OPM: Federal Employees’ Engagement ‘Stabilized’ in 2022, but Morale Continues to Fall

Federal employees reported a similar level of engagement in their jobs when they responded to the government’s annual survey of workplace attitudes, although morale continues to drop.

The Office of Personnel Management on Thursday published preliminary data from the 2022 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, although the agency’s full report will not be available until next month. After two years of soliciting federal workers’ opinions on their working conditions in unusual fall solicitations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency conducted the annual survey during the traditional spring timeframe.

Across the federal government, employee engagement matched the 2021 results at 71 out of 100, while the global satisfaction index, which seeks to measure federal employee morale, fell 2 points from 64 last year to 62 this spring. Response rates across federal agencies recovered slightly at 35%, 1 percentage point above 2021’s 34% but still 9 percentage points lower than in 2020.

OPM Director Kiran Ahuja said in a statement that this year’s results indicate that federal workers remain committed to serving the public despite numerous recent challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Amid unprecedented challenges, federal employees remain remarkably resilient, engaged and committed to public service,” she said. “Federal employees are finding creative solutions to stay connected to their teams, leverage workplace flexibilities and remain motivated to continue doing the critical work on behalf of the American people.”

This year’s survey marks the introduction of a new index measuring how federal employees feel about agencies’ efforts to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. In 2022, the diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility index, which measures positive perceptions of agency DEIA practices was 69 out of 100.

And OPM implemented a new series of questions related to how agency leaders foster innovation. According to the agency’s preliminary results, 64% of employees are “consistently looking for new ways to improve work,” although only 56% reported that management encourages such innovation.

Further analysis of the results, including data measuring telework, managers’ handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, return to office and other issues, will be included in OPM’s traditional management report, which is slated for release next month.