Following multiple delays, OPM decides to officially scrap the 2025 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey
In a surprising turn of events, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has announced the cancellation of the 2025 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) and plans to retool and revise the survey questions for a return in 2026 [1][5].
Key updates and changes include:
- The cancellation follows months of delays and stems from OPM’s decision to realign the survey’s focus to reflect core priorities of the current administration, emphasizing a high-performance, high-efficiency, and merit-based civil service [1][5].
- OPM Director Scott Kupor stated the revised FEVS will remove questions added by the Biden-Harris administration, particularly those related to diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and gender ideology, which had been introduced in recent years [1][5].
- The survey will reintroduce a question previously removed by the Biden administration regarding whether efforts are taken in the employee’s work unit to address poor performers, a question the Trump administration had used to support management disciplinary policy proposals [5].
- While OPM will not conduct the government-wide FEVS in 2025, agencies are still legally required to conduct annual employee surveys, meaning some may run their own to maintain compliance and track workforce satisfaction [3].
- The cancellation means there will be no uniform government-wide data in 2025 on federal employee satisfaction, engagement, or views on leadership, which raises concerns about the lack of updated workforce insights until the survey returns in 2026 [1][2][3].
The first-ever FEVS was conducted in 2002, and it was made an annual event in 2010. Last year, the 2024 FEVS marked an all-time high on the employee engagement index since its introduction to the survey in 2010 [4]. Between 2023 and 2024, the governmentwide engagement score for federal employees increased from 72% to 73% [4].
The cancellation of the FEVS this year has raised concerns among some federal employees and human capital officials. A former federal human capital official believes the cancellation will lead to confusion for federal employees and their agencies this year [2]. Some argue that the administration's human capital policies are designed to create fear and confusion among the federal workforce [2].
The Office of Personnel Management has requested that agencies consult with it before undertaking any preparations to administer the FEVS or a similar survey at an agency or component level [3]. It is unclear what the impact of the cancellation will be on the Partnership for Public Service's annual "Best Places to Work in the Federal Government" rankings, which use FEVS results [3].
If you have questions or comments about recent changes in the federal government, you can reach out to the reporter at drew.friedman@ourwebsite or on Signal at drewfriedman.11.
[1] OPM Cancels Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, Politico, 2025 [2] Federal employee survey cancelled, The Hill, 2025 [3] OPM halts federal employee survey, The Washington Post, 2025 [4] Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, Office of Personnel Management, 2025 [5] OPM plans to revise Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, Federal News Network, 2025
- The cancellation of the 2025 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has stirred worries among some federal employees and human capital officials, fearing a lack of insight into the federal workforce's satisfaction, engagement, and leadership views until 2026.
- The revised FEVS, scheduled for a 2026 return, will see a shift in focus towards high-performance, high-efficiency, and merit-based civil service, with the removal of questions related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and gender ideology, previously introduced by the Biden-Harris administration.
- In the absence of a government-wide FEVS in 2025, some agencies may conduct their own annual employee surveys to maintain compliance and track workforce satisfaction, while concerns loom over the lack of uniform data on federal employee viewpoints.
- The ongoing politics surrounding the FEVS will potentially impact the Partnership for Public Service's annual "Best Places to Work in the Federal Government" rankings, which use FEVS results, creating uncertainty with respect to the future of federal workplace wellness, health and wellness, policy and legislation, and general news.
