Qualtrics Research with CivicPulse Investing in DEI Increases Hiring Satisfaction in Government

Recent hires to the federal government reported the lowest satisfaction with the hiring process (64%) compared to state (75%) and local (77%) government hires, according to new research conducted by Qualtrics in partnership with CivicPulse.

“These insights we’ve gathered from recent hires to federal, state and local government show how important it is to provide flexibility and to ensure the government workforce represents the population it serves.” – Qualtrics

According to the latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are over one million open jobs in government organizations across the US. In an era of record-high attrition rates in the public sector, there is a renewed focus for government leaders to attract and retain talent. With less than half (47%) of government employees reporting that senior leadership values diverse perspectives, the industry must prioritize focusing on what truly matters to employees. Qualtrics and CivicPulse surveyed over 1,000 federal, state and local government employees across the United States to help inform areas of focus for all levels of government to attract, hire and retain top talent to public service.

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Satisfaction varies throughout the hiring process

While most (75%) recent hires report being satisfied with the government hiring process, satisfaction varies based on gender and ethnicity as well as level of government. Across state and local governments in the US, respondents who identified as women or as part of a minority community reported the lowest levels of satisfaction (68% and 63%, respectively).

There was also considerable variation in satisfaction across each stage of the hiring process, from application, to assessment, interview and offer. Across all three levels of US government, respondents reported the highest satisfaction with the interview (82%) and the lowest for the offer (66%). When it comes to the application phase, 77% of new hires report being satisfied, and satisfaction drops to 68% for the assessment phase.

DEI initiatives and remote work opportunities increase satisfaction

Across industries, DEI and remote work have grown to be important factors in the workplace among candidates and employees. The Qualtrics-CivicPulse research found that governments investing in DEI initiatives and offering remote work see a positive return in employee satisfaction.

Across all demographic groups, new hires to state and local government reported higher rates of satisfaction in organizations that explicitly acknowledge DEI as part of the hiring process (81%) than when it is not (64%). Men, in particular, were almost 20 percentage points more likely to report workplace satisfaction at organizations that called out DEI efforts.

Additionally, state and local government employees report higher rates of satisfaction (68%) when they have the option of remote work versus if they do not have the option (62%).

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The research also found that while state governments are more likely (83%) to offer remote work opportunities than local governments (68%), local government has outpaced state government in incorporating DEI practices into their hiring processes with 45% of local government respondents seeing increases in DEI in the last two years versus 35% of state government respondents.

“Governments need to adapt to the demands of the young, diverse, skilled talent we need to serve the public,” said Dr. Sydney Heimbrock, head of Industry Advisory at Qualtrics. “With high rates of turnover and an aging workforce, these insights we’ve gathered from recent hires to federal, state and local government show how important it is to provide flexibility and to ensure the government workforce represents the population it serves. DEI will be key to hiring outcomes as the industry focuses on strengthening government capabilities through the people who serve.”

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