Perceptions of SES leaders

The Australian Public Service Employee Census Senior Executive Service (SES) Manager Index measures how employees view the leadership behaviours of their immediate SES manager.

APS Employee Census questions that contribute to the SES Manager Index are:

• My SES manager clearly articulates the direction and priorities for our area.
• My SES manager presents convincing arguments and persuades others towards an outcome.
• My SES manager promotes cooperation within and between agencies.
• My SES manager encourages innovation and creativity.
• My SES manager creates an environment that enables us to deliver our best.
• My SES manager ensures that work effort contributes to the strategic direction of the agency and the APS.

Figures AB 22 to AB 27 and tables AB 22 to AB 27 report on the index scores for agencies, by agency size, for APS respondents.

SES Manager Index scores are not presented for agencies with fewer than 2 SES officers as at 30 June 2024 or 30 June 2025.

Figure AB 22: SES Manager Index, by agency size

Source: APS Employee Census

Table AB 22: SES Manager Index, by agency size

Source: APS Employee Census

Figure AB 23: SES Manager Index, for extra-large agencies (10,000+ employees)

Source: APS Employee Census 
Note: The National Disability Insurance Agency was a large agency in 2024.

Table AB 23: SES Manager Index, for extra-large agencies (10,000+ employees)

Source: APS Employee Census 
Note: The National Disability Insurance Agency was a large agency in 2024.

Figure AB 24: SES Manager Index, for large agencies (1,001 to 10,000 employees)

Source: APS Employee Census 
Note: Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts is now Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts. Health and Aged Care is now Health, Disability and Ageing. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission was a medium agency in 2024.

Table AB 24: SES Manager Index, for large agencies (1,001 to 10,000 employees)

Source: APS Employee Census 
Note: Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts is now Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts. Health and Aged Care is now Health, Disability and Ageing. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission was a medium agency in 2024.

Figure AB 25: SES Manager Index, for medium agencies (251 to 1,000 employees)

Source: APS Employee Census
Note: The National Health and Medical Research Council, the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, and the National Museum of Australia were small agencies in 2024. The National Museum of Australia did not have reportable results in 2024. The Administrative Review Tribunal was called the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in 2024.

Table AB 25: SES Manager Index, for medium agencies (251 to 1,000 employees)

Source: APS Employee Census
Note: The National Health and Medical Research Council, the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, and the National Museum of Australia were small agencies in 2024. The National Museum of Australia did not have reportable results in 2024. The Administrative Review Tribunal was called the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in 2024.

Figure AB 26: SES Manager Index, for small agencies (101 to 250 employees)

Source: APS Employee Census 
Note: The Net Zero Economy Authority was not an APS agency in 2024. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority was a medium agency in 2024. The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care and the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House were extra-small agencies in 2024. The Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House did not have reportable results in 2024.

Table AB 26: SES Manager Index, for small agencies (101 to 250 employees)

Source: APS Employee Census 
Note: The Net Zero Economy Authority was not an APS agency in 2024. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority was a medium agency in 2024. The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care and the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House were extra-small agencies in 2024. The Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House did not have reportable results in 2024.

Figure AB 27: SES Manager Index, for extra-small agencies (20 to 100 employees)

Source: APS Employee Census 
Note: The Office of the Special Investigator was a small agency in 2024. The High Speed Rail Authority did not participate in the APS Employee Census in 2024. The Office of the Inspector-General of Aged Care and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research did not have reportable results in 2024.

Table AB 27: SES Manager Index, for extra-small agencies (20 to 100 employees)

Source: APS Employee Census 
Note: The Office of the Special Investigator was a small agency in 2024. The High Speed Rail Authority did not participate in the APS Employee Census in 2024. The Office of the Inspector-General of Aged Care and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research did not have reportable results in 2024.