APS employee engagement

Employees in the Australian Public Service show consistently high overall levels of job satisfaction and engagement.

In the 2023 APS Employee Census, around three-quarters of APS employees expressed job satisfaction (73%) and that their work gave them a sense of accomplishment (76%). More than two-thirds (68%) said they would recommend their agency as a good place to work (Figure 3.2).

Figure 3.2: Employee experiences (2020 to 2023)

A column graph comparing APS Employee Census results on employee experiences from 2020 to 2023.. The proportion of respondents agreeing to the 5 related census questions was consistently above 55%. The most notable change is the increase in respondents agreeing to the question – “my job inspires me” from 57% in 2020 to 61% in 2023.

Source: APS Employee Census

Employees who are engaged in their work are more productive and innovative than those who are not. In response to the 2023 APS Employee Census, employee engagement was most associated with perceptions in the 5 areas shown in Figure 3.3.

Figure 3.3: Employee perceptions most associated with employee engagement (2023)

A stacked bar graph displaying APS Employee Census results in 2023 associated with employee engagement. 80% of respondents agreed that their agency supports and actively promotes an inclusive workplace culture; 61% agreed that their agency cares about their health and wellbeing; 56% agreed that internal agency communication was effective; 50% agreed that their agency inspires them to come up with new or better ways of doing things; and 43% agreed that change is managed well in their agency.

Source: APS Employee Census

These findings suggest that the workplace environment created in organisations directly affects levels of employee engagement. APS agencies looking to boost employee engagement are advised to:

  • ensure an inclusive workplace culture
  • encourage continuous improvement and innovation
  • ensure effective internal communication
  • demonstrate a commitment to the health and wellbeing of employees
  • manage change well.

Improvements in these areas can lead to higher levels of employee engagement and performance.

While levels of employee engagement are high overall for the APS, results vary significantly across agencies.

See also

Agency benchmarking – Employee engagement, State of the Service Report 2022–23

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