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BC Public Service employee surveys

Last updated on April 30, 2025

BC Stats conducts surveys and research to help the BC Public Service understand employees’ experiences from when they start new jobs to when they leave the BC Public Service.

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About the New Job Survey 

The New Job Survey is used to understand what attracts people to join the BC Public Service as well as why employees change jobs.

This is an ongoing survey, with survey invitations sent throughout the year.

Who receives the survey

This survey is sent to two groups of employees in ministries:

  • New employees who have recently started working for the BC Public Service
  • Existing BC Public Service employees who have changed jobs

The survey goes out to both auxiliary and regular employees. Employees will receive a survey invitation via email around three months after they start a new BC Public Service job.

Survey questions

There are many topics included in the survey, such as:

  • What attracts people to new positions
  • Future career plans
  • The work environment
  • Hiring and onboarding processes

Employees who have just started with the BC Public Service also see a voluntary section that asks demographic questions. This information is an important part of understanding employee experiences.

How is this survey used

The information gathered from the survey is used to:

  • Improve the experience of new employees during hiring and orientation processes 
  • Engage and retain current employees
  • Plan for future talent needs through career development
  • Develop recruitment strategies to hire the talent we need

About the Work Environment Survey (WES)

The Work Environment Survey (WES) is used to understand employee engagement and gathers information about what is and is not working well in the work environment.

This survey is carried out every two years and provides a snapshot of the BC Public Service at specific points in time.

Who receives the survey

This survey goes out to employees in ministries who are “active” (e.g., not on leave) in the BC Public Service’s payroll system. “Active” status is determined three weeks before the survey starts.

The survey goes out to both auxiliary and regular employees.

The WES usually runs from late January – February every other year. All employees in the BC Public Service receive invitations when the survey begins.

Survey questions

There are many aspects of the workplace that can affect employee engagement. This survey covers many topics, including:

  • Day-to-day work
  • Co-workers
  • Supervisors
  • Leadership

The WES also includes a voluntary section that asks demographic questions. This information is an important part of understanding employee experiences.

Survey topics and questions come from feedback from employees and ministry human resource teams and from research done by BC Stats and others.

How is this survey used

The WES has established important baseline measures allowing us to:

  • Diagnose work environment challenges that are impacting engagement
  • Start conversations on what can be done differently
  • Implement strategies to improve the work environment
  • Monitor if the work environment is improving
  • Demonstrate how experiences change over time

You can access corporate and ministry results through the BC Data Catalogue.

Additional information

More information is available about how the survey data is analyzed, including how scores are calculated and the statistical model that is used.

BC Stats also develops guides, research and other materials to help people understand what the results mean and how different aspects of engagement are related to each other.

About the Exit Survey

The Exit Survey is used to understand what factors influence people to leave the BC Public Service. This survey gives departing employees an opportunity to share their final perceptions about their work environment.

This is an ongoing survey, with survey invitations sent throughout the year.

Who receives the survey

This survey is sent to employees who are leaving for various reasons, including:

  • Retiring
  • Resigning 
  • End of contract (auxiliary employees)

The survey goes out to both auxiliary and regular employees.

Employees who give enough advance notice that they are leaving will usually receive an invitation by email before their last day.

Otherwise, survey invitations are mailed after the employee’s last day to their last known home address.

Survey questions

The survey includes several topics:

  • Work environment in the BC Public Service
  • Career development opportunities
  • Relationship with supervisor 
  • Motivations for leaving
  • Potential improvements

Some topics are seen by all employees, others are tailored to their reason for leaving (e.g., retirement).

How is this survey used

The information gathered from the survey is used to:

  • Better understand why employees leave the BC Public Service
  • Identifying how to improve employee engagement and retention

Workforce Profiles

Workforce Profiles provide important information about representation in the BC Public Service. It is important to eliminate barriers to employment and create a workplace with equitable treatment when it comes to hiring, training and promotion.

Information about employee representation used in Workforce Profiles is gathered through employee surveys.

What demographics are included

The report currently focuses on equity groups identified in the Employment Equity Act and an equity group identified in the BC Public Service’s equity, diversity and inclusion strategy:

  • Women
  • Indigenous Peoples
  • Persons with disabilities
  • Racialized employees (“Visible Minorities” in the report)
  • 2SLGBTQ+ (*added in 2024)

Learn more about employment equity in the BC Public Service by visiting the Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Resource Centre.

When the Workforce Profiles are updated

The Workforce Profiles are updated every other year. They are refreshed after the BC Public Service runs the Work Environment Survey (WES).

Where to find the Workforce Profiles

For results from 2018 to present:

A narrative walkthrough gives viewers an overview of the Workforce Profiles dashboard and demonstrates how to use the data and tables within. Please note that the dashboard URL in this video has been replaced with https://erap.apps.gov.bc.ca/workforce-profiles.

For results from 2011 to 2015:

Confidentiality and collection notice

All the information gathered in employee surveys is protected under the Statistics Act and is kept confidential. Employees are given a unique ID code that lets BC Stats connect survey responses with other information, such as ministry / organization and work unit. Before the results are published, responses are combined and all potentially identifying information is removed so individuals cannot be identified.

BC Stats protects confidentiality by:

  • Combining responses (i.e., aggregation) so that individuals cannot be identified. 
  • Only providing reports if group sizes are large enough so that an individual person cannot be identified from the results.
  • Removing identifying information from open-ended comments. 
  • Protecting against risks like unauthorized access, collection, use, disclosure or disposal, as required under Section 30 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA). 

Collection Notice: BC Stats conducts the Employee Engagement Survey under Section 26 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA). Information is collected and kept confidential in accordance with the Statistics Act for statistical and research purposes. 

Contact us

Submit feedback, request more information or get help through the BC Stats request system.