Ever wondered who's really steering the ship of state? Behind the scenes, from the 2.1 million employees of the US federal government to India's 1.2 million-strong central services, civil services around the globe form a vast and intricate human engine that powers our nations, a fact brought to life by their immense scale, evolving diversity, and the constant churn of new hires and departures.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, the UK Civil Service had a total headcount of 524,553 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees, marking a 2.1% increase from 2021
- As of June 2023, the US federal civilian workforce totaled 2.1 million employees excluding postal service workers
- India's Central Civil Services (Group A) comprised 1,247,847 personnel as of January 2023
- US federal employees' average age was 47.2 years in 2022
- In 2022, 52.4% of UK Civil Service were female
- India's civil services had 15.3% women in Group A posts as of 2023
- In 2022, median salary for UK Civil Service was £28,120
- US federal average annual salary was $95,413 in FY2022
- Australia's APS average base salary was AUD 110,000 in 2023
- 16.5% of UK Civil Service were disabled in 2022
- US federal workforce disability rate was 15.9% in 2022
- Australia's APS had 5.1% Indigenous employees in 2023
- UK Civil Service performance appraisal completion rate was 97% in 2022
- US federal employee engagement score averaged 71% in 2022 FEVS
- Australia's APS training expenditure was AUD 300 million in 2023
The UK Civil Service grew to over 524,000 people in 2022, though it also saw record voluntary exits that same year.
Demographic Statistics
- US federal employees' average age was 47.2 years in 2022
- In 2022, 52.4% of UK Civil Service were female
- India's civil services had 15.3% women in Group A posts as of 2023
- Australia's APS was 56.8% female in 2023
- France's civil service had 60% women in 2022
- Germany's civil servants were 44% female at federal level in 2022
- Canada public service was 55.5% female in 2023
- Japan's civil service had 19.8% women in 2022
- Brazil's federal civil service was 43% female in 2022
- South Africa's public service had 59% women in 2023
- UK Civil Service BAME staff were 14.2% in 2022
- US federal workforce was 18.8% Black or African American in 2022
- 7.6% of Australia's APS identified as Indigenous in 2023
- France's civil service had 12% from overseas departments in 2022
- Average age of German civil servants was 49.1 years in 2022
- 22% of Canadian public servants were visible minorities in 2023
- UK Civil Service under 30s were 18% of workforce in 2022
- US federal employees aged 55+ were 31.4% in 2022
- In India, 85% of civil servants were from general category in 2023
- Singapore civil service had 15% millennials (born 1981-1996) in 2022
- Italy's civil service average age was 50.9 years in 2022
- Sweden civil service was 28% foreign-born in 2022
- Nigeria civil service had 60% aged 40-59 in 2023
- 53% of UK Civil Service had a degree or higher in 2022
- 62% of US federal workforce had bachelor's degree or higher in 2022
Demographic Statistics Interpretation
The global portrait of civil services reveals a workforce that's graying gracefully in places like the US and Italy while still striving for gender parity, with countries like France and the UK leading on that front, but almost universally struggling to reflect their societies in terms of race, ethnicity, and youth.
Diversity and Inclusion Statistics
- 16.5% of UK Civil Service were disabled in 2022
- US federal workforce disability rate was 15.9% in 2022
- Australia's APS had 5.1% Indigenous employees in 2023
- France civil service LGBT+ staff disclosure was 4.2% in 2022 survey
- Germany's civil service had 5.8% with migration background in senior roles 2022
- Canada public service Indigenous representation was 4.8% in 2023
- Japan's civil service women in management rose to 12% in 2022
- Brazil federal civil service black representation was 12.5% in 2022
- South Africa public service women in senior management 38% in 2023
- UK Civil Service BAME in SCS was 13% in 2022
- US Hispanic/Latino federal employees were 9.5% in 2022
- India SC/ST representation in civil services was 15.3% and 7.8% respectively in 2023
- Singapore civil service ethnic breakdown: 74% Chinese, 13% Malay, 9% Indian in 2022
- Italy civil service southern Italy origin staff 35% in 2022
- Sweden civil service gender pay gap was 12% in 2022
- Nigeria civil service gender parity index was 0.65 in 2023
- Diversity training reached 85% of UK Civil Service staff in 2022
- US EEOC complaints in federal sector totaled 18,000 in FY2022
- 72% of Australian APS leadership programs targeted diversity in 2023
- France affirmative action for disabled led to 6% quota achievement in 2022
- 92% employee satisfaction with diversity initiatives in German civil service 2022 survey
Diversity and Inclusion Statistics Interpretation
While these earnest global statistics reveal a world of public services still grappling with inclusivity, they also underscore that achieving genuine representation is less a triumphant sprint and more a universal, plodding marathon with every nation still decidedly mid-race.
Employment Statistics
- In 2022, the UK Civil Service had a total headcount of 524,553 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees, marking a 2.1% increase from 2021
- As of June 2023, the US federal civilian workforce totaled 2.1 million employees excluding postal service workers
- India's Central Civil Services (Group A) comprised 1,247,847 personnel as of January 2023
- Australia's Australian Public Service (APS) employed 155,393 ongoing employees at June 2023, up 1.7% from the previous year
- In France, the State civil service had 2.4 million agents in 2022, representing 55% of total public employment
- Germany's federal civil service numbered 299,000 employees in 2022
- Canada's federal public service had 274,219 indeterminate employees as of March 2023
- Japan's national civil servants totaled 569,000 in 2022, down 0.5% from prior year
- Brazil's federal civil service employed 606,000 permanent staff in 2022
- South Africa's public service had 1.23 million employees in 2022/23
- In 2023, the UK Civil Service saw 18,700 external recruits, a 15% increase year-on-year
- US federal agencies hired 188,000 new employees in FY2022
- EU institutions employed 62,000 staff in 2022 across all categories
- New Zealand's core public service had 51,000 FTEs in June 2023
- Singapore's civil service strength was 145,900 in 2022
- In 2022, voluntary exits from UK Civil Service reached 42,600, highest since 2010
- US federal attrition rate was 8.2% in FY2022
- Italy's civil service employed 3.2 million in 2022
- Sweden's state civil servants numbered 193,000 in 2022
- Nigeria's federal civil service had 1.1 million workers in 2023
- In FY2023, UK Civil Service grade 6 and above (SCS) headcount was 6,300
- US Senior Executive Service had 7,200 members in 2023
- As of 2021, 42% of UK Civil Service were administrative officers, the largest grade
- In Australia, APS Executive Level staff made up 2.5% of workforce in 2023
- France's Category A civil servants (managers) were 1.1 million in 2022
- The average tenure in UK Civil Service was 6.2 years in 2022
Employment Statistics Interpretation
From Britain's modest battalion of half a million, to France's managerial legion of over a million, and America's colossal federal force of millions more, the global civil service is a sprawling, often top-heavy, and perpetually churning leviathan that proves governing is a seriously big, and seriously leaky, business.
Performance and Training Statistics
- UK Civil Service performance appraisal completion rate was 97% in 2022
- US federal employee engagement score averaged 71% in 2022 FEVS
- Australia's APS training expenditure was AUD 300 million in 2023
- France civil service digital skills training covered 1.2 million agents in 2022
- Germany's civil service leadership development programs trained 25,000 in 2022
- Canada public service learning hours averaged 45 per employee in 2023
- Japan's civil service absenteeism rate was 1.2% in 2022
- Brazil civil service productivity index rose 3.2% in 2022
- South Africa public service performance agreements signed by 95% SMS members in 2023
- 65% of UK Civil Service received digital training in 2022
- US federal telework participation was 44% regular in 2022
- India civil services training budget was INR 1,200 crore in 2023
- Singapore civil service innovation projects numbered 500 in 2022
- Italy civil service reform reduced layers by 10% in 2022
- Sweden civil service sick leave days averaged 12.5 per employee in 2022
- Nigeria civil service e-performance system covered 80% staff in 2023
- Grievance cases in UK Civil Service were 4,200 in 2022
- US federal misconduct dismissals totaled 1,200 in FY2022
- 88% of Australian APS had performance plans in 2023
Performance and Training Statistics Interpretation
Around the world, civil servants are busily checking boxes and climbing digital learning curves, with Britain leading the charge in paperwork compliance (97% appraisals!), America hovering in a state of engaged ambivalence (71% engagement), Australia generously funding its upskilling (AUD 300 million), and France digitally tutoring over a million agents, yet all this diligent activity is still punctuated by the universal constants of government work: a steady murmur of grievances (4,200 in the UK), a trickle of misconduct dismissals (1,200 in the US), and the enduring hope that innovation (500 projects in Singapore) and reform (Italy's 10% layer reduction) might just bend the mighty bureaucracy toward something resembling productivity (Brazil's 3.2% rise).
Salary and Benefits Statistics
- In 2022, median salary for UK Civil Service was £28,120
- US federal average annual salary was $95,413 in FY2022
- Australia's APS average base salary was AUD 110,000 in 2023
- France civil servants' average gross salary was €42,500 in 2022
- Germany's federal civil service average salary was €68,200 in 2022
- Canada public service average salary was CAD 86,665 in 2023
- Japan's civil servants average annual salary was ¥6.5 million in 2022
- Brazil federal civil service average salary was R$110,000 in 2022
- South Africa public service average salary was ZAR 456,000 in 2023
- UK SCS average salary was £101,270 in 2022
- US GS-15 average salary was $148,000 in 2023
- 85% of UK Civil Service received performance-related pay in 2022
- Australia's APS bonus payments totaled AUD 50 million in 2023
- France civil service pension expenditure was €45 billion in 2022
- Germany civil service health benefits covered 95% of medical costs in 2022
- Canada public service sick leave usage averaged 7.5 days per employee in 2023
- UK Civil Service pay award was 4.75% average in 2023/24
- US federal locality pay averaged 20.14% above base in 2023
- India's 7th Pay Commission increased salaries by 14.27% average for civil servants
- Singapore civil service CPF contributions were 17% employer share in 2022
- Italy civil service pay rise was 2.5% in 2023
- Sweden civil service overtime pay averaged SEK 250/hour in 2022
- Nigeria civil service minimum wage was NGN 30,000 monthly in 2023
Salary and Benefits Statistics Interpretation
The UK Civil Service seems to have mastered the art of rewarding high performance on a budget, lavishing bonuses widely but managing to keep its median salary quaintly anchored in 2022 while peers elsewhere were sailing on higher pay seas.
Sources & References
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