COVID-19

Government Links and Institute Analysis and Updates 

How are Texas State Agencies performing during the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Some of the most reliable answers can be found in survey results from those on the front lines – agency employees themselves.

Our research group at UT Austin conducts the Survey of Employee Engagement.  This survey has been utilized in Texas for over 30 years and is included in the LBB and Governor’s Budget and Policy Division’s Agency Strategic Planning Instructions.  The survey data are collected biennially across most state agencies (see below).  We are able to evaluate, in real-time, the perceptions of state employees during the crisis.

Now more than ever, the successful delivery of state services is in the hands of our dedicated State of Texas agency workforce and their full engagement is critical. The graphic below shows responses of thousands of state employee perceptions prior to COVID-19 impacting agencies (baseline), to early March as awareness grew, to late March when many are working from home, to present day.

 

State Employee Insights

My Workplace is Safe: down 25% but recovering.

I have the Resources to do my Job: down, slow to improve.

Effectively Working with the Public: down but again approaching baseline.

Technology effectiveness: sharp drop but strong recovery.

 

 

As illustrated, the emergence of COVID-19 in March has had a considerable negative impact on perceptions of a safe working environment, adequate resources, working with the public, and the effectiveness of technology, but through leadership and the engagement of employees, the negative impacts are being mitigated as state government continues to respond to the challenge.

What do we do next?

Continue to collect data. Leadership needs data. Several agencies are yet to be surveyed (below). Contemporary data are essential guides for decision making. We will work with our partners to ensure efforts continue.

A rapidly evolving workplace requires insights. We are crafting additional analysis to address remote work, service delivery, and continuity, technology, communication during change, back to work plans, and overall employee engagement.

Keep you posted. Additional analysis and insights are being updated in the table (below).

Agency Participation Listing

Scheduled in the next few months:

Health and Human Services         Dept of Family and Prot Srvs.         TX Juvenile Justice Dept

Participated this Iteration (2019/2020)

Animal Health Comm. Railroad Comm. of TX TX Dept of Info Resources
Bd of Architectural Examiners Real ESt Comm. TX Dept of Insurance
Bd of Dental Examiners St Ofc of Admin Hearings TX Dept of Motor Vehicles
Bd of Prof Eng and Land Surveyors St Ofc of Risk Management TX Dept of Transportation
Bond Review Bd St Pension Review Bd TX Education Agency
Credit Union Dept Teacher Retirement System TX Historical Com.
Dept of Housing & Comm Affairs TX A&M Forest Service TX Medical Bd
Dept of Public Safety TX Alcoholic Beverage Comm. TX Military Dept
Dept of Savings & Mort Lending TX Bd of Nursing TX Ofc of Consum Credit Com.
Dept of St Health Services TX Bd of Pharmacy TX Public Finance Authority
Employees Retirement System TX Bd of Prof Geoscientists TX School for the Deaf
ECPTOTE TX Com. on Environ Quality TX St Bd of Plumbing Exam
Lottery Comm. TX Com. on Fire Protection TX St Library & Archives Com.
Ofc of Public Insurance Counsel TX Com. on St Emerg Comm. TX St Preservation Bd
Parks and Wildlife Dept TX Com. on the Arts TX Veterans Comm.
Public Utility Comm. TX Coun. for Devel Disabilities TX Water Development Bd
TX Dept of Banking TX Workforce Solutions

Not Currently Scheduled to Participate this Iteration (Past Participants)

Ofc of Court Administration TX Dept of Licensing & Reg TX Vet  Medical Diagnostic Lab
St Comm on Judicial Conduct TX Racing Commission TX Transportation Institute
TX Facilities Commission Funeral Service Comm School for Blind & Vis  Impaired
TX Com. on Law Enforce. TX Optometry Board Higher Ed Coord Board
Ofc of Injured Empl Counsel Dept of Agriculture

Government Links

Institute Analysis and Updates


COVID-19: Challenges
to State Agencies
April 24, 2020

COVID-19: Challenges
to State Agencies
April 17, 2020

COVID-19: Challenges
to State Agencies
April 10, 2020

COVID-19: Challenges
to State Agencies
April 3, 2020

COVID-19: Challenges
to State Agencies
March 27, 2020

COVID-19: Challenges
to State Agencies
March 20, 2020

COVID-19: Challenges
to State Agencies
March 13, 2020

COVID-19: Challenges
to State Agencies
March 8, 2020

COVID-19: Challenges
to Our Neighborhoods
February 27, 2020

COVID-19: Challenges
to State Agencies
February 21, 2020

COVID-19: Challenges
to State Agencies
February 14, 2020

COVID-19: Challenges
to State Agencies
February 7, 2020

COVID-19: Challenges
to State Agencies
January 29, 2020