The impact that leaders have on the performance of their organisations cannot be underestimated. Leadership is critical in setting direction, executing strategy, shaping culture and employee experience, lifting capability, inspiring purpose and delivering results for our customers.
Executive numbers
Government sector senior executives (GSSEs) have formal executive roles within the Public Service and aligned government services, providing leadership, direction and accountability. A subgroup of these executives – known as Public Service senior executives (PSSEs) – work for Public Service agencies and are represented across all clusters.
An increase in the number of GSSEs in 2022 was mainly caused by a growing portfolio of major transport infrastructure projects in NSW requiring specialised executive support.
An increase in the number of PSSEs related to NSW Government investments in projects and programs to drive economic and social recovery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the restructuring of government agencies.
4,059 government sector senior executives in 2022
up from 3,680 in 2021
Source: Workforce Profile (2021, 2022)
Source: Workforce Profile (2018–22)
Senior executive headcount and FTE by service, 2022 vs 2021
| Service | Senior executive headcount, 2022 | Senior executive headcount, change from 2021 (%) | Senior executive FTE, 2022 | Senior executive FTE, change from 2021 (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Service | 2,484 | 8.9 | 2,399 | 8.3 |
| NSW Health Service | 198 | -1.0 | 195 | -1.7 |
| NSW Police Force | 67 | -9.5 | 65 | -10.0 |
| Teaching Service | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Transport Service | 1,083 | 26.8 | 1,009 | 21.7 |
| Other Crown services | 227 | -16.5 | 219 | -18.5 |
| Total government sector | 4,059 | 10.3 | 3,887 | 8.5 |
| State owned corporations | 402 | 43.1 | 397 | 42.2 |
| External to government sector | 62 | 6.9 | 61 | 7.6 |
| Total public sector | 4,523 | 12.5 | 4,344 | 10.9 |
Source: Workforce Profile (2021, 2022)
Note: Senior executives in the Education cluster are employed under the GSE Act and are counted under Public Service in this table. The State owned corporations headcount increase is inflated due to Senior Executive numbers being understated in 2021. Taking this into account, the headcount increase for State owned corporations would be 12.8%.
Employee perceptions of senior leaders
The People Matter survey asks employees about their perceptions of the senior managers that lead their organisations. Senior managers need to manage change well, set clear direction and work with people managers to lead the workforce and deliver for customers. By embodying the sector’s values, they can guide the evolution of their organisation’s culture to ensure employees experience a positive working environment.
51.4% favourable overall
perception of senior leaders
| Question | 2022 (% favourable) | Change from 2021 (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| Senior managers provide clear direction for the future of the organisation | 49.9 | -5.0 |
| Senior managers model the values of my organisation | 53.5 | -5.4 |
| Senior managers promote collaboration between my organisation and other organisations we work with | 52.0 | -4.5 |
| Senior managers communicate the importance of customers in our work | 64.6 | -5.6 |
| Senior managers listen to employees | 44.7 | -4.7 |
| Senior managers support the career advancement of all employees | 43.7 | NA |
Source: People Matter Employee Survey (2021, 2022)
Note: A comparison to the 2021 overall score is not possible because one question contributing to the 2022 overall score has changed.
Source: People Matter Employee Survey (2021, 2022)
Communication and change management
Effective communication is proactive, timely and focuses on what employees need to know and how changes within their organisation will affect them. Good change management is vital for every organisation across the sector. Well-managed change minimises day-to-day disruptions to everyday work and lives.
Employee perceptions of communication and change management
54.6% favourable overall
down from 57.9% in 2021
Employee perceptions of communication and change management, 2022 vs 2021
| Question | 2022 (%) favourable | Change from 2021 (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| My manager communicates effectively with me | 74.6 | -0.6 |
| Change is managed well in my organisation | 38.8 | -4.1 |
| Senior managers provide clear direction for the future of the organisation | 49.9 | -5.0 |
Source: People Matter Employee Survey (2021, 2022)
Note: The 2021 overall score has been recalculated to exclude a question that was not used in the 2022 People Matter survey.
People management
Effective people managers are essential to high-performing organisations. They’re vital for achieving positive workforce outcomes and delivering a world class public service to the people of NSW. A high-performance culture is underpinned by an effective system for managing individual, team and organisational performance.
71.3% of employees had a performance and development plan in place
down from 73.4% in 2021
63.1% of employees had formal feedback conversations
down from 65.0% in 2021
78.8% of employees had informal feedback conversations
down from 80.2% in 2021
Source: People Matter Employee Survey (2021, 2022)
55.4% favourable overall
down from 57.2% in 2021
Employee perceptions of feedback and performance management, 2022 vs 2021
| Question | 2022 (%) favourable | Change from 2021 (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| In the last 12 months, I have received feedback to help me improve my work | 63.0 | -1.8 |
| My performance is assessed against clear criteria | 54.5 | -2.8 |
| My manager appropriately deals with employees who perform poorly | 48.4 | -1.0 |
Source: People Matter Employee Survey (2021, 2022)
Note: The 2021 overall score has been recalculated to exclude one question that was not used in the 2022 People Matter survey.
Employee perceptions of workplace recognition, 2022 vs 2021
| Question | 2022 (%) favourable | Change from 2021 (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| My manager provides recognition for the work I do | 70.4 | -2.2 |
| I receive adequate recognition for my contributions from my organisation | 49.5 | -2.9 |
Source: People Matter Employee Survey (2021, 2022)
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Next section: our organisations
How we experience our organisations’ practices.