Poll: Two-Thirds of Federal Workers Regret Public Service Due to Eroding Job Security and Benefits

The allure of a stable career in the federal government is rapidly fading for the people who currently keep it running. According to a new survey released by the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE), nearly two-thirds of U.S. federal workers say they would not choose to enter public service if they had to do it over again. The poll, which surveyed both active and retired civil servants in July, paints a stark picture of a workforce demoralized by eroding job security, reduced benefits, and a highly politicized environment.[1]

Respondents overwhelmingly pointed to the current federal climate rather than a fundamental dislike of their actual jobs. For decades, federal employment offered a clear trade-off: salaries that often lagged behind the private sector in exchange for robust benefits, a strong pension, and unparalleled job security. Today, workers say that equation has been shattered by sweeping administrative changes, hiring freezes, and direct challenges to civil service protections.[1][5]

The Trump administration has made overhauling the federal bureaucracy a central pillar of its domestic agenda. Through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and a series of executive orders, the White House has pushed to reduce the size and scope of the government. A key mechanism has been the aggressive implementation of "Schedule F," a job classification that recently stripped civil service protections from approximately 8,000 career federal employees in policy-related roles, making them easier to fire.[5]

Proponents of these reforms argue they are long overdue. The administration and allied conservative think tanks maintain that the federal bureaucracy has become bloated, unaccountable, and resistant to the policies of the elected president. They point to data suggesting that, when factoring in pensions and job security, federal workers are overcompensated compared to their private-sector counterparts, and that streamlining the workforce is necessary to save taxpayer dollars and improve efficiency.[4]

However, the human toll of these efficiency drives is becoming increasingly apparent. The NARFE survey captured raw frustration from workers who endured a 43-day government shutdown in late 2025—the longest in modern U.S. history. During that impasse, essential personnel like air traffic controllers and border agents were forced to work without pay, while hundreds of thousands of others were furloughed. One respondent described the period as "the worst times in my career," citing a "hostile, confusing and under-resourced" environment.[1]

Financial pressures are compounding the political stress. A separate survey conducted in June by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) found that federal workers are struggling with an affordability crisis. With housing costs and student loan payments rising, the traditional federal salary is failing to keep pace. According to the Congressional Budget Office, federal workers with a bachelor's degree already earn roughly 10 percent less than comparable private-sector workers, while those with professional degrees earn almost 30 percent less.[1][3]

The collapse in morale has been difficult to track through official channels because the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) canceled the annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) in 2025, citing the need to remove diversity-related questions to comply with executive orders. In its absence, the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service launched its own comprehensive poll of over 10,000 federal employees. The results were grim: the government-wide Employee Engagement and Satisfaction Index plummeted to a record low of 32 out of 100.[2]

The Partnership's data revealed that 58 percent of respondents felt their engagement had worsened over the past year. Trust in leadership is particularly fractured; only 7.5 percent of employees agreed that political leaders at their agencies generated high levels of motivation, and merely 22.5 percent felt confident they could report a violation of law or regulation without facing retaliation.[2]

Labor advocates warn that this environment is creating a retention crisis that will ultimately harm the American public. If the government cannot offer either competitive pay or job security, it will struggle to recruit the specialized talent needed to manage complex national infrastructure. From food safety inspectors and public health researchers to cybersecurity experts and diplomats, the loss of institutional knowledge threatens to degrade the quality of services that citizens rely on daily.[1]

As the 2026 midterm elections approach, the state of the federal workforce has become a prominent political battleground. Unions like AFGE are mobilizing members to support candidates who promise to restore collective bargaining rights and civil service protections. Meanwhile, the administration continues to champion its cuts as a victory for the taxpayer, setting the stage for a prolonged fight over the fundamental nature of American public service.[3]