all_chart_data = [{"year":2009,"uid_qm_txt":"000.engagement_index","value":58},{"year":2009,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_work","value":74},{"year":2009,"uid_qm_txt":"000.objectives_purpose","value":80},{"year":2009,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_manager","value":66},{"year":2009,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_team","value":76},{"year":2009,"uid_qm_txt":"000.learning_development","value":50},{"year":2009,"uid_qm_txt":"000.inclusion_treatment","value":74},{"year":2009,"uid_qm_txt":"000.resources_workload","value":70},{"year":2009,"uid_qm_txt":"000.pay_benefits","value":37},{"year":2009,"uid_qm_txt":"000.leadership_change","value":37},{"year":2009,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_discrimination","value":10},{"year":2009,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_bullying","value":10},{"year":2010,"uid_qm_txt":"000.engagement_index","value":56},{"year":2010,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_work","value":71},{"year":2010,"uid_qm_txt":"000.objectives_purpose","value":80},{"year":2010,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_manager","value":68},{"year":2010,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_team","value":77},{"year":2010,"uid_qm_txt":"000.learning_development","value":43},{"year":2010,"uid_qm_txt":"000.inclusion_treatment","value":73},{"year":2010,"uid_qm_txt":"000.resources_workload","value":72},{"year":2010,"uid_qm_txt":"000.pay_benefits","value":37},{"year":2010,"uid_qm_txt":"000.leadership_change","value":37},{"year":2010,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_discrimination","value":10},{"year":2010,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_bullying","value":10},{"year":2011,"uid_qm_txt":"000.engagement_index","value":56},{"year":2011,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_work","value":71},{"year":2011,"uid_qm_txt":"000.objectives_purpose","value":80},{"year":2011,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_manager","value":67},{"year":2011,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_team","value":77},{"year":2011,"uid_qm_txt":"000.learning_development","value":43},{"year":2011,"uid_qm_txt":"000.inclusion_treatment","value":73},{"year":2011,"uid_qm_txt":"000.resources_workload","value":71},{"year":2011,"uid_qm_txt":"000.pay_benefits","value":31},{"year":2011,"uid_qm_txt":"000.leadership_change","value":37},{"year":2011,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_discrimination","value":10},{"year":2011,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_bullying","value":9},{"year":2012,"uid_qm_txt":"000.engagement_index","value":58},{"year":2012,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_work","value":73},{"year":2012,"uid_qm_txt":"000.objectives_purpose","value":81},{"year":2012,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_manager","value":69},{"year":2012,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_team","value":78},{"year":2012,"uid_qm_txt":"000.learning_development","value":44},{"year":2012,"uid_qm_txt":"000.inclusion_treatment","value":75},{"year":2012,"uid_qm_txt":"000.resources_workload","value":72},{"year":2012,"uid_qm_txt":"000.pay_benefits","value":30},{"year":2012,"uid_qm_txt":"000.leadership_change","value":41},{"year":2012,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_discrimination","value":10},{"year":2012,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_bullying","value":10},{"year":2013,"uid_qm_txt":"000.engagement_index","value":58},{"year":2013,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_work","value":74},{"year":2013,"uid_qm_txt":"000.objectives_purpose","value":81},{"year":2013,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_manager","value":70},{"year":2013,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_team","value":79},{"year":2013,"uid_qm_txt":"000.learning_development","value":47},{"year":2013,"uid_qm_txt":"000.inclusion_treatment","value":74},{"year":2013,"uid_qm_txt":"000.resources_workload","value":72},{"year":2013,"uid_qm_txt":"000.pay_benefits","value":29},{"year":2013,"uid_qm_txt":"000.leadership_change","value":41},{"year":2013,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_discrimination","value":10},{"year":2013,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_bullying","value":10},{"year":2014,"uid_qm_txt":"000.engagement_index","value":59},{"year":2014,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_work","value":75},{"year":2014,"uid_qm_txt":"000.objectives_purpose","value":82},{"year":2014,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_manager","value":71},{"year":2014,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_team","value":79},{"year":2014,"uid_qm_txt":"000.learning_development","value":49},{"year":2014,"uid_qm_txt":"000.inclusion_treatment","value":75},{"year":2014,"uid_qm_txt":"000.resources_workload","value":72},{"year":2014,"uid_qm_txt":"000.pay_benefits","value":28},{"year":2014,"uid_qm_txt":"000.leadership_change","value":43},{"year":2014,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_discrimination","value":10},{"year":2014,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_bullying","value":10},{"year":2015,"uid_qm_txt":"000.engagement_index","value":58},{"year":2015,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_work","value":74},{"year":2015,"uid_qm_txt":"000.objectives_purpose","value":81},{"year":2015,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_manager","value":71},{"year":2015,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_team","value":80},{"year":2015,"uid_qm_txt":"000.learning_development","value":49},{"year":2015,"uid_qm_txt":"000.inclusion_treatment","value":74},{"year":2015,"uid_qm_txt":"000.resources_workload","value":71},{"year":2015,"uid_qm_txt":"000.pay_benefits","value":30},{"year":2015,"uid_qm_txt":"000.leadership_change","value":42},{"year":2015,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_discrimination","value":11},{"year":2015,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_bullying","value":10},{"year":2016,"uid_qm_txt":"000.engagement_index","value":59},{"year":2016,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_work","value":75},{"year":2016,"uid_qm_txt":"000.objectives_purpose","value":81},{"year":2016,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_manager","value":71},{"year":2016,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_team","value":80},{"year":2016,"uid_qm_txt":"000.learning_development","value":50},{"year":2016,"uid_qm_txt":"000.inclusion_treatment","value":76},{"year":2016,"uid_qm_txt":"000.resources_workload","value":71},{"year":2016,"uid_qm_txt":"000.pay_benefits","value":31},{"year":2016,"uid_qm_txt":"000.leadership_change","value":43},{"year":2016,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_discrimination","value":12},{"year":2016,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_bullying","value":11},{"year":2017,"uid_qm_txt":"000.engagement_index","value":61},{"year":2017,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_work","value":76},{"year":2017,"uid_qm_txt":"000.objectives_purpose","value":82},{"year":2017,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_manager","value":73},{"year":2017,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_team","value":81},{"year":2017,"uid_qm_txt":"000.learning_development","value":53},{"year":2017,"uid_qm_txt":"000.inclusion_treatment","value":77},{"year":2017,"uid_qm_txt":"000.resources_workload","value":72},{"year":2017,"uid_qm_txt":"000.pay_benefits","value":30},{"year":2017,"uid_qm_txt":"000.leadership_change","value":47},{"year":2017,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_discrimination","value":12},{"year":2017,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_bullying","value":11},{"year":2018,"uid_qm_txt":"000.engagement_index","value":62},{"year":2018,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_work","value":76},{"year":2018,"uid_qm_txt":"000.objectives_purpose","value":83},{"year":2018,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_manager","value":74},{"year":2018,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_team","value":81},{"year":2018,"uid_qm_txt":"000.learning_development","value":54},{"year":2018,"uid_qm_txt":"000.inclusion_treatment","value":78},{"year":2018,"uid_qm_txt":"000.resources_workload","value":73},{"year":2018,"uid_qm_txt":"000.pay_benefits","value":31},{"year":2018,"uid_qm_txt":"000.leadership_change","value":47},{"year":2018,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_discrimination","value":12},{"year":2018,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_bullying","value":11},{"year":2019,"uid_qm_txt":"000.engagement_index","value":63},{"year":2019,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_work","value":77},{"year":2019,"uid_qm_txt":"000.objectives_purpose","value":83},{"year":2019,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_manager","value":74},{"year":2019,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_team","value":82},{"year":2019,"uid_qm_txt":"000.learning_development","value":55},{"year":2019,"uid_qm_txt":"000.inclusion_treatment","value":79},{"year":2019,"uid_qm_txt":"000.resources_workload","value":74},{"year":2019,"uid_qm_txt":"000.pay_benefits","value":34},{"year":2019,"uid_qm_txt":"000.leadership_change","value":49},{"year":2019,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_discrimination","value":11},{"year":2019,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_bullying","value":12},{"year":2020,"uid_qm_txt":"000.engagement_index","value":66},{"year":2020,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_work","value":80},{"year":2020,"uid_qm_txt":"000.objectives_purpose","value":85},{"year":2020,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_manager","value":78},{"year":2020,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_team","value":84},{"year":2020,"uid_qm_txt":"000.learning_development","value":56},{"year":2020,"uid_qm_txt":"000.inclusion_treatment","value":82},{"year":2020,"uid_qm_txt":"000.resources_workload","value":75},{"year":2020,"uid_qm_txt":"000.pay_benefits","value":40},{"year":2020,"uid_qm_txt":"000.leadership_change","value":58},{"year":2020,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_discrimination","value":8},{"year":2020,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_bullying","value":8},{"year":2021,"uid_qm_txt":"000.engagement_index","value":66},{"year":2021,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_work","value":79},{"year":2021,"uid_qm_txt":"000.objectives_purpose","value":85},{"year":2021,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_manager","value":79},{"year":2021,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_team","value":84},{"year":2021,"uid_qm_txt":"000.learning_development","value":56},{"year":2021,"uid_qm_txt":"000.inclusion_treatment","value":82},{"year":2021,"uid_qm_txt":"000.resources_workload","value":75},{"year":2021,"uid_qm_txt":"000.pay_benefits","value":39},{"year":2021,"uid_qm_txt":"000.leadership_change","value":58},{"year":2021,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_discrimination","value":7},{"year":2021,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_bullying","value":7},{"year":2022,"uid_qm_txt":"000.engagement_index","value":65},{"year":2022,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_work","value":79},{"year":2022,"uid_qm_txt":"000.objectives_purpose","value":83},{"year":2022,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_manager","value":78},{"year":2022,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_team","value":84},{"year":2022,"uid_qm_txt":"000.learning_development","value":55},{"year":2022,"uid_qm_txt":"000.inclusion_treatment","value":81},{"year":2022,"uid_qm_txt":"000.resources_workload","value":74},{"year":2022,"uid_qm_txt":"000.pay_benefits","value":28},{"year":2022,"uid_qm_txt":"000.leadership_change","value":54},{"year":2022,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_discrimination","value":7},{"year":2022,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_bullying","value":7},{"year":2023,"uid_qm_txt":"000.engagement_index","value":64},{"year":2023,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_work","value":78},{"year":2023,"uid_qm_txt":"000.objectives_purpose","value":84},{"year":2023,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_manager","value":78},{"year":2023,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_team","value":83},{"year":2023,"uid_qm_txt":"000.learning_development","value":56},{"year":2023,"uid_qm_txt":"000.inclusion_treatment","value":81},{"year":2023,"uid_qm_txt":"000.resources_workload","value":75},{"year":2023,"uid_qm_txt":"000.pay_benefits","value":32},{"year":2023,"uid_qm_txt":"000.leadership_change","value":52},{"year":2023,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_discrimination","value":7},{"year":2023,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_bullying","value":8},{"year":2024,"uid_qm_txt":"000.engagement_index","value":64},{"year":2024,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_work","value":77},{"year":2024,"uid_qm_txt":"000.objectives_purpose","value":83},{"year":2024,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_manager","value":78},{"year":2024,"uid_qm_txt":"000.my_team","value":84},{"year":2024,"uid_qm_txt":"000.learning_development","value":56},{"year":2024,"uid_qm_txt":"000.inclusion_treatment","value":81},{"year":2024,"uid_qm_txt":"000.resources_workload","value":76},{"year":2024,"uid_qm_txt":"000.pay_benefits","value":34},{"year":2024,"uid_qm_txt":"000.leadership_change","value":52},{"year":2024,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_discrimination","value":7},{"year":2024,"uid_qm_txt":"dhb.experienced_bullying","value":8}];
summary_plot = function(theme, w, h) {
const chart_data = all_chart_data.filter((el) => {
return el.uid_qm_txt == theme
}).map(({year, value}) => ({
year: new Date(year, 0, 1),
value: value
}));
return Plot.plot({
height: h,
width: w,
style: {fontFamily: "IBM Plex Sans Condensed", fontSize: 12, color: "#525252"},
marks: [
Plot.axisX({
ticks: d3.extent(chart_data, (d) => d.year),
tickSize: 0,
tickPadding: 15,
label: null
}),
Plot.axisY({
ticks: d3.extent(chart_data, (d) => d.value),
tickSize: 0,
tickPadding: 15,
tickFormat: (d) => Math.floor(d),
label: null
}),
Plot.line(
chart_data,
{x: "year", y: "value", curve: "catmull-rom", stroke: "#1192e8"}
),
Plot.dot(
chart_data,
{x: "year", y: "value", stroke: "#1192e8", fill: "#1192e8"}
),
Plot.tip(
chart_data,
Plot.pointerX({
x: "year",
y: "value",
title: (d) => d.year.getFullYear() + ": " + d.value + "%",
fontSize: 14,
fontWeight: 500,
fill: "#f4f4f4",
stroke: "#c6c6c6"
})
)
]
})
};Headline results
The People Survey’s headline results focus on measuring employee engagement and it’s key drivers. The employee engagement index is based on five questions that measure civil servants’ levels of advocacy for, attachment to and motivation towards the civil service organisation they currently work for.
In 2024 the Civil Service benchmark for employee engagement 64%, unchanged from 2023.
Engagement index
TipEngagement index calculation
The engagement index is calculated as a weighted average of the five questions that make up the index. An index score of 0% represents all respondents answering strongly disagree to all five questions while a index score of 100% represents all respondents answering strongly agree to all five questions.
Drivers of engagement
The People Survey measures nine ‘themes’ that are drivers of employee engagement. The summary cards below show the overall score for each theme, the difference from last year and the long-term trend from 2009 to 2024.
All themes have an influence on levels of employee engagement, but some have stronger associations with levels of employee engagement than others. Next to the name of each theme is a small signal-bar icon indicating the strength of association between that theme and the engagement index.
TipTheme score calculation, driver analysis and the signal-bar symbols
The strength of association is derived from a combination of factor analysis and regression modelling of the published results. The factor analysis is related to the grouping of questions into themes based on their correlation with each other. The regression analysis assesses how correlated each factor is with the engagement index, the output from this analysis is then used to determine the strength of association between the factor and the engagement index.
| Icon | Description |
|---|---|
| Strong association: if scores in these themes are low then prioritise action in these areas to improve employee engagement. | |
| Moderate association: while not as direct as the first three drivers these themes still have a notable impact, they’re often important for maintaining high levels of employee engagement. | |
| Weak association: these themes have background influence on levels of employee engagement, keep a watch to make sure they don’t drop. |
Discrimination, bullying and harassment
…
Question results: overview
The engagement index and theme scores are headline scores that provide a quick overview of the People Survey results, these scores are derived from the results of individual questions. The rest of this report provides an overview of the results of each question in the survey, grouped by survey section and theme.
Overall we divide the survey results into four broad sections:
- Employee engagement and core themes
- Future intentions
- Discrimination, bullying and harassment
- Wellbeing
- Other questions
Unless otherwise stated results are the percentage responding ‘strongly agree’ or ‘agree’ to the statement/question.
Biggest increases
The five questions with the biggest increases in score between 2023 and 2024 were:
| Question | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Over the last 12 months money worries have affected my ability to do my job (% seldom or never) | 55.7% | 61.6% | +5.9 |
|
| I understand the Civil Service Code and what it means for my conduct | 88.2% | 92.1% | +3.9 |
|
| I feel that my pay adequately reflects my performance | 31.7% | 35.5% | +3.8 |
|
| Senior managers in [my organisation] are sufficiently visible | 70.6% | 73.0% | +2.4 |
|
| How often do you collaborate with civil servants in other government departments and agencies to achieve common goals? (% always, often, some of the time) | 37.3% | 39.1% | +1.8 |
Biggest decreases
The five questions with the biggest decreases in score between 2023 and 2024 were:
| Question | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I have a choice in deciding where I do my work (usual workplace or base, another workplace, home) | 83.2% | 73.3% | -9.9 |
|
| Efficiency is pursued as a priority in [my organisation] | 54.8% | 52.3% | -2.5 |
|
| I think that [my organisation] respects individual differences (for example, cultures, working styles, backgrounds, ideas, etc.) | 80.5% | 79.1% | -1.4 |
|
| I feel involved in the decisions that affect my work | 61.4% | 60.0% | -1.4 |
|
| There are opportunities for me to develop my career in [my organisation] | 53.3% | 52.0% | -1.3 |
Question results: Employee engagement and core themes
The main focus of the People Survey is measuring levels of employee engagement and its drivers. This section highlights the key results for each of the driver themes and the engagement index.
My work
| Question | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I am interested in my work | 90.2% | 90.0% | -0.2 |
|
| I am sufficiently challenged by my work | 82.6% | 82.1% | -0.5 |
|
| My work gives me a sense of personal accomplishment | 77.6% | 77.5% | -0.1 |
|
| I feel involved in the decisions that affect my work | 61.4% | 60.0% | -1.4 |
|
| I have a choice in deciding how I do my work | 80.8% | 80.9% | +0.1 |
Organisational objectives and purpose
| Question | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I have a clear understanding of [my organisation]’s objectives | 82.9% | 81.9% | -1.0 |
|
| I understand how my work contributes to [my organisation]’s objectives | 85.0% | 84.9% | -0.1 |
My manager
| Question | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| My manager motivates me to be more effective in my job | 76.3% | 76.0% | -0.3 |
|
| My manager is considerate of my life outside work | 89.8% | 90.4% | +0.6 |
|
| My manager is open to my ideas | 86.6% | 86.1% | -0.5 |
|
| My manager helps me to understand how I contribute to [my organisation]’s objectives | 72.0% | 71.4% | -0.6 |
|
| Overall, I have confidence in the decisions made by my manager | 80.9% | 81.0% | +0.1 |
|
| My manager recognises when I have done my job well | 83.4% | 83.7% | +0.3 |
|
| I receive regular feedback on my performance | 72.5% | 73.6% | +1.1 |
|
| The feedback I receive helps me to improve my performance | 68.7% | 68.6% | -0.1 |
|
| I think that my performance is evaluated fairly | 72.9% | 73.1% | +0.2 |
|
| Have you heard of the Civil Service line management standards? (% yes) | — | 49.0% | — |
TipQuestionnaire changes
The question ‘Have you heard of the Civil Service line management standards’ is new for 2024 and does not contribute towards the calculation of the ‘My manager’ theme score.
My team
| Question | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The people in my team can be relied upon to help when things get difficult in my job | 87.5% | 88.0% | +0.5 |
|
| The people in my team work together to find ways to improve the service we provide | 84.5% | 85.4% | +0.9 |
|
| The people in my team are encouraged to come up with new and better ways of doing things | 78.4% | 78.6% | +0.2 |
Learning and development
| Question | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I am able to access the right learning and development opportunities when I need to | 66.9% | 67.5% | +0.6 |
|
| Learning and development activities I have completed in the past 12 months have helped to improve my performance | 52.3% | 53.5% | +1.2 |
|
| There are opportunities for me to develop my career in [my organisation] | 53.3% | 52.0% | -1.3 |
|
| Learning and development activities I have completed while working for [my organisation] are helping me to develop my career | 50.6% | 51.2% | +0.6 |
Inclusion and fair treatment
| Question | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I am treated fairly at work | 84.1% | 83.5% | -0.6 |
|
| I am treated with respect by the people I work with | 88.2% | 88.0% | -0.2 |
|
| I feel valued for the work I do | 72.1% | 71.6% | -0.5 |
|
| I think that [my organisation] respects individual differences (for example, cultures, working styles, backgrounds, ideas, etc.) | 80.5% | 79.1% | -1.4 |
Resources and workload
| Question | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I get the information I need to do my job well | 70.9% | 70.6% | -0.3 |
|
| I have clear work objectives | 77.3% | 77.2% | -0.1 |
|
| I have the skills I need to do my job effectively | 89.3% | 90.2% | +0.9 |
|
| I have the tools I need to do my job effectively | 73.5% | 75.2% | +1.7 |
|
| I have an acceptable workload | 64.1% | 65.7% | +1.6 |
|
| I achieve a good balance between my work life and my private life | 74.4% | 75.8% | +1.4 |
Pay and benefits
| Question | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I feel that my pay adequately reflects my performance | 31.7% | 35.5% | +3.8 |
|
| I am satisfied with the total benefits package (e.g. base pay, benefits and pension) | 38.8% | 39.8% | +1.0 |
|
| Compared to people doing a similar job in other organisations I feel my pay is reasonable | 25.7% | 27.0% | +1.3 |
|
| I am fully aware of the benefits available in [my organisation], in addition to pay | 70.3% | 70.6% | +0.3 |
|
| Over the last 12 months money worries have affected my ability to do my job (% seldom or never) | 55.7% | 61.6% | +5.9 |
TipQuestionnaire changes
The questions ‘I am fully aware of the benefits available in [my organisation], in addition to pay’ and ‘Over the last 12 months money worries have affected my ability to do my job’ were first introduced in 2023 and doe not contribute towards the calculation of the ‘Pay and benefits’ theme score.
Leadership and managing change
| Question | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senior managers in [my organisation] are sufficiently visible | 70.6% | 73.0% | +2.4 |
|
| I believe the actions of senior managers are consistent with [my organisation]’s values | 64.8% | 65.5% | +0.7 |
|
| I believe that [my organisation]’s senior leaders have a clear vision for the future of [my organisation] | 53.7% | 53.8% | +0.1 |
|
| Overall, I have confidence in the decisions made by [my organisation]’s senior managers | 56.0% | 56.2% | +0.2 |
|
| I feel that change is managed well in [my organisation] | 34.2% | 33.1% | -1.1 |
|
| When changes are made in [my organisation] they are usually for the better | 34.1% | 34.6% | +0.5 |
|
| [My organisation] keeps me informed about matters that affect me | 64.2% | 64.3% | +0.1 |
|
| I have the opportunity to contribute my views before decisions are made that affect me | 40.3% | 39.1% | -1.2 |
|
| I think it is safe to challenge the way things are done in [my organisation] | 51.4% | 51.0% | -0.4 |
Employee engagement
| Question | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I am proud when I tell others I am part of [my organisation] | 65.2% | 65.9% | +0.7 |
|
| I would recommend [my organisation] as a great place to work | 61.5% | 63.3% | +1.8 |
|
| I feel a strong personal attachment to [my organisation] | 50.0% | 50.8% | +0.8 |
|
| [My organisation] inspires me to do the best in my job | 53.9% | 55.0% | +1.1 |
|
| [My organisation] motivates me to help it achieve its objectives | 51.7% | 52.8% | +1.1 |
Taking action
| Question | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I believe that senior managers in [my organisation] will take action on the results from this survey | 51.2% | 51.8% | +0.6 |
|
| Where I work, I think effective action has been taken on the results of the last survey | 38.1% | 37.6% | -0.5 |
Future intentions
| Response | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I want to leave [my organisation] as soon as possible | 7.2% | 6.4% | -0.8 |
|
| I want to leave [my organisation] within the next 12 months | 14.8% | 13.6% | -1.2 |
|
| I want to stay working for [my organisation] for at least the next year | 35.9% | 35.4% | -0.5 |
|
| I want to stay working for [my organisation] for at least the next three years | 42.5% | 44.5% | +2.0 |
| Response (multiple-choice) | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| End of my current contract or loan | 3.8% | 2.7% | -1.1 |
|
| A promotion or career progression within the Civil Service | 35.6% | 37.5% | +1.9 |
|
| A promotion or career progression outside of the Civil Service | 21.3% | 22.3% | +1.0 |
|
| For a better pay and benefit package | 50.0% | 44.4% | -5.6 |
|
| For more interesting work | 29.3% | 30.8% | +1.5 |
|
| Due to unmanageable workload | 18.3% | 16.2% | -2.1 |
|
| For a better work-life balance | 19.9% | 20.5% | +0.6 |
|
| Lack of inclusion and fair treatment | 13.9% | 16.1% | +2.2 |
|
| Don’t like organisational culture | 25.5% | 26.8% | +1.3 |
|
| Due to poor line management | 16.7% | 17.6% | +0.9 |
|
| Due to poor work relationships | 6.9% | 7.8% | +0.9 |
|
| Due to poor leadership | 28.3% | 28.9% | +0.6 |
|
| Personal circumstances (for example, caring responsibilities, ill health) | 6.6% | 7.5% | +0.9 |
|
| Retiring | 5.7% | 6.6% | +0.9 |
|
| Just want a change | 16.9% | 18.0% | +1.1 |
|
| Other | 8.2% | 8.5% | +0.3 |
WarningCaution when interpreting differences between years
The benchmark figures are calculated as the median score across all participating organisations for each separate measure. For the questions on future intentions each question response is treated as a separate measure, as a result the net sum of differences may not be zero due to the underlying variation in organisation scores.
Depending on the nature of your interest in this question, the results for all respondents may be more relevant than the Civil Service benchmark.
Question results: Discrimination, bullying and harassment
The People Survey asks civil servants if they have experienced either discrimination, or bullying or harassment in the past 12 months. For those that say they have the survey goes on to ask some follow-up questions to better understand the nature of their experiences.
Discrimination at work
Discrimination is when an employer treats an employee less favourably than someone else, or when a working condition, policy, procedure or rule disadvantages one group of people more than another.
Civil Service People Survey questionnaire (2013)
| Response | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 7.3% | 7.3% | ±0.0 |
|
| No | 86.5% | 86.4% | -0.1 |
|
| Prefer not to say | 6.3% | 6.5% | +0.2 |
| Response (multiple-choice) | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 16.2% | 16.4% | +0.2 |
|
| Caring responsibilities | 10.0% | 10.7% | +0.7 |
|
| Disability | 14.7% | 18.9% | +4.2 |
|
| Ethnic background | 8.4% | 9.2% | +0.8 |
|
| Gender | 15.3% | 15.6% | +0.3 |
|
| Gender reassignment or perceived gender | 0.0% | 0.0% | ±0.0 |
|
| Grade or responsibility level | 23.2% | 25.4% | +2.2 |
|
| Main spoken, written language or language ability | 3.7% | 3.8% | +0.1 |
|
| Marital status or civil partnership | 0.2% | 0.0% | -0.2 |
|
| Mental health | 12.7% | 12.8% | +0.1 |
|
| Pay | 7.6% | 7.2% | -0.4 |
|
| Pregnancy, maternity or paternity | 1.4% | 2.1% | +0.7 |
|
| Religion or belief | 2.1% | 2.0% | -0.1 |
|
| Sex | 3.3% | 3.6% | +0.3 |
|
| Sexual orientation | 1.8% | 1.8% | ±0.0 |
|
| Social or educational background | 4.1% | 5.1% | +1.0 |
|
| Working location | 14.7% | 14.8% | +0.1 |
|
| Working pattern | 15.3% | 15.0% | -0.3 |
|
| Any other grounds | 10.8% | 10.3% | -0.5 |
|
| Prefer not to say | 10.6% | 11.1% | +0.5 |
Bullying and harassment
Bullying is offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, an abuse or misuse of power through means intended to undermine, humiliate, denigrate or injure the recipient.
Harassment is unwanted actions or comments that are demeaning and unacceptable to the recipient. It may be related to any personal characteristic of the individual, and may be persistent or an isolated incident.
Civil Service People Survey questionnaire (2013)
| Response | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 7.9% | 7.6% | -0.3 |
|
| No | 86.8% | 86.9% | +0.1 |
|
| Prefer not to say | 5.4% | 5.6% | +0.2 |
Nature of bullying and harassment
| Response (multiple-choice) | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comments about my personal appearance or accent | 8.0% | 7.3% | -0.7 |
|
| Sexual harassment (for example, sexual comments or jokes, unwelcome sexual advances, touching or assault) | 3.8% | 2.7% | -1.1 |
|
| Spreading gossip or making false accusations about me | 22.3% | 25.0% | +2.7 |
|
| Intimidation, or verbal or written aggression (for example, shouting, making threats, sending aggressive emails) | 35.8% | 35.9% | +0.1 |
|
| Physical assault (for example, object thrown at me, pushed, hit) | 0.0% | 0.0% | ±0.0 |
|
| Humiliated in front of team or others | 36.4% | 36.5% | +0.1 |
|
| Negative micromanagement (for example, excessive control, made to feel incompetent) | 52.9% | 51.6% | -1.3 |
|
| Removal of job responsibilities, unconstructive criticism, or changing expectations | 30.9% | 30.9% | ±0.0 |
|
| Treated less favourably to others | 37.8% | 39.1% | +1.3 |
|
| Ignored, excluded, marginalised | 35.3% | 37.3% | +2.0 |
|
| Undermining or taking credit for my work | 30.1% | 27.4% | -2.7 |
|
| Denied time off for personal ill health | 1.6% | 1.7% | +0.1 |
|
| Denied time off for family or caring responsibilities | 2.3% | 2.5% | +0.2 |
|
| Disclosure of personal or sensitive information to colleagues without my consent | 7.9% | 8.7% | +0.8 |
|
| Unhelpful comments about my mental health or being off sick | 10.0% | 11.1% | +1.1 |
|
| Something else not listed here | 7.3% | 7.7% | +0.4 |
|
| Prefer not to say | 2.9% | 3.5% | +0.6 |
| Response (multiple-choice) | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A colleague in my area, directorate or division | 33.7% | 36.0% | +2.3 |
|
| A colleague in a different area, directorate, division of my organisation | 11.2% | 11.1% | -0.1 |
|
| My manager | 31.8% | 30.8% | -1.0 |
|
| Another senior member of staff in my organisation | 23.4% | 24.2% | +0.8 |
|
| Someone I manage | 4.8% | 5.1% | +0.3 |
|
| Someone working in a different Civil Service organisation | 3.0% | 1.9% | -1.1 |
|
| Someone working for a non-Civil Service organisation | 0.5% | 0.0% | -0.5 |
|
| A contractor | 0.8% | 0.7% | -0.1 |
|
| A service user (for example, customer, claimant, offender) | 0.7% | 0.3% | -0.4 |
|
| A member of the public | 0.0% | 0.0% | ±0.0 |
|
| Someone else not listed here | 4.1% | 3.9% | -0.2 |
|
| Prefer not to say | 8.6% | 9.2% | +0.6 |
Reporting bullying and harassment
| Response | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 40.2% | 40.3% | +0.1 |
|
| No | 45.1% | 45.6% | +0.5 |
|
| Ptns | 13.9% | 13.9% | ±0.0 |
| Response (multiple-choice) | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I raised a formal complaint | 17.3% | 18.7% | +1.4 |
|
| I reported it in another way, through less formal means | 58.5% | 59.2% | +0.7 |
|
| I confided in someone (for example, a colleague) | 35.0% | 36.4% | +1.4 |
|
| In another way | 6.1% | 5.2% | -0.9 |
| Response (multiple-choice) | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I felt I might jeopardise my job | 40.0% | 39.2% | -0.8 |
|
| I did not want to be seen as a troublemaker | 44.2% | 46.6% | +2.4 |
|
| I did not believe that corrective action would be taken | 66.1% | 65.5% | -0.6 |
|
| I did not know how to report it or who to speak to | 9.4% | 10.0% | +0.6 |
|
| The behaviour stopped before I could report it | 4.2% | 4.1% | -0.1 |
|
| I did not report it for another reason | 19.0% | 19.5% | +0.5 |
Outcome of the bullying or harassment experience
| Question | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Was appropriate action taken to address the behaviour you experienced? (% yes) | 30.1% | 28.8% | -1.3 |
|
| Has the bullying and harassment stopped? (% yes) | 40.9% | 38.5% | -2.4 |
|
| Does the culture where you work allow this kind of behaviour to continue? (% yes) | 60.3% | 59.5% | -0.8 |
|
| Did you feel like you were punished for reporting the incident? (% yes) | 30.9% | 30.4% | -0.5 |
Question results: Wellbeing
Alongside measures of employee engagement and other experiences of work the People Survey includes a number of questions about individual’s general wellbeing, some of the other non-wellbeing questions have also been used to calculate specific ‘wellbeing’ indexes’.
- Personal wellbeing: the ONS’s four questions measuring personal wellbeing
- Wellbeing indexes: existing core/non-wellbeing questions in the survey are used to calculate two wellbeing specific indexes (PERMA and Proxy Stress).
- Other wellbeing questions: the survey also asks respondents a few additional questions about mental and physical health.
Personal wellbeing
Alongside measures of employee engagement and other experiences of work, the People Survey also includes the ONS’s
| Question | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall, how satisfied are you with your life nowadays? (% rating 7-10) | 66.6% | 67.7% | +1.1 |
|
| Overall, to what extent do you feel that things you do in your life are worthwhile? (% rating 7-10) | 70.2% | 71.2% | +1.0 |
|
| Overall, how happy did you feel yesterday? (% rating 7-10) | 61.2% | 62.7% | +1.5 |
|
| Overall, how anxious did you feel yesterday? (% rating 6-10) | 34.8% | 34.9% | +0.1 |
NoteSubjective wellbeing scales
Respondents answer the four subjective wellbeing questions by giving a rating from 0 to 10 where 0 is equivalent to ‘not at all’ and 10 is ‘completely’, for example with the question on life satisfaction a score of 0 means ‘not at all satisfied’ while 10 means ‘completely satisfied’.
Based on the approach taken by the ONS to reporting these questions for the first three questions (life satisfaction, doing worthwhile things, and happiness yesterday) the headline figure is the percentage rating from 7 to 10, for the fourth question (anxiety yesterday) the headline figure is the percentage rating from 6 to 10.
Wellbeing indexes
The PERMA Index uses 5 questions from the People Survey to measure the extent to which employees are ‘flourishing’ in the workplace, it is inspired by Martin Seligman’s Flourish (2011).
The Proxy Stress Index uses 8 questions from the People Survey and aligns with the Health and Safety Executive’s Management Standards and Stress Indicator Tool.
| Index | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PERMA Index | 74.1% | 74.2% | +0.1 |
|
| Proxy Stress Index | 26.6% | 26.3% | -0.3 |
Other wellbeing questions
| Question | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In general, how would you rate your overall mental health now? (% excellent, very good or good) | 71.8% | 72.8% | +1.0 |
|
| In general, how would you rate your overall physical health now? (% excellent, very good or good) | 72.2% | 72.1% | -0.1 |
|
| [My organisation] provides good support for employee health, wellbeing and resilience (% strongly agree or agree) | 59.6% | 59.7% | +0.1 |
|
| How often do you discuss your personal wellbeing and or work-related stress with your manager? (% weekly or monthly) | 58.8% | 60.0% | +1.2 |
Question results: Other questions
Civil Service Code
The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants, it is organised around the four core values of: integrity, honesty, objectivity, and impartiality.
| Question | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Are you aware of how to raise a concern under the Civil Service Code? (% yes) | 70.0% | 69.6% | -0.4 |
|
| Are you confident that if you raised a concern under the Civil Service Code in [my organisation] it would be investigated properly? (% yes) | 75.8% | 76.3% | +0.5 |
|
| I understand the Civil Service Code and what it means for my conduct (% strongly gree or agree) | 88.2% | 92.1% | +3.9 |
Topical questions
The People Survey is the largest and best responded-to cross-government survey of civil servants, as a result it is used to measure other key topics of interest, often related to the current/latest plans for reforming the civil service.
| Question | 2023 | 2024 | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I am trusted to carry out my job effectively | 90.4% | 89.8% | -0.6 |
|
| I believe I would be supported if I try a new idea, even if it may not work | 74.9% | 75.0% | +0.1 |
|
| In [my organisation], people are encouraged to speak up when they identify a serious policy or delivery risk | 73.1% | 73.9% | +0.8 |
|
| I feel able to challenge inappropriate behaviour in the workplace | 70.9% | 71.2% | +0.3 |
|
| [My organisation] is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace | 77.7% | 77.6% | -0.1 |
|
| I am aware of the Civil Service vision for ‘A Modern Civil Service’ | 60.0% | 59.7% | -0.3 |
|
| I understand how I can help achieve the vision for ‘A Modern Civil Service’ | 42.3% | 43.1% | +0.8 |
|
| The technology provided by [my organisation] enables me to easily connect and collaborate with the colleagues that I need to for me to do my job effectively, from any location | 80.1% | 79.2% | -0.9 |
|
| How often do you collaborate with civil servants in other government departments and agencies to achieve common goals? (% always, most of the time, some of the time) | 37.3% | 39.1% | +1.8 |
|
| I consider how my work impacts upon the public in the course of carrying out my duties (% always, most of the time, some of the time) | 85.6% | 85.7% | +0.1 |
|
| I have a choice in deciding where I do my work (usual workplace or base, another workplace, home) | 83.2% | 73.3% | -9.9 |
|
| My manager trusts me to do my job effectively, even if I am not working from the same location as them | 94.8% | 94.1% | -0.7 |
|
| Over the last month, roughly how productive have you been? (% 90 to 100 percent productive) | 66.4% | 65.4% | -1.0 |
|
| Efficiency is pursued as a priority in [my organisation] | 54.8% | 52.3% | -2.5 |
|
| I know about the devolution of powers from uk government and parliament to the devolved governments and parliaments or legislatures in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland | 66.4% | |||
| I know where to access resources and training on devolution and intergovernmental working | 35.4% |
TipNew questions
The two questions relating to devolution policy (‘I know about the devolution of powers from uk government and parliament to the devolved governments and parliaments or legislatures in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland’ and ‘I know where to access resources and training on devolution and intergovernmental working’) were first asked in 2024.