By Guy Page
The Vermont state employees union says the results of the VT Department of Human Resources 2021 “Employee Engagement Survey” should alarm any state official concerned about state employee recruitment and retention.
According to the Jan. 21 “Week In Action” Vermont State Employees Association newsletter:
The percent of state employees who believe working for the State provides them with good job security dropped below the 75% threshold for the first time since 2015;
The percent of state employees who agree that working for the State provides them with a solid career path dropped below the 60% level for the first time since 2016;
The percent of state employees who agree that they understand their benefit plans dropped below the 75% level for the first time since 2014;
Less than half of responding state employees indicated that they understood their retirement benefits. It’s the first time the percentage has dropped below the 60% level and represents a 27.7% decrease from the 2019 survey to the current survey;
The percent of state employees who agree with the statement “Overall, I’m satisfied with the benefits I receive,” also dropped below the 75% level, which is a 19.3% drop from the 2019 survey to the current survey; and
The percent of state employees indicating they have good morale has fallen 9.7% in the last five years, from 49.4 in 2017 to 44.6% in 2021.