Survey: Federal Workers Want to Stay in Public Service

In a new report, federal workers shared their fears about their job security amid current government upheaval, but many say they want to continue their careers in public service.

Work for America’s Civic Match recently polled more than 700 federal employees who were either recently laid off or are actively looking to transition out of their current government roles. Overall, just 7% of respondents said they were less interested in public service in the wake of recent developments.

More than three-quarters (76%) said they are now more likely to work for state or local government. More than half (53%) indicated they were either “almost certain” or “very likely” to consider a state or local government job.

What would attract displaced federal workers to a given state or local government opportunity? The largest number (84%) described a positive working relationship with their direct manager as either “critical” or “very important.” Another 78% cited a sense of purpose and the chance to make an impact in the community, with 76% saying they seek work-life balance and flexibility, first and foremost.

“After nearly 20 years of working in the public sector for state and nonprofit organizations, I was excited to serve at the federal level for a product team I loved and a program I was in full support of,” one survey respondent told Work for America. “I’m not sure what I’m going to do next, but I’m still incredibly passionate about public service and hope to continue my career in that space.”

Younger federal workers were most likely to share this type of enthusiasm. For example, 74% of survey participants with one-to-three years of professional experience said they plan to stay in public service. Among those with four-to-seven years of experience, 50% of respondents indicated as much, with an even larger number (58%) saying the same.

The youngest segment of the federal workforce also appears most willing to relocate in order to continue working in the public sector. For example, 69% of those with one-to-three years’ experience said they would pack up and move for another opportunity in government, as did 60% of those with four-to-seven years’ experience.

One respondent, who relocated from Atlanta to Kansas City for a federal job, told Work for America he was “devoted to continuing working in public service. I have applied to as many local city and state jobs as I can in Kansas City, and I am determined not to be defeated and have to return home.”

The data gleaned from this research “confirms what we’ve heard again and again,” said Caitlin Lewis, executive director of Work for America. “Thousands of public servants are ready to relocate, reimagine their careers and help rebuild trust in government—this time at the state and local level. If cities and states act now, they won’t just gain talent—they’ll gain seasoned experts in their fields, ready to shape the future of public service.”