Perceptions of immediate supervisors

The Australian Public Service Employee Census Immediate Supervisor Index measures how employees view the leadership behaviours of their immediate supervisor.

APS Employee Census questions that contribute to the Immediate Supervisor Index are:

• My supervisor engages with staff on how to respond to future challenges.
• My supervisor can deliver difficult advice whilst maintaining relationships.
• My supervisor invites a range of views, including those different to their own.
• My supervisor encourages my team to regularly review and improve our work.
• My supervisor is invested in my development.
• My supervisor ensures that my workgroup delivers on what we are responsible for.

Figures AB 28 to AB 33 and tables AB 28 to AB 33 report on the index scores for agencies, by agency size, for APS respondents.

Figure AB 28: Immediate Supervisor Index, by agency size

Source: APS Employee Census

Table AB 28: Immediate Supervisor Index, by agency size

Source: APS Employee Census

Figure AB 29: Immediate Supervisor 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 29: Immediate Supervisor 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 30: Immediate Supervisor 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 30: Immediate Supervisor 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 31: Immediate Supervisor Index, for medium agencies (251 to 1,000 employees)

Source: APS Employee Census 
Note: The National Health and Medical Research Council, the National Museum of Australia, and the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia were small agencies in 2024. The Administrative Review Tribunal was called the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in 2024.

Table AB 31: Immediate Supervisor Index, for medium agencies (251 to 1,000 employees)

Source: APS Employee Census 
Note: The National Health and Medical Research Council, the National Museum of Australia, and the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia were small agencies in 2024. The Administrative Review Tribunal was called the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in 2024.

Figure AB 32: Immediate Supervisor 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 Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House and the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care were extra-small agencies in 2024. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority was a medium agency in 2024.

Table AB 32: Immediate Supervisor 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 Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House and the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care were extra-small agencies in 2024. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority was a medium agency in 2024.

Figure AB 33: Immediate Supervisor 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 Australian Law Reform Commission and Screen Australia did not have reportable results in 2024. The High Speed Rail Authority did not participate in the APS Employee Census in 2024.

Table AB 33: Immediate Supervisor 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 Australian Law Reform Commission and Screen Australia did not have reportable results in 2024. The High Speed Rail Authority did not participate in the APS Employee Census in 2024.