf-ff.org.uk
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