Employee engagement
The 2024 Australian Public Service Employee Census indicates that APS employees feel positively engaged in their work. The overall Employee Engagement Index score for 2024 is 74, up from 73 in 2023.
Employees who are satisfied and inspired by their work, committed to organisational goals and proud of their agency are more engaged in their work and workplaces. Engaged employees are likely to be more productive, innovative and to deliver outcomes aligned to agency objectives.
Figure 9 shows the percentage of respondents to the 2023 and 2024 APS Employee Census that provided a positive response to questions that relate to employee engagement.
Figure 9: APS employee experiences (2023 and 2024)
Source: APS Employee Census
Employee engagement is influenced by factors in the workplace that lead to a more positive and productive workplace environment. In the 2024 APS Employee Census results, it is possible to identify the questions which show the greatest correlation with levels of employee engagement. Figure 10 shows these questions.
Figure 10: Perceptions most associated with employee engagement (2024)
Source: APS Employee Census
All measures of engagement in 2024 were higher than or equal to those from 2023. While rates are consistently high for the APS as a whole, results for employee engagement vary significantly across agencies.
Agencies with lower employee engagement levels can consider ways to improve these perceptions, with positive benefits for work performance and culture.
The Australian Public Service Commission provides agencies with reports on their APS Employee Census results, including the drivers of engagement in their particular workforce. It offers additional materials and briefings to assist agencies to understand their Census results. Guides to support action planning within teams are also offered.