Reports

In response to evolving workplace values and expectations related to COVID-19 and the Great Resignation, the Partnership for Public Service—with support from ServiceNow—examined why civil servants leave their agencies or the federal government altogether and what makes them stay. Recognizing that retention strategies should not be one-size-fits-all, our study focused on an important and often overlooked factor of employee retention: generational values and expectations. More specifically, we explored the characteristics and work motivations of Gen X and Gen Z civil servants.

In this report, we sought to better understand women’s self-confidence in the federal workplace using our 360 assessment data, as well as qualitative data we collected during 13 research interviews and a focus group with women in federal leadership positions. Our data demonstrates that women tend to experience self-doubt and perceive their own performance and leadership skills less favorably than others perceive them. We also found some evidence that women are more reluctant than men to see themselves as confident leaders. We argue that addressing this issue will require structural change and collective action to shift how women are recognized in the workplace.

This report features case studies detailing how three agencies have successfully created a data infrastructure and used that data to drive lasting change on the three PMA priorities.

Our data shows that Americans do not feel hopeless about Congress, but rather are ambivalent. By informing the public of Congress' accomplishments, we have an opportunity to change the way people think about the institution and our democracy.

In this brief—our first exploration of the data from our 360 tool—we examine federal employees’ leadership experiences based on gender, specifically for men and women serving as leaders at all levels across government.

After two years of data collection, we analyzed federal leaders to better understand certain patterns in leadership experience. Specifically, we examined the differences and similarities between how women and men understand and experience their roles as public service leaders, and explored the intersections between race, ethnicity and gender in public service leadership.

Attrition is an ongoing concern for our federal government. While some attrition is natural and can help infuse the federal workforce wit...

We created a toolkit with Hattaway Communications to help the Partnership and our allies communicate a consistent set of messages and pro...

In collaboration with the Congressional Management Foundation, the State of the Congress 2022 report provides an assessment of congressional civility, functionality and capacity by the people who know the institution best: congressional staff. The good news: We have found bipartisan, bicameral agreement on the challenges facing Congress, showing that there is a strong need and leverage for change.

Political polarization is one of the most relevant trends for the current American moment. Increased hyper-partisanship has made it harde...