Line managers in the public sector are being credited with boosting motivation and commitment among staff.

A new survey suggests that public sector employees are more trusting, satisfied, committed and motivated than their counterparts in the private sector.

The survey, from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) found that motivation amongst public sector employees has been steadily increasing and they are now 8% more motivated than private sector staff.

Mike Emmott, CIPD Employee Relations adviser, called the change "a significant turnaround", which he attributed to improved line management in the sector.

"A good line manager can help motivate staff, reduce absence, improve productivity and retain staff," he said. "It makes good business sense to ensure line managers are trained to motivate, communicate and engage with employees."

Other key findings:
* Public sector workers report slightly higher levels of loyalty to customers and clients than their organisation or supervisor.

* Those who find work exciting are more likely to work in the public sector.

* There has been a large rise between 2002 and 2004 in the proportion of public sector respondents who say that promises about fair treatment by the immediate supervisor have been kept.

* Both local government and NHS report high levels of supervisory leadership.

* The NHS scores particularly high on offering flexible work practices.

However, the survey shows negative picture for central government than in local government and the NHS, but again motivation here is higher than the private sector.

"Central government have lots of work to do, they need to work with their line managers to ensure they have the relevant training to motivate staff. CIPD report, Understanding the People and Performance Link, shows that line managers have a major impact on employee engagement and performance," Emmott added.