Hello PPMA members and friends

Our latest blog post comes from Colin Hodgson, Commercial Director and public sector lead at our partner Reward Gateway Edenred. Colin recently hosted a fascinating webinar for us on the current engagement gap in local authorities. Here, Colin talks about new research the webinar was based on and how we can move employee engagement forward.

Right now people teams in local authorities are working harder than ever to support people who are under increasing strain against one of the toughest backdrops in living memory. Restructuring, rising service demand and difficult budget choices are reshaping every council and unsettling teams. Amid these challenges, the need to rebuild and embed employee engagement is more important than ever.

Our latest research, Public Sector Engagement: A Reality Check, confirms this fact with findings that show that engagement programme isn’t just a “nice-to-have.” It’s the foundation of performance, wellbeing and resilience that will help us navigate even the most challenging times.

What our research tells us

Our research is based on insight from more than 1,100 public-sector employees and senior HR leaders, many of them from councils. What the findings reveal is a workforce that remains deeply committed to its purpose but is increasingly disconnected from its organisation. As many as 83% percent of public-sector employees say they feel engaged with their job or mission. Yet 64 percent report being more loyal to the work itself than to their employer. More than half (55%) cite workload as the top barrier now affecting their engagement, and 45% report emotional strain or burnout.

Many also feel unheard. Fewer than half believe engagement surveys capture how they truly feel, and even fewer see visible action from the results. In a sector built on trust and service, this gap between employee voice and organisational response is widening.

These insights echo wider external evidence. ONS data shows mental health accounts for 13% of public sector sick days, almost double the levels of the private sector. Meanwhile, Deloitte research highlights that while purpose-driven workers are highly motivated, misalignment between personal values and organisational support is a major predictor of attrition.

Why this matters for local government

The sentiments expressed in our research are as evident in local government as they are anywhere else in the public sector, where years of restructuring and budget cuts have driven uncertainty.

The reality is that local government can’t rely solely on intrinsic motivation or public-service ethos. While that energy is still there, it needs renewal. The challenge for HR is to create conditions where people feel seen, supported and valued. And where the purpose that drew them to the sector is matched by an organisational culture that sustains it.

In this context engagement must no longer be a tick box exercise, focussed on delivering a list of benefits and driving comms to hit adoption targets and prove financial ROI. Instead. it means getting the fundamentals right in ways that truly impact people and boost them on a personal level.

How HR leaders can respond

Recognition that feels real

Recognition is one of the simplest, most powerful drivers of engagement. In our survey, 93% of employees said appreciation matters. However many rarely experience it in practice. Regular thank-yous, a peer-to-peer platform or a visible “above-and-beyond” moment can all make recognition part of daily culture.

Visible leadership and authentic communication

The research highlights a “trust gap” between leadership and employees. Closing it doesn’t necessarily require grand gestures; it requires consistency. When leaders act on feedback, tailor benefits accordingly and share progress, employees notice. Transparency builds belief that engagement efforts are genuine, not procedural.

Data with dialogue

Engagement surveys are still valuable. But they need to be more frequent and tailored, enabled by employee engagement platform technology, which can be done for little extra cost. They must evolve from measurement to conversation. Combining data with open forums, manager check-ins and follow-up sessions creates a two-way process where employees feel heard and can see change happening.

Wellbeing that supports resilience

Every day, employees make decisions that affect citizens’ lives, from social care and housing to environmental services. Wellbeing strategies need to reflect that reality and emotional burden. They must address both mental and financial stress and make support accessible. Even small interventions, such as workload “intensity audits” or mental-health first-aid networks, can make a tangible difference.

Taken together, these actions create a culture of trust and belonging that boosts performance and helps local authorities deliver on their mission, even in times of significant change and upheaval.

 Where we go from here

The way people feel at work directly shapes the quality of services communities receive. Engagement isn’t an optional extra; it’s a key enabler of everything councils aim to achieve.

The path forward lies in meaningful steps reflective of personal experiences that build momentum and confidence. Recognition that feels real, wellbeing that lasts and leadership that listens.

I’d like to thank the PPMA for the opportunity to share these insights and open up a meaningful discussion with local authorities about what works and can be achieved. If you’d like to find out more, you can watch our PPMA webinar, or download our new report – Public Sector Engagement: A Reality Check


Colin Hodgson, Commercial Director and public sector lead, Edenred