Cole: Ranking Canada's best and worst federal agencies and departments

The government can learn a lot from its own Public Service Employee Survey, including who is doing things right. But the exercise remains opaque.

Published Oct 18, 2023 • Last updated 4 hours ago • 4 minute read

Federal government employees regularly fill out a massive survey about workplace conditions, but don’t reap the benefits. Photo by Adrian Wyld /The Canadian Press

For the past 20 years or so, our public service has been regularly surveying its employees using long questionnaires with more than 100 entries. The results of these surveys are compiled and, typically, a rather whitewashed report goes out covering the changes in employees’ opinions from the previous survey. The most recent one was sent out in late 2022 with results reported a few months ago. While that report is quite extensive, it really does not tell a true story of the state of our public service.

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I worked for 34 years in six different federal agencies. I enjoyed my career there, was able to do a lot of interesting work and, hopefully, contributed something useful and positive to our country.

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The “official” report from the Public Service Employee Survey (PSES) seems to indicate that many public servants are generally happy and engaged. However with just a little digging, the results show that some employees — actually quite a few — have a much less than positive message to convey. I have been reviewing the results of those periodic surveys since 2008 and with a little bit of analysis, those messages become quite clear.

Consider what is coming directly out of responses to the latest survey:

1. Only one-third really feel they get the proper training to do their job. (Question 4)

2. Only about one-third have a lot of confidence in their senior management. (Q33)

3. Less than one-quarter really feel that information flows well from senior management. (Q35)

4. Less than on-fifth really feel that change is well managed in their agency. (Q38)

5. Most don’t feel that their agency does a lot to support their career. development. (Q42)

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6. Only two-in-five are really happy with their agency. (Q54)

Are these the indicators of an organization in good shape? Are departments and agencies taking important steps to improve on these results? Does the fact that only 53 per cent of federal public servants even bothered to fill out the survey not, in itself, tell us that all is not well?

Getting answers to these questions is not easy. I have asked the President of the Treasury Board to discuss the survey results but have yet to receive a positive response. I continue to try to speak with someone in authority who might consider my findings and suggestions for improvement.

It appears that the heads of our federal departments and agencies are held accountable for carrying out the survey in each cycle. What is not so clear is what action is actually taken to respond to the survey results and what improvements have been measured and implemented. That was the case when I worked as a public servant. It may not have changed much since.

But insights can be gleaned. Like the typical “Best Companies to Work For” reports that some organizations routinely produce, I have created a similar list of the “best” federal agencies to work for, according to their employees.

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In 2006, I represented my federal agency on an interdepartmental committee that worked on the overall response to the Public Service Employee Survey. A few of us developed a relative, best-to-worst ranking of the reporting agencies based on employees’ answers. We developed a reporting index, similar to that used by the U.S.-based Gallup Organization with its “Best Companies to Work For” reports. Using a few key questions from the survey at that time, we weighted them according to their relevance/importance and came up with a comparative ranking of all the participating agencies.

While that index and its ranked results never saw the light of day (turned down by the “authorities”), I refined the index and now I create my own best/worst list. Here is an excerpt of my rating, showing the “best” five and the “worst” five to work for, according to what workers said in their response to key questions in the survey. Scores are out of 100.

Best Five:

Canada Human Rights Commission: 67

Prairies Economic Development Canada: 67

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada: 66

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Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency: 65

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council: 65

Worst Five:

National Film Board of Canada: 30

Global Affairs Canada: 25

Canada Border Services Agency: 23

Correctional Services Agency: 19

Canadian Service Intelligence Service: 17

With this rather simple, unacknowledged process, we have ready-made examples of federal agencies that are clearly “doing it right” with respect to exciting, encouraging and engaging their employees. It seems to me that Treasury Board should hold up these best agencies as examples. Likewise, it could insist that those agencies at and near the bottom of the list take demonstrable action to improve their standings.

I am sure that of the 120,000 or so public servants who live/work in the national capital area, many have their own opinion of what it’s like to work in their respective federal agencies. If you are one of those, please feel free to confidentially send your opinion to me at the email address below. I will not reveal any personal information. I can also pass along my complete ranking of all 68 major agencies.

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Why do I do this? I believe that Canada should have the best public service in the world. Its employees have the potential to make that happen, if properly encouraged, challenged and supported. The proper use and follow-up of the Public Service Employee Survey can be one major step toward achieving that goal. We could be doing better.

Jake Cole is former environment director, Canadian Coast Guard; former Canadian representative on renewable energy projects with the International Energy Agency; and former national manager, Canada’s R-2000 Home Program. Reach him at: [email protected]