GAO said that outside factors also could be at work in the slipping overall ratings over time, notably “sequestration, furloughs, and a three-year freeze on statutory annual pay adjustments from 2011 to 2013 that some contend negatively impacted federal employee morale.”
Said the report: “Importantly, while even one agency with a downward trending engagement score is not to be taken lightly, and while there is room for improvement with all federal agencies, the large number of agencies that sustained or increased their levels of employee engagement during challenging times suggests that agencies can influence employee engagement levels in the face of difficult external circumstances. As examples, the Department of Education’s engagement levels increased from an estimated 56 percent in 2006 to an estimated 66 percent in 2014, while the Federal Trade Commission maintained a consistent estimate of 75 percent engagement index score—well above the government-wide average—throughout the period of general decline.”
Another factor at work from an individual viewpoint, it said, is job level. Those in the SES reported consistently higher engagement levels—at least 10 percent more than any lower pay category—and “while there was less difference between the engagement levels of other pay categories, employees in the GS 13-15 categories were consistently higher than all other lower GS pay categories. Employees in the federal wage system consistently reported the lowest levels of engagement.”
“Similarly, respondents with fewer supervisory responsibilities had progressively lower levels of engagement government-wide. Generally, employees with higher supervisory status have more autonomy in how they do their work. Employees in higher pay categories are likely to have more supervisory responsibilities, so it is not surprising that the trends for each are similar.”
