Public Service Employee Survey (PSES) results: Executives
On this page
About the data
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Methodological notes
- The dashboards were designed in collaboration with policy centres to provide a visual snapshot of PSES results for various groups represented in the PSES by selecting specific questions to highlight the workplace experiences of these employees. The dashboards complement other PSES products and provide information to support the continuous improvement of people management practices in the federal public service.
- Percentages reflect the affirmative responses (i.e., the sum of “Strongly agree” and “Somewhat agree”; the sum of “Always/Almost always” and “Often”; the sum of “Very high” and “High”; the sum of "To a large extent" and "To a very large extent"; “Yes”; or the selected response from a list).
- Percentages exclude the “Don’t know” and “Not applicable” response categories.
- Generally, upwards arrows indicate a positive outcome and downwards arrows indicate a negative outcome.
- For most questions, a higher percentage represents a positive outcome (upward pointing arrow) and a lower percentage represents a negative outcome (downward pointing arrow).
- For certain questions (e.g., harassment and discrimination, work-related stress), a higher percentage represents a negative outcome (upward pointing arrow) and a lower percentage represents a positive outcome (downward pointing arrow).
- The comparison group for each sub-type includes the rest of respondents not in that sub-group. The comparison group, or ‘Other’ group, includes all respondents who answered “No” to the first referenced question (such as “Are you an Indigenous person?”) and all respondents who answered “Yes” to the first referenced question but did not select the sub-group.
- The 2020 PSES results by employment equity groups can be found on the Open Government Portal by accessing the EEInfoDV dataset.
Source: 2020 Public Service Employee Survey
Results for all questions are available on the PSES webpage and on the Open Government Portal.
Executives results
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In this section
In the 2020 PSES, 5,659 respondents identified as an executive.
Workplace
| Felt valued at work | Did not agree that they feel valued at work | |
|---|---|---|
| 84 | 16 |
No change from 2019
| Liked their job | Did not agree that they liked their job | |
|---|---|---|
| 89 | 11 |
2% points decrease from 2019
| Proud of the work they do | Did not agree that they were proud of the work they do | |
|---|---|---|
| 94 | 6 |
1% point decrease from 2019
| Believed their organization respects individual differences | Did not agree that their organization respects individual differences | |
|---|---|---|
| 86 | 14 |
1% point decrease from 2019
Comparative results
Experienced "high" or "very high" levels of work-related stress:
Executives
30%
All other employees
18%
Felt their workplace is psychologically healthy:
Executives
76%
All other employees
68%
Of supervisors who indicated that they are remotely managing a team: Felt their organization provided them with training and/or resources to manage a remote team during the COVID-19 pandemic:
Executives
62%
All other employees
55%
Identified the following as being the top factor of stress at work:
| Identified “heavy workload” as being the top factor of stress at work | Did not identify “heavy workload” as being the top factor of stress at work | |
|---|---|---|
| 53 | 47 |
| Identified “not enough employees to do the work” as being the top factor of stress at work | Did not identify “not enough employees to do the work” as being the top factor of stress at work | |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | 74 |
Workforce
Felt they could complete their assigned workload during their regular work hours:
Executives
26%
All other employees
72%
Believed their organization does a good job of supporting employee career development:
Executives
73%
All other employees
61%
Felt they received meaningful recognition for work well done:
Executives
80%
All other employees
69%
Felt they received useful feedback from their supervisor:
Executives
83%
All other employees
77%
Believed they had opportunities for promotion within organization:
Executives
69%
All other employees
55%
Diversity and inclusion
| Organization implemented anti-racism initiatives | Did not agree that organization implemented anti-racism initiatives | |
|---|---|---|
| 84 | 16 |
| Experienced harassment in the workplace in the last 12 months | Did not experience harassment in the workplace in the last 12 months | |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 92 |
2% points decrease from 2019
* Aggressive behaviour (46%) was the most common type of harassment.
| Experienced discrimination in the workplace in the last 12 months | Did not experience discrimination in the workplace in the last 12 months | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 95 |
1% point increase from 2019
† Sex (44%) was the most common type of discrimination.
| Intend to leave their position | Do not intend to leave their position or are not sure | |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | 60 |
2% points decrease from 2019
‡ “To pursue a position in another department or agency” was the top reason for leaving.
Executives versus Assistant Deputy Ministers results
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In this section
In the 2020 PSES, 5,129 respondents identified as an EX-01, EX-02 or EX-03 and 332 respondents identified as an EX-04 or EX-05.
Workplace
Felt valued at work:
Executives
84%
Assistant Deputy Ministers
95%
Liked their job:
Executives
89%
Assistant Deputy Ministers
96%
Proud of the work they do:
Executives
94%
Assistant Deputy Ministers
98%
Believed their organization respects individual differences:
Executives
85%
Assistant Deputy Ministers
96%
Comparative results
Experienced "high" or "very high" levels of work-related stress:
Executives
30%
Assistant Deputy Ministers
23%
Felt their workplace is psychologically healthy:
Executives
75%
Assistant Deputy Ministers
88%
Of supervisors who indicated that they are remotely managing a team: Felt their organization provided them with training and/or resources to manage a remote team during the COVID-19 pandemic:
Executives
60%
Assistant Deputy Ministers
77%
Identified the following as being the top factor of stress at work:
| Identified “heavy workload” as being the top factor of stress at work | Did not identify “heavy workload” as being the top factor of stress at work | |
|---|---|---|
| 54 | 46 |
| Identified “heavy workload” as being the top factor of stress at work | Did not identify “heavy workload” as being the top factor of stress at work | |
|---|---|---|
| 42 | 58 |
Workforce
Felt they could complete their assigned workload during their regular work hours:
Executives
26%
Assistant Deputy Ministers
20%
Believed their organization does a good job of supporting employee career development:
Executives
79%
Assistant Deputy Ministers
91%
Felt they received meaningful recognition for work well done:
Executives
85%
Assistant Deputy Ministers
92%
Felt they received useful feedback from their supervisor:
Executives
83%
Assistant Deputy Ministers
90%
Believed they had opportunities for promotion within organization:
Executives
69%
Assistant Deputy Ministers
81%
Diversity and inclusion
Organization implemented anti-racism initiatives:
Executives
84%
Assistant Deputy Ministers
92%
Experienced harassment* in the workplace in the last 12 months:
Executives
8%
Assistant Deputy Ministers
6%
* Aggressive Behavior (46% and 72% respectively) was the most common type of harassment.
Experienced discrimination† in the workplace in the last 12 months:
Executives
5%
Assistant Deputy Ministers
2%
† Sex (45%) was the most common type of discrimination for EXs.
† Race (48%) was the most common type of discrimination for ADMs.
Intend to leave their position‡:
Executives
42%
Assistant Deputy Ministers
35%
‡ "To pursue a position in another department or agency" was the top reason for leaving.
Middle Managers results
-
In this section
In the 2020 PSES, 38,494 respondents identified as a middle manager*.
* Middle managers are employees who indicated they are a supervisor but not an executive employee.
Workplace
| Felt valued at work | Did not agree that they feel valued at work | |
|---|---|---|
| 74 | 26 |
1% point increase from 2019
| Liked their job | Did not agree that they liked their job | |
|---|---|---|
| 84 | 16 |
No change from 2019
| Proud of the work they do | Did not agree that they were proud of the work they do | |
|---|---|---|
| 90 | 10 |
1% point increase from 2019
| Believed their organization respects individual differences | Did not agree that their organization respects individual differences | |
|---|---|---|
| 79 | 21 |
1% point increase from 2019
Comparative results
Experienced "high" or "very high" levels of work-related stress:
Middle Managers
25%
All other employees
16%
Felt their workplace is psychologically healthy:
Middle Managers
67%
All other employees
68%
Of supervisors who indicated that they are remotely managing a team: Felt their organization provided them with training and/or resources to manage a remote team during the COVID-19 pandemic:
Middle Managers
55%
All other employees
94%
Identified the following as being the top factor of stress at work:
| Identified “heavy workload” as being the top factor of stress at work | Did not identify “heavy workload” as being the top factor of stress at work | |
|---|---|---|
| 42 | 58 |
| Identified “risk of exposure to COVID-19” as being the top factor of stress at work | Did not identify “risk of exposure to COVID-19” as being the top factor of stress at work | |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | 77 |
Workforce
Felt they could complete their assigned workload during their regular work hours:
Middle Managers
51%
All other employees
77%
Believed their organization does a good job of supporting employee career development:
Middle Managers
62%
All other employees
61%
Felt they received meaningful recognition for work well done:
Middle Managers
70%
All other employees
69%
Felt they received useful feedback from their supervisor:
Middle Managers
77%
All other employees
77%
Believed they had opportunities for promotion within organization:
Middle Managers
60%
All other employees
54%
Diversity and inclusion
| Organization implemented anti-racism initiatives | Did not agree that organization implemented anti-racism initiatives | |
|---|---|---|
| 77 | 23 |
| Experienced harassment in the workplace in the last 12 months | Did not experience harassment in the workplace in the last 12 months | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | 89 |
2% points decrease from 2019
* Offensive remark (54%) was the most common type of harassment.
| Experienced discrimination in the workplace in the last 12 months | Did not experience discrimination in the workplace in the last 12 months | |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 94 |
No change from 2019
† Sex (34%) was the most common type of discrimination.
| Intend to leave their position | Do not intend to leave their position or are not sure | |
|---|---|---|
| 27 | 73 |
1% point decrease from 2019
‡ “To pursue a position in another department or agency” was the top reason for leaving.
Executives vs Middle Managers results
-
In this section
In the 2020 PSES, 5,659 respondents identified as an executive and 38,494 respondents identified as a middle manager*.
* Middle managers are employees who indicated they are a supervisor but not an executive employee.
Workplace
Felt valued at work:
Executives
84%
Middle Managers
74%
Liked their job:
Executives
89%
Middle Managers
84%
Proud of the work they do:
Executives
94%
Middle Managers
90%
Believed their organization respects individual differences:
Executives
86%
Middle Managers
79%
Comparative results
Experienced "high" or "very high" levels of work-related stress:
Executives
30%
Middle Managers
25%
Felt their workplace is psychologically healthy:
Executives
76%
Middle Managers
67%
Of supervisors who indicated that they are remotely managing a team: Felt their organization provided them with training and/or resources to manage a remote team during the COVID-19 pandemic:
Executives
62%
Middle Managers
55%
Identified the following as being the top factor of stress at work:
| Identified “heavy workload” as being the top factor of stress at work | Did not identify “heavy workload” as being the top factor of stress at work | |
|---|---|---|
| 53 | 47 |
| Identified “heavy workload” as being the top factor of stress at work | Did not identify “heavy workload” as being the top factor of stress at work | |
|---|---|---|
| 42 | 58 |
Workforce
Felt they could complete their assigned workload during their regular work hours:
Executives
26%
Middle Managers
51%
Believed their organization does a good job of supporting employee career development:
Executives
73%
Middle Managers
62%
Felt they received meaningful recognition for work well done:
Executives
80%
Middle Managers
70%
Felt they received useful feedback from their supervisor:
Executives
83%
Middle Managers
77%
Believed they had opportunities for promotion within organization:
Executives
69%
Middle Managers
60%
Diversity and inclusion
Organization implemented anti-racism initiatives:
Executives
84%
Middle Managers
77%
Experienced harassment* in the workplace in the last 12 months:
Executives
8%
Middle Managers
11%
* Aggressive Behavior (46%) was the most common type of harassment for executives.
* Offensive remark (54%) was the most common type of discrimination for middle managers.
Experienced discrimination† in the workplace in the last 12 months:
Executives
5%
Middle Managers
6%
† Sex (44% and 34%, respectively) was the most common type of discrimination.
Intend to leave their position‡:
Executives
40%
Middle Managers
27%
‡ "To pursue a position in another department or agency" was the top reason for leaving.
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