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Food Safety and Inspection Service

Summary Report 

of the

Food Safety and 

Inspection Service 

2022 

Federal Employee 

Viewpoint Survey
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Table of Contents

FEVS Background...................................................................................................3 

Who Participates in the Survey....................................................................................3

Changes to the 2022 Survey..................................................................................3 

Results Overview...................................................................................................4

FEVS Response Rates 2020-2022...........................................................................5

FSIS FEVS Highlights...............................................................................................5

Highest Positive Responses....................................................................................5

Highest Negative Responses..................................................................................6

10 Targeted Questions for Improvements in USDA and FSIS FEVS Action Plan....7

Respondent Demographics at a Glance.................................................................8

Average Percentage of FEVS Key Categories.......................................................11

OPM FEVS Indices................................................................................................13

Highest and Lowest Level of Agreement.............................................................14

Pandemic, Transition to the Worksite and Workplace Flexibilities......................14

Appendix – FEVS Survey Content.........................................................................16
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FEVS Background The Office of Personnel Management Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (OPM FEVS) is an 

organizational climate survey that assesses how employees jointly experience the policies, practices, 

procedures and subsequent patterns of interactions and behaviors that support organizational 

performance of their agency and its leadership. 

The 2022 OPM FEVS was administered to employees across the federal government. This valuable 

survey tracks how federal employees view their current work environment, including management, 

policies, work/life balance, new initiatives and more. It also allows managers to identify where 

improvements within a specific work unit may be necessary.

The OPM FEVS serves as a tool for employees to share their perceptions regarding critical topics 

including their opportunities for training and career advancement, and their sense of empowerment in 

the workplace. The FEVS results are also used by the Partnership for Public Service in producing their 

annual Best Places to Work in the Federal Government rankings. 

The results from the OPM FEVS offer insights into whether, and to what extent, workplace conditions 

characterizing successful organizations are present in federal agencies, information important to 

successful organizational change and development initiatives. This report also highlights important 

agency successes and challenges, which the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) wants to 

acknowledge. 

Who Participates in the Survey? 

The OPM FEVS is administered to full-time and part-time, permanent, non-seasonal employees of 

federal departments and large agencies, and the small/independent agencies that accept an invitation 

to participate in the survey. The 2022 FEVS was administered as a census, meaning all FSIS employees on 

board as of November 30, 2021, received an invitation to participate.

Changes to the 2022 Survey

Anticipating a “new normal” for some work environments with a maximum telework/remote posture, 

OPM added some new items to the 2022 FEVS to reflect this change. However, our workforce continued 

to navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenges while maintaining their commitment 

to serving the American people. In 2022, the survey included 89 standard core items, an increase from 

2021. Additions included an “Employee Experience” category with five new questions: 

• My job inspires me. 

• The work I do gives me a sense of accomplishment.

• I feel a strong personal attachment to my organization.

• I identify with the mission of my organization.

• It is important to me that my work contribute to the common goal.

The 2022 FEVS also included a new index — the “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA)” 

Index. This index is defined as “The practice of including the many communities, identities, races, 

ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, cultures and beliefs of the American people, including underserved 

communities.” 
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The DEIA Index was a total of 13 questions with a combination of three additional categories (below) to 

assess employees’ perception of their inclusion to achieve goals and produce work at a high level. The 

employee average positive responses in 2022 were 70%.

• EQUITY: The consistent and systematic fair, just and impartial treatment of all individuals, 

including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such 

treatment. (3 Questions)

• INCLUSION: The recognition, appreciation and use of the talents and skills of employees of all 

backgrounds. (5 Questions)

• ACCESSIBILITY: The design, construction, development and maintenance of facilities, 

information and communication technology, programs and services so that all people, including 

people with disabilities, can fully and independently use them. (3 Questions)

Slight changes were made to content related to the COVID-19 pandemic, which generally covers

employees’ work agreements (e.g., telework, remote work, workplace flexibilities) and pandemic 

support to protect employees’ health and safety. These items mainly focused on remote work and reentry to the workplace to achieve multiple goals, such as understanding how federal employees 

continued to work and deliver critical services during an emergency.

In addition to the changes identified above, OPM distributed the 2022 FEVS reports to all participating 

agencies, for each staff, branch, division, and program area with 10 or more respondents.

Results Overview 

This analysis is an overview of the FSIS results of the OPM electronic FEVS. OPM collects the results from 

the completed electronic surveys and then aggregates the responses to develop a report for staffs with

10 or more respondents. OPM also uses the results to calculate the response rate and other indices, 

such as the Employee Engagement, Global Satisfaction, Performance Confidence, and Diversity, Equity, 

Inclusion and Accessibility Indices. 

The results include response percentages for each survey item. The definitions for the Positive, Neutral 

and Negative response percentages vary in the following ways across the three primary response scales 

used in the survey: 

 Percent Positive: The percentages of respondents who answered Strongly Agree or Agree; Very 

Satisfied or Satisfied; or Very Good or Good, depending on the item’s response categories. 

 Percent Neutral: The percentage of respondents choosing the middle response option in the 5-

point scale (Neither Agree nor Disagree, Neither Satisfied nor Dissatisfied, Fair). 

 Percent Negative: The percentages of respondents who answered Strongly Disagree or 

Disagree; Very Dissatisfied or Dissatisfied; or Very Poor or Poor, depending on the item’s 

response categories. 

Positive, Neutral and Negative percentages are based on the total number of responses that are in these 

three categories.
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FEVS Response Rates 2020-2022

The response rates are a comparison between Government, USDA and FSIS for the past two years, along 

with the recent response rates for the 2022survey.

FSIS FEVS Highlights

Highest Positive Responses

In the FSIS 2022 FEVS results, FSIS maintained or increased its response rates for the questions 

below. These items scored 65% or higher, which are considered strengths. 

GOVT USDA FSIS

2020 44% 46% 39%

2021 34% 46% 45%

2022 35% 50% 47%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70% 75% 80% 85% 90% 95%

Q88 - I identify wih the mission of my organization.

Q25 - I know what my work unit's goals are.

Q38 - I have a good understanding of my organization's priorities.

Q49 - My supervisor treats me with respect.

Q4 - I know what is expected of me on the job.

Q11 - I am held accountable for the quality of work I produce.

Q51 - My supervisor holds me accountable for achieving results.

Q19 - Employees in my work unit meet the needs of our customers.

Q7 - I know how my work relates to the agency's goals.

Q89 - It is important to me that my work contribute to the common

good.

83%

84%

84%

85%

86%

87%

87%

87%

88%

92%

Positive Responses
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Highest Negative Responses

In the FSIS 2022 FEVS results, no scores appeared at OPM’s threshold of 35% negative or higher to 

consider for identifying challenges. Because no questions were at or above the 35% negative score, FSIS 

is focusing its efforts on improving the areas with greater than 22% negative scores.

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

Q35 - Employees are recognized for providing high quality products and

services.

Q65 - How satisfied are you with your involvement in decisions that affect

your work?

Q44 - I believe the results of this survey will be used to make my agency a

better place to work.

Q42 - In my organization, arbitrary action,personal favoritism and/or

political coercion are not tolerated.

Q34 - Employee in my work unit are typically under too much pressure to

meet work goals.

Q55 - In my organization, senior leaders generate high levels of motivation

and commitment in the workforce.

Q16 - In my work unit, differences in performance are recognized in a

meaningful way.

Q69 - Considering everything, how satisfied are you with your pay?

Q64 - Management involves employees in decisions that affect their work.

Q12 - Continually changing work priorities make it hard for me to produce

high quality work.

22%

23%

23%

24%

25%

26%

26%

30%

31%

32%

Negative Responses
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10 Targeted Questions for Improvements in USDA and FSIS FEVS Action Plan

The ten questions below were the USDA and FSIS FEVS 2022 key focus areas for improvement which include, meaningful employee recognition improved 

perception of senior leaders’ motivation and commitment, and better connection and trust with senior leaders. Six FEVS questions were higher in 2022 

than in 2021. Question 44, “I believe the results of this survey will be used to make my agency a better place to work,” had the greatest improvement and 

increased from 2021 to 2022 by six percentage points. This question was a priority of USDA’s seven targeted questions for improvement in 2022 and 

continues to be a priority for 2023. The next greatest improvement (after question 44) was in question 56, representing an increase of four percentage 

points from 2021 to 2022. Four of the ten questions (Q16, Q44, Q60, Q67) outperformed the USDA and Governmentwide results.

FEVS Question #

2022 FEVS Questions FSIS

2022

(Positive)

FSIS

2021

(Positive)

USDA

2022

(Positive)

USDA

2021

(Positive)

GOVT

2022

(Positive)

GOVT

2021

(Positive) 2021 2022

12 16 In my work unit, differences in performance are recognized in a 

meaningful way. 45% 49% 38% 47% 42% 50%

24 44 I believe the results of this survey will be used to make my 

agency a better place to work. 52% 46% 42% 38% 43% 40%

32 55 In my organization, senior leaders generate high levels of 

motivation and commitment in the workforce. 48% 45% 44% 42% 48% 49%

33 56 My organization’s senior leaders maintain high standards of 

honesty and integrity. 55% 51% 56% 53% 60% 60%

35 58 Managers promote communication among different work units 

(for example, about projects, goals, needed resources). 57% 57% 57% 57% 58% 59%

37 60 I have a high level of respect for my organization’s senior leaders. 62% 59% 56% 53% 61% 60%

20 35 Employees are recognized for providing high quality products 

and services. 58% 58% 52% 58% 59% 63%

21 36 Employees are protected from health and safety hazards on the 

job. 67% 65% 75% 75% 75% 76%

41 67 How satisfied are you with the recognition you receive for doing 

a good job? 56% 53% 50% 53% 54% 57%
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Respondent Demographics at a Glance

82%

72%

81%

33% 35% 35%

30%

72%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

DEMOGRAPHICS
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82%

10%

10%

WHERE DO YOU WORK?

Field Headquarters Full-time Telework/Remote

1%

4%

19%

4%

72%

WHAT IS YOUR SUPERVISORY STATUS?

Senior Leader Manager Supervisor Team Leader Non-Supervisor
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Note: 0% Represent Response Level

Federal

Wage

System

GS 1-6 GS 7-12 GS 13-15 Senior

Executive

Service

Senior Level

(SL) or

Scientific or

Professional

(ST)

Other

0% 1%

81%

17%

1% 0% 0%

WHAT IS YOUR PAY CATEGORY/GRADE?

Less than 1

year

1 to 3 years 4 to 5 years 6 to 10

years

11 to 14

years

15 to 20

years

More than

20 years

4%

13%

7%

17% 15% 15%

30%

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH YOUR CURRENT AGENCY?
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Average Percentage of FEVS Key Categories 

The FEVS consists of questions across seven key categories of focus to determine employees’ feelings about 

working at the organization. The table below shows the average percent of positive responses in each key 

category, with “My Supervisor” ranking the highest. 

68%

21%

11%

WHAT IS YOUR RACE?

White Black or African American All other races

29 years and

under

30-39 years old 40-49 years old 50-59 years old 60 years +

4%

17%

23%

35%

21%

WHAT IS YOUR AGE?
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My Work

Experience

(Q1-13)

My Work

Unit (Q14,

Q16-34)

My

Organization

(Q35-44)

My

Supervisor

(Q45-54)

Leadership

(Q56-64)

My

Satisfaction

(Q65-70)

Employee

Experience

(Q85-89)

New

Category

71% 64% 67%

80%

55% 57%

75%
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OPM FEVS Indices

The 2022 OPM FEVS reported four indices. 

Each index is a composite of the responses to specific core questions which are present in the 2022 FEVS survey. 

The OPM FEVS does not directly measure employee feelings of engagement such as passion, commitment and 

involvement; however, it does assess the critical conditions conducive for employee engagement. These include 

effective leadership, meaningful work for employees, work unit performance and the opportunity for employees 

to learn/grow on the job. Detailed information about the indices can be found here: Governmentwide Reports 

(opm.gov). 

The Employee Engagement Index (EEI) – 15 FEVS Items

The EEI measures the employees’ sense of purpose that is evident in their display of dedication, persistence and 

effort in their work or overall attachment to their organization and its mission. The EEI is composed of three 

subindices: Leaders Lead, Supervisors and Intrinsic Work Experience.

Agency & Subagency 2022 EEI 2021 EEI 2020 EEI % Difference

(2021-2022)

Governmentwide 71% 71% 72% No change

USDA 70% 70% 69% No change

FSIS 71% 70% 69% +1%

The Global Satisfaction Index (GSI) – 4 FEVS Items

The GSI measures four aspects of employee contentment: their job, their pay, their organization and if they 

would recommend their organization as a good place to work.

Agency & Subagency 2022 GSI 2021 GSI 2020 GSI % Difference

(2021-2022)

Governmentwide 62% 64% 69% -2%

USDA 59% 59% 64% No change

FSIS 62% 61% 66% +1%

The Performance Confidence Index (PCI) – 4 FEVS Items

The PCI measures four items in which employees believe their organization has an outstanding competitive 

future, based on innovative, high-quality products and services that are highly regarded by the marketplace.

Agency & Subagency 2022 PCI 2021 PCI % Difference

(2021-2022)

Governmentwide 84% 85% -1%

USDA 84% 86% -2%

FSIS 81% 81% No change
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The Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) Index – 13 FEVS Items

A new index was introduced — the DEIA Index — which measures thirteen items that involve the practice of 

including the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, cultures and beliefs of the 

American people, including underserved communities. 

Agency & Subagency 2022 DEIA

Governmentwide 69%

USDA 71%

FSIS 70%

Highest and Lowest Level of Agreement

High scores point to favorable employee perspectives regarding agency goals and work expectations. Equally 

important, however, are items with low scores, indicating aspects where employees may perceive the need for 

change. Agency leaders review scores to make decisions regarding current policies and determine actions for 

improving policies, workplace functions and conditions (e.g., items related to performance, satisfaction and 

communication).

Highest Positive Responses Lowest Positive Responses

92% - It is important to me that my work contribute to 

the common good. (Q89)

45% - In my work unit, differences in performance are 

recognized in a meaningful way. (Q16)

88% - I know how my work relates to the agency's 

goals. (Q7)

44% - My work unit commits resources to develop 

new ideas (e.g., budget, staff, time, expert support). 

(Q26)

87% - Employees in my work unit meet the needs of 

our customers. (Q19)

42% - Employees in my work unit are typically under 

too much pressure to meet work goals. (Q34)

87% - My supervisor holds me accountable for 

achieving results. (Q51)

42% - Management involves employees in decisions 

that affect their work. (Q64)

87% - I am held accountable for the quality of work I 

produce. (Q11)

35% - Continually changing work priorities make it 

hard for me to produce high quality work. (Q12)

Pandemic, Transition to the Worksite and Workplace Flexibilities

To focus on the health and well-being of the federal workforce, OPM updated/added new items to this section 

this year to gauge employees’ perception through the continued pandemic (e.g., remote work status, re-entry 

arrangement, etc.) due to the changes in the workplace environment, so agency leaders could assess employee 

experiences and challenges during this continued unprecedented time. . The 2022 FEVS questions related to the 

COVID-19 pandemic, transition to the worksite and workplace flexibilities (Q90-Q95) provided respondents the 

opportunity to share their perceptions of how their organization supported employees (i.e., remote/telework

flexibilities, re-entry, etc.) during the pandemic. Highlighted here are responses that brought about changes

based on scheduling flexibilities and re-entry into the workplace, along with other employee concerns, which 

were key drivers of the updates. Most of FSIS employees continued to work at their physical worksite during the 

pandemic, to support our mission to ensure that food safety and the nation’s public health is protected and are 

therefore not reflected in these responses.
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Q93. Based on your work unit’s current telework or remote work options, are you 

considering leaving your organization, and if so, why? FSIS

No 81% 

Q94. My agency’s re-entry arrangements are fair in accounting for employees’ 

diverse needs and situations. FSIS

Participant Agreement 48% 

The FEVS also addressed items related to “My Organization’s Senior Leaders and Supervisors” (Q96-Q99), 

providing participants the opportunity to share their perceptions of how senior leaders provide effective 

communications about what to expect with re-entry to the physical worksite and how supervisors support 

efforts to stay healthy and safe while working, etc. Overall, 69% of employees state that leadership effectively 

communicated on the re-entry process, which was a 4% increase since 2021. Eighty-two percent of employees 

stated that their supervisor supported their efforts to stay healthy and safe while working, which was a 1% 

increase from last year. FSIS continues to make great strides in its communications on remote/telework to 

deliver mission outcomes and provide excellent customer service to the public.

Q96. My organization’s senior leaders support policies and procedures to protect 

employee health and safety. FSIS

Participant Agreement 69% 

Q97. My organization’s senior leaders provide effective communications about 

what to expect with the return to the physical worksite. FSIS

Participant Agreement 69% 

Q98. My supervisor supports my efforts to stay healthy and safe while working. FSIS

Participant Agreement 82%

Q99. My supervisor creates an environment where I can voice my concerns about 

staying healthy and safe. FSIS

Participant Agreement 78% 
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Appendix – FEVS Survey Content 

The number of 2022 FEVS questions was a slight increase over 2021, with questions that considered work 

environment changes.. Survey questions reflect the overall goal of measuring how effectively agencies are 

managing their workforces in the federal government. The FEVS focuses on employee perceptions regarding 

critical work life areas that drive employee satisfaction, engagement and, ultimately, retention in the workforce. 

A full copy of the governmentwide results and survey questions can be accessed at FEVS - OPM.gov or 

Governmentwide Reports (opm.gov). 

The following topic areas were addressed: 

Work Experience 

Questions 1-13 addressed employees’ personal work experiences and opinions. 

Work Unit 

Questions 14 and 16-34 addressed employees’ opinions regarding cooperation, recruitment, quality and 

performance management in their work unit. 

Organization

Questions 35-44 covered agency policies and practices related to job performance, performance appraisals, 

workplace diversity and fairness, as well as perceptions of employees’ personal empowerment, safety and 

preparedness. 

Supervisor 

Questions 45-54 addressed employees’ perceptions of their supervisor. For instance, this section asked whether 

supervisors support work-life balance, provide opportunities to demonstrate leadership skills, and promote 

engagement and a workplace culture that supports staff development.

Leadership 

Questions 55-64 asked about the effectiveness of the agency’s senior leaders and mangers overall, and in 

motivating employees, maintaining high ethical standards, communicating organizational policies and 

generating respect. 

Satisfaction 

Questions 65-70 addressed employee satisfaction with various aspects of their jobs, including pay, job training, 

opportunities for advancement, recognition for work well done, and the policies and practices of senior leaders. 

Employee Experience

Questions 85-89 asked about employees’ personal attachment to the organization. 

Pandemic, Transition to the Worksite, Workplace Flexibilities

Questions 90-95 asked employees about remote work and telework, along with questions related to the 

pandemic. 

Demographics Questions covered employee information, such as location of employment (headquarters vs. 

field), supervisory status, gender, education, pay category/grade, federal employment tenure, agency tenure, 

ethnicity/race and more. See pages 8-11 for a summary of these responses.

Summary Report of the 2022

Food Safety and Inspection Service

Federal Employment Viewpoint Survey