A Workforce at Risk: The Troubled State of the Federal Public Service

According to a new survey by the Brookings Institution’s Center for Public Service, federal employees’ perceptions of the quality of their work life has declined significantly over the past year. After September 11, the majority of federal employees report decreasing job satisfaction, lower morale among their co-workers, continued problems obtaining the necessary resources to perform their jobs well, and decreased trust in their organizations and the federal government generally. Conversely, Defense Department employees state that they are happier with their jobs, with the contribution they make to their organizations, and the amount of training and resources they receive.

The survey report will be released, and its findings discussed, on Thursday, June 27 at the Brookings Institution. Among the questions to be addressed are: What are the factors causing dissatisfaction among federal employees? What role, if any, did the events of September 11 play? How much of an influence does public opinion have? And, why are Defense Department employees more satisfied than federal employees overall?