Employee Experience (EX)
Supporting the public servants who deliver services
This is entry 5 of 10 in the Experience Tapestry™—a series on how public systems shape trust through experience—featured in our Civic Glossary.
What EX means
Employee experience (EX) is the day-to-day reality of the people delivering services inside public institutions. It spans recruitment and onboarding, the tools and systems staff use, the culture they work within, and the support they receive over time.
In civic life, EX is not abstract. It directly shapes how residents, patients, and communities experience government. If employees are under-supported, overburdened, or stuck with broken tools, the public feels the impact.
In public service, employee experience (EX) is public experience. How staff are supported shapes how residents are served.
Why EX matters in public systems
Burnout and turnover in government aren’t just HR problems—they’re public trust problems.
When EX is poor, the symptoms show up everywhere: burnout, turnover, inconsistent service, and frustrated staff unable to meet residents’ needs. When EX is strong, employees are equipped and motivated to deliver services with care and consistency.
Good EX is also an equity issue. Many frontline public servants are women, people of color, and lower-wage workers who carry the burden of underfunded systems. Their experience is a matter of dignity and justice.
What makes EX impactful
Fact: Younger public sector employees are more likely to stay when work is meaningful, benefits are supportive, and workplace culture is transparent.
Source: IMCA
Clear roles and responsibilities that reduce confusion and conflict.
Modern tools and systems that support, rather than hinder, daily work.
Professional development opportunities that sustain growth and motivation.
Inclusive workplace culture that fosters belonging and psychological safety.
Feedback channels where employees can surface challenges and see change happen.
EX isn’t a “perk.” It’s the infrastructure that enables staff to show up for the public every day.
Participation and research in EX
Strong EX is built with employees, not imposed on them. Participation practices include:
Employee listening sessions to understand frontline challenges.
Surveys like the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS), adapted to local contexts.
Co-design workshops where staff help shape processes and tools.
Continuous feedback systems that close the loop between staff voice and leadership action.
As with User Experience (UX), Customer Experience (CX), Service Experience (SX), and Patient Experience (PX): Employee Experience (EX) thrives when participation is consistent, transparent, and acted upon.
Policy connections for EX
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) uses the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) to measure EX across government.
Many agencies are experimenting with employee engagement strategies tied to performance improvement.
Local governments are piloting staff-centered service design to reduce burnout and strengthen retention.
In Canada, research from the Ontario Municipal Human Resources Association (OMHRA) highlights that ethical leadership, manageable workloads, clear roles, and professional development opportunities are key to retaining local government staff.
These efforts reflect a growing recognition: EX is inseparable from public trust.
Connections to other experiences
EX underpins User Experience (UX), Customer Experience (CX), and Service Experience (SX)—staff conditions shape the services residents encounter.
EX supports Patient Experience (PX) by enabling healthcare staff to deliver coordinated, humane care.
Strong EX contributes to Resident Experience (RX) and Community Experience (ComX): when employees thrive, communities receive better, more consistent service.
Public Servants’ lens on EX in government
Public servants are the backbone of democracy.
Public servants are the backbone of democracy. Their experience is not secondary to resident experience—it’s the precondition for it. When institutions invest in EX, they aren’t just supporting staff. They’re strengthening the services and systems that communities depend on.
Employee Experience (EX) is one strand of the Experience Tapestry™—a series on how public systems shape trust through experience—featured in our Civic Glossary. Explore the next entry on Resident Experience (RX) to see how people’s overall sense of fairness and dignity defines their trust in government.
Support strong EX with us
Public Servants partners with agencies and nonprofits to design systems, tools, and practices that support the workforce. Connect with us to learn how investing in employee experience translates to stronger public trust.
