Energy and health optimism help lift civil service morale under Labour

"Civil service morale rose slightly after Labour took power in 2024, with the biggest jumps in satisfaction in the energy and health departments, an annual Whitehall monitor report will show. The survey from the Institute for Government (IfG) thinktank, due to be published this week, found that morale rose from 60.7 to 61.2% on the civil service employee engagement index. This is a composite measure that captures civil servants' feelings about how things are done in their organisation, and their pride in where they work."

"Most departments' scores rose slightly in 2024 but the biggest improvers were the Department of Health and Social Care, led by Wes Streeting, and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, led by Ed Miliband, where morale increased by 5 and 7 percentage points respectively. Morale in the Cabinet Office also rose by 2 percentage points following on from a 4-point rise in 2023 after four consecutive years of falling scores."

"Only four departments recorded falls in morale in 2024 the Foreign Office, HM Revenue and Customs, the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Transport. The transport department had the largest drop, of three percentage points. This included 13-point falls between 2023 and 2024 for the questions when changes are made in my organisation they are usually for the better, and I have the opportunity to contribute my views before decisions are made that affect me."

Civil service employee engagement rose from 60.7% to 61.2% in 2024 after Labour took power. The index measures civil servants' feelings about organisational practices and workplace pride. It peaked at 63.6% in 2020 after a decade of improvement, then fell from 2021 to 2023. Most departments recorded small gains in 2024. The Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero rose by 5 and 7 percentage points respectively. The Cabinet Office rose by 2 points after a 4-point rise in 2023. Four departments fell, including Transport which dropped three points and showed large falls on questions about change, influence and managerial response.

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