But, as with any private sector organization, the limited resources can be overcome through cost containment and attention to the bottom line. Government personnel leaders also report to elected officials, rather than boards of directors. Many public-sector personnel actions are open to the public under freedom of information laws. There are few, if any, areas of privacy left for public employers or employees who are not in law enforcement. In the public sector, there is also a higher proportion of unionized employees and greater emphasis on labor relations.
Governments are subject to many rules under local and state legislation.
Civil service commissions, for instance, restrict and mandate what personnel can and cannot do. They were employed in virtually every industry. The private sector accounted for about 85 percent of salaried jobs. Manufacturing industries accounted for 2 out of 10 jobs, while finance, insurance, and real estate firms accounted for about 1 out of 10. Federal, state, and local governments employed about 15 percent of salaried personnel, training, and labor relations specialists and managers.