Methodology The Partnership for Public Service created the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government® rankings in 2003 to provide the most comprehensive rating of employee engagement and satisfaction across federal agencies and their subcomponents. We use the term employee engagement and satisfaction to refer to the commitment of the workforce, its job and organizational satisfaction, and the willingness of employees to put forth discretionary effort to achieve results. The 2022 Best Places to Work rankings include 506 federal agencies and their subcomponents, the most in the history of the rankings: 17 large agencies, 27 midsize agencies, 30 small agencies and 432 subcomponents. We group agencies by workforce size to provide comparisons of agencies that may face similar management challenges. Large agencies are those organizations with 15,000 or more employees. Agencies with 1,000 to 14,999 employees are included in the midsize category. Small agencies are those with at least 100 but fewer than 1,000 employees. Subcomponents—the subagencies, bureaus, divisions, centers and offices within agencies—need to have at least 100 employees to be included in the rankings. The number of employees was determined by using the Office of Personnel Management’s FedScope database for June 2022. View List of Participating Agencies Data Source The majority of the data used to develop these rankings was collected by the Office of Personnel Management through its Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey. The survey was administered as a census of all full-time and part-time, permanent, nonseasonal executive branch employees and some temporary employees. It was completed between June and July 2022 by 557,778 federal workers, for a response rate of 35%. To ensure that the data represent demographic characteristics such as age, gender, race, supervisory status, agency size and occupation, OPM data uses weights. Visit OPM’s website to learn more about the FEVS methodology. The Best Places to Work rankings include responses from more than 326,300 additional employees at 14 agencies that conducted their own employee surveys. Employees were surveyed around the same time when the FEVS was administered and had a response rate of more than 50%. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration; Congressional Budget Office; Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis; Federal Deposit and Insurance Corporation; Government Accountability Office; Millennium Challenge Corporation; Securities and Exchange Commission; Smithsonian Institution; the United States Postal Service’s Office of the Inspector General; the Library of Congress; the Architect of the Capitol; and the Department of Veterans Affairs provided data from their own surveys. In addition, the rankings incorporate responses from employees at the nation’s intelligence agencies, which conducted a similar survey but did not report the number of respondents. Their data is not used in the calculation of the government-wide employee engagement score. However, because these agencies conducted employee surveys that included the three questions needed to calculate an agency’s Best Places to Work employee engagement score, they are included in our index rankings. Also, because their surveys did not include some of the questions used to calculate workplace category scores, they are included in some workplace categories and not others. Best Places to Work Employee Engagement and Satisfaction Ranking and Scores Calculation The rankings are based on the Best Places to Work employee engagement and satisfaction score. The measurement model for Best Places to Work was created in 2003 by our partner, CFI Group, which uses the same methodology for the highly regarded American Customer Satisfaction Index. The Best Places to Work employee engagement and satisfaction score is derived from three different questions in OPM’s Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey: I recommend my organization as a good place to work. Considering everything, how satisfied are you with your job? Considering everything, how satisfied are you with your organization? To calculate the score, we use the percentage of positive responses in a weighted formula. The more the question predicted intent to remain on the job, the higher the weighting. The weightings for the formula are proprietary and are weighted according to a formula developed with the Hay Group (Later acquired by Korn Ferry) in 2007. The percentage of positive responses is calculated by dividing the number of employees who answered a question positively by the number of employees who answered that question. Prior to the 2020 edition of the Best Places to Work rankings, the percentage of positive responses was calculated by dividing the number of employees who answered a question positively by the total number of employees who completed the survey. The change also aligns with OPM’s methodology used in analyzing the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey. The government-wide employee engagement and satisfaction score is calculated using data from agencies that participate in the survey. While agencies that conduct their own internal surveys, such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Government Accountability Office and the Department of Veterans Affairs are included in the rankings, their data is not used in the calculation of the government-wide employee engagement score. Workplace Category Rankings and Scores Calculation The workplace category scores are calculated by averaging the percentage of positive responses to the respective survey questions across different aspects of the employee experience. This year, the 12 workplace categories include effective leadership and performance at various levels, mission match, satisfaction with pay, innovation, work-life balance, performance recognition, teamwork in the workplace, their agency’s customer service and a set of categories evaluating how effectively agencies support improving diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in the workplace. Workplace categories are calculated based on the measurement model that CFI Group developed for Best Places to Work in 2003. It used structural equation modeling to determine the clusters of questions included in each of the original workplace categories. Since then, the workplace categories have been modified to reflect the changes in Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey questions. Some categories are created while others are removed to better represent pressing problems in federal agencies. Changes to the workplace categories are made based on academic literature and statistical analysis to ensure validity of workplace categories. As a result, agencies may have missing workplace category scores if data for any of the sub-questions that comprise the category is not available. Best Places to Work Category2022 FEVS QuestionsQuestion Number Best Places to Work IndexI recommend my organization as a good place to work. 43 Best Places to Work IndexConsidering everything, how satisfied are you with your job? 68 Best Places to Work IndexConsidering everything, how satisfied are you with your organization? 70 Effective LeadershipI can disclose a suspected violation of any law, rule or regulation without fear of reprisal. 8 Effective LeadershipSupervisors in my work unit support employee development. 46 Effective LeadershipMy supervisor listens to what I have to say.48 Effective LeadershipMy supervisor treat me with respect.49 Effective LeadershipI have trust and confidence in my supervisor.50 Effective LeadershipOverall, how good a job do you feel is being done by your immediate supervisor?52 Effective LeadershipIn my organization, senior leaders generate high levels of motivation and commitment in the workforce.55 Effective LeadershipMy organization’s senior leaders maintain high standards of honesty and integrity. 56 Effective LeadershipI have a high level of respect for my organization’s senior leaders. 60 Effective LeadershipHow satisfied are you with your involvement in decisions that affect your work? 65 Effective LeadershipHow satisfied are you with the information you receive from management on what’s going on in your organization? 66 Effective Leadership: EmpowermentHow satisfied are you with your involvement in decisions that affect your work?65 Effective Leadership: Senior LeadersIn my organization, senior leaders generate high levels of motivation and commitment in the workforce.55 Effective Leadership: Senior LeadersMy organization’s senior leaders maintain high standards of honesty and integrity.56 Effective Leadership: Senior LeadersI have a high level of respect for my organization’s senior leaders.60 Effective Leadership: Senior LeadersHow satisfied are you with the information you receive from management on what’s going on in your organization? 66 Effective Leadership: SupervisorsSupervisors in my work unit support employee development. 46 Effective Leadership: SupervisorsMy supervisor listens to what I have to say. 48 Effective Leadership: SupervisorsMy supervisor treats me with respect. 49 Effective Leadership: SupervisorsI have trust and confidence in my supervisor. 50 Effective Leadership: SupervisorsOverall, how good a job do you feel is being done by your immediate supervisor? 52 Mission MatchMy work gives me a feeling of personal accomplishment.3 Mission MatchMy job inspires me. 85 Mission MatchThe work I do gives me a sense of accomplishment.86 Mission MatchI feel a strong personal attachment to my organization. 87 Mission MatchI identify with the mission of my organization.88 Mission MatchIt is important to me that my work contributes to the common good. 89 PayConsidering everything, how satisfied are you with your pay?69 TeamworkThe people I work with cooperate to get the job done. 14 TeamworkManagers promote communication among different work units (for example, about projects, goals, needed resources). 58 InnovationI feel encouraged to come up with new and better ways of doing things.2 Work–Life Balance My workload is reasonable.5 Work–Life Balance My supervisor supports my need to balance work and other life issues. 47 DEIAMy organization’s management practices promote diversity (e.g., outreach, recruitment, promotion opportunities).71 DEIAMy supervisor demonstrates a commitment to workforce diversity (e.g., recruitment, promotion opportunities, development).72 DEIAI have similar access to advancement opportunities (e.g., promotion, career development, training) as others in my work unit.73 DEIAMy supervisor provides opportunities fairly to all employees in my work unit (e.g., promotions, work assignments). 74 DEIAIn my work unit, excellent work is similarly recognized for all employees (e.g., awards, acknowledgements). 75 DEIAEmployees in my work make me feel I belong.77 DEIAEmployees in my work care about me as a person.78 DEIAI am comfortable expressing opinions that are different from other employees in my work unit. 79 DEIAIn my work unit, people’s differences are respected. 80 DEIAI can be successful in my organization being myself.81 DEIAI can easily make a request of my organization to meet my accessibility needs. 82 DEIAMy organization responds to my accessibility needs in a timely manner. 83 DEIAMy organization meets my accessibility needs. 84 DEIA: DiversityMy organization’s management practices promote diversity (e.g., outreach, recruitment, promotion opportunities).71 DEIA: DiversityMy supervisor demonstrates a commitment to workforce diversity (e.g., recruitment, promotion opportunities, development).72 DEIA: InclusionEmployees in my work make me feel I belong.77 DEIA: InclusionEmployees in my work care about me as a person.78 DEIA: InclusionI am comfortable expressing opinions that are different from other employees in my work unit. 79 DEIA: InclusionIn my work unit, people’s differences are respected. 80 DEIA: InclusionI can be successful in my organization being myself.81 DEIA: EquityI have similar access to advancement opportunities (e.g., promotion, career development, training) as others in my work unit.73 DEIA: EquityMy supervisor provides opportunities fairly to all employees in my work unit (e.g., promotions, work assignments). 74 DEIA: EquityIn my work unit, excellent work is similarly recognized for all employees (e.g., awards, acknowledgements). 75 DEIA: AccessibilityI can easily make a request of my organization to meet my accessibility needs. 82 DEIA: AccessibilityMy organization responds to my accessibility needs in a timely manner. 83 DEIA: AccessibilityMy organization meets my accessibility needs. 84 RecognitionEmployees are recognized for providing high-quality products and services. 35 RecognitionHow satisfied are you with the recognition you receive for doing a good job? 67 Performance: Work UnitEmployees in my work unit contribute positively to my agency’s performance. 20 Performance: Work UnitEmployees in my work unit produce high-quality work. 21 Performance: TransparencyI know what my work unit’s goals are.25 Performance: TransparencyI have a good understanding of my organization’s priorities. 38 Performance: TransparencyMy supervisor provides me with constructive suggestions to improve my job performance.53 Performance: TransparencyMy supervisor provides me with performance feedback throughout the year. 54 Customer ServiceEmployees in my work unit meet the needs of our customers.19 Customer ServiceEmployees in my work unit consider customer needs a top priority. 31 Customer ServiceEmployees in my work unit consistently look for ways to improve customer service.32 Comparison to Scores from Previous Years The 2022 Best Place to Work scores can be compared with the 2021 and 2020 scores, but because of the methodological changes made in 2020, it would not be appropriate to compare these scores with years before 2020. In 2020, the Partnership changed how it calculates the percentage of positive responses (e.g., percentage of respondents who answered “agree” or “strongly agree”) to the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey questions to align with the Office of Personnel Management. Prior to 2020, the percentage of positive responses was calculated by dividing the number of employees who answered a question positively by the total number of employees who completed the survey. Beginning with the 2020 edition of Best Place to Work, the percentage of positive responses was calculated by dividing the number of employees who answered a question positively by the number of employees who answered that particular question. This change resulted in smaller denominators, filtering out respondents who skip questions as well as slightly larger percentage-positives. Because of the methodological change, scores from the years prior to 2020 cannot be compared to 2020 and 2021. In addition, for the fifth year in a row, the Department of Veterans Affairs did not participate in the 2022 FEVS and instead administered its own internal survey. Because VA is such a large agency, scores from the years VA was included in the FEVS (2003 to 2017) cannot be compared to the scores after VA started to conduct its own survey (from 2018 onwards). Since the VA’s survey included the three questions needed to calculate an agency’s Best Places to Work employee engagement score, the department is included in our rankings. However, like other agencies that conduct their own surveys, we have not included the VA’s data in the calculation of the 2022 government-wide score. The Partnership and Boston Consulting Group would like to thank the Office of Personnel Management for its excellent administration of its employee survey, without which the Best Places to Work rankings would not be possible.
