The findings point to a significant decline in core metrics of employee morale since the sweeping efficiency and accountability program was enacted.
The data shows that a substantial majority of federal employees now report low levels of job satisfaction. Furthermore, metrics for workplace engagement, a key indicator of productivity and institutional health, have also fallen to concerning lows. The survey suggests a workforce that feels disconnected from its mission and leadership.
While the survey does not attribute causes directly, the timing points squarely at the aftermath of the DOGE program. The initiative, a flagship policy of the current administration, mandated extensive new reporting protocols, streamlined but stricter performance reviews, and consolidated a number of agency functions. It was promoted as a way to modernize the federal bureaucracy and improve taxpayer value.
Critics in Congress and from public sector unions have long argued that DOGE's top-down approach has created a climate of anxiety, increased bureaucratic burden, and demoralized staff. They contend the survey validates their warnings that the push for efficiency has come at the cost of workforce stability and expertise.
The White House and the Office of Management and Budget, which oversaw DOGE's rollout, have not yet commented on the specific survey results. Administration officials have previously defended the program as a necessary modernization effort and stated that any transition period would involve adjustments.
The stark results will likely fuel political debate over the management of the federal government, with implications for both policy execution and the upcoming budget negotiations where funding for agency operations is determined. The sustained low morale could pose a long-term risk to the government's ability to recruit and retain skilled personnel.