In employee attitudes, survey finds not much has changed at CFPB from last year – though still pretty good (except about pay)

While about two-thirds of its workers responded to an employee survey, those who did rated a bit more than half of the items on the study favorably, according to results released Friday by the federal consumer financial protection agency.

In summarizing the results of its 2020 Annual Employee Survey Results, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) said 65% of its “employee population” responded to its Annual Employee Survey results. The survey was administered from Oct. 5-30 last year.

That response rate is about the same as last year (reporting on the survey taken in 2019, but released in early 2020), which itself was down from the previous year, which was 72%.

The favorable ratings for the 2020 results were also about the same as the prior year, when 46 items were rated favorably (agree/satisfied or strongly agree/very satisfied) by 65% or more of respondent employees.

Among the top items earning “favorable” ratings are:

  • The work I do is important (87.9%);
  • I am constantly looking for ways to do my job better (86.2%);
  • I know my work relates to the agency’s goals (83.3%);
  • The people I work with cooperate to get the job done (84.3%);
  • Rating of overall quality of work done by your work unit (89.4%);
  • Employees share job knowledge with each other (85.3%);
  • Supervisor supports my need to balance work and other life issues (91%);
  • Rating of job being done by immediate supervisor (85.7%).

The agency did slightly better than the previous year in items rated unfavorably. According to the 2020 results, five items earned either a “disagree/dissatisfied” or “strongly disagree/very dissatisfied” by 35% or more of the survey respondents. The 2019 results showed seven items earning the same ratings.

Items earning the lower marks included:

  • Pay raises depend on how well employees perform their jobs (59.5% of respondents answering unfavorably – “disagree/dissatisfied” or “strongly disagree/very dissatisfied”; 18.2% favorably – “agree/ satisfied” or “strongly agree/very satisfied”; 22.3% neither).
  • Senior leaders generate high levels of motivation and commitment to the workforce (39.5% unfavorable; 38.2% favorable; 22.2% neither).
  • Satisfaction with opportunities to get a better job in the organization (37.1% unfavorable; 31.8% favorable; 31% neither).
  • Differences in performance are recognized in a “meaningful way” (37.1% unfavorable; 37.3% favorable; 25.7% neither).
  • Steps are taken to deal with a poor performer who cannot or will not improve (37% unfavorable; 33.8% favorable; 29.2% neither)

2020 CFPB Annual Employee Survey Results