Shocking morale, integrity concerns exposed in much-delayed Queensland public servant survey

A long-delayed survey of Queensland’s public servants has revealed a lack of faith in the state’s top-ranking bureaucrats.

Less than half of Queensland’s public servants think their top-ranking leaders have a “clear direction” for the future or act with a high level of integrity, with results of a long-delayed survey detailing the shocking low mood of workers.

And muted confidence in senior leaders and executive leadership is sensationally lower among Queensland Police, with only 46 per cent of officers and staff considering the department a “great place to work”.

The Public Service Commission released the 2022 edition of the Working for Queensland survey – designed to gauge the climate and attitude of public servants – on Friday, just days before it is due to start collating responses for the 2023 version.

The PSC blamed the delay on the need to present data in a new way after the survey was redesigned in 2022 at a cost of $2.128m.

But it also means it is “inadvisable” to compare the latest data against previous editions.

Across the public service as a whole, two-thirds said they would be “proud to tell others” where they work.

A total of 49 per cent think the “Executive Group communicates a clear direction for the future of the organisation”.

Less than half (47 per cent) think top-ranking bureaucrats act “with a high level of integrity”, with a similar amount (46 per cent) of the opinion recruitment processes were “fair and transparent”.

The Queensland State Government office building, 1 William Street dubbed The Tower of Power. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

Public servants were also asked if they were being given “unachievable deadlines”, with 22 per cent revealing this was the case at least “fairly often”.

A quarter of workers said they feel “energised” by their work “once in a while” to “never”.

Meanwhile 31 per cent said they felt burned out at least “fairly often” and 24 per cent confessed to having to “work long hours to meet performance expectations” often or always.

Among Queensland Police 38 per cent felt burned out and 40 per cent “emotionally exhausted” at least “fairly often”.

And just a third think their top officials have a “clear direction” for the future of the organisation, and only 21 per cent think the high-ranking brass create an environment “where employees feel heard”.

According to the Public Sector Commission the survey results showed the importance of ethics was clear, with 92 per cent confident they know what ethical behaviour looks like and 86 per cent feeling confident they know how to report unethical behaviour.

“Analysing the survey results allows agencies to celebrate what is working well and provide leaders with valuable insights to help drive workplace improvement,” Public Sector Commissioner David Mackie said.