Federal Government vs Private Companies

Primary reason people are working (or, if retired, used to work) for the Federal Government:

27% are working because of job security
19% work for the benefits package (other than pay)
18% say they have too much invested in the retirement system to leave
15% work to "make a difference" in America
8% work because the money is good
5% like the challenging work environment
8% work for the federal government for "other" reasons

People often mention government's more generous policies with regard to holidays and taking annual leave, the ability to transfer to different regions while staying with the same employer, and the ability to obtain health insurance with better benefits that they could then take into retirement with them.