2023 DSHS Employee Engagement Survey

DSHS employees are committed to transforming lives: 69% of employees are satisfied with their jobs, 69% are proud to work for DSHS, and 81% find meaning in their work. They also appreciate their supervisors, are confident they know how to act if discrimination or harassment occurs, and value flexibility and the work-life balance it supports.

In addition to these strengths, employees also identified areas of improvement for the agency. Employee satisfaction was lowest in areas related to change management. They would like better support during organizational change, clearer communication from leadership on the reasons behind important changes, and more involvement in decisions that affect their work.

The 2023 Employee Engagement Survey was completed by over 12,126 DSHS employees, a 72% response rate. Under the direction of the Office of Financial Management (OFM), the 2023 questionnaire was significantly redesigned and provides a new baseline for employee engagement survey results moving forward.

The Employee Engagement Survey is an important component of Governor Inslee’s Results Washington initiative for performance management and continuous improvement. Results are used by DSHS to inform strategic planning and to improve employee engagement at every level of the organization.

The photos in this report were all submissions to the DSHS Photography Contest, which is held in conjunction with the Employee Engagement Survey every two years.