Morale among civil servants has shown a slight increase since the Labour Party assumed power in 2024, according to an upcoming report from the Institute for Government (IfG). The annual Whitehall monitor, set to be published this week, indicates that overall satisfaction among civil service employees rose from 60.7% to 61.2% on the civil service employee engagement index. This measure reflects civil servants’ perceptions of their work environment and their pride in their roles.
The engagement index, which has recorded a decade of gradual improvement in civil service morale, peaked at 63.6% in 2020. However, it experienced a decline for three consecutive years from 2021 to 2023. The report reveals that most departments saw slight increases in morale in 2024, with the most significant gains noted in the Department of Health and Social Care, led by Wes Streeting, and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, helmed by Ed Miliband. Morale in these departments increased by 5 and 7 percentage points, respectively.
Departmental Variations in Morale
Additionally, the Cabinet Office reported a 2 percentage point rise in morale, following a substantial 4 point increase in 2023 after four years of decline. In contrast, four departments, including the Foreign Office, HM Revenue and Customs, the Ministry of Defence, and the Department for Transport, recorded a decrease in morale in 2024. The transport department experienced the largest drop, falling by 3 percentage points.
Key questions within the transport department’s morale survey indicated alarming trends, with responses showing a 13 point decline in agreement with statements about positive organizational changes and opportunities for employee contributions. Similar declines were noted in perceptions of safety when challenging organizational practices, effective change management, and responsiveness from senior management based on survey results.
Context and Future Outlook
Experts had predicted a revival in civil service morale following Labour’s return to power, particularly after a tumultuous period marked by frequent ministerial changes under the previous administrations of Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak. The snapshot survey was conducted in autumn 2024, prior to controversial remarks made by Keir Starmer in December, suggesting that some civil servants had grown too comfortable in what he termed the “tepid bath of managed decline.” These comments have raised concerns about potential impacts on civil service relations.
In previous reports, IfG highlighted that the decline in morale over the past three years was largely attributed to diminishing confidence in leadership and change management, coinciding with the establishment of new departments focusing on science, energy, and business. The findings from this year’s report will be closely monitored as Labour’s government continues to implement its policies and address the challenges faced by civil servants across the United Kingdom.