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Sticking Around and Reasons to Leave
Sticking Around
Attrition remains low at most federal agencies, despite concerns that older workers will retire and younger ones aren't dedicated to government careers.
| 2004 ATTRITION RATE | |
|---|---|
| Treasury | 9.4% |
| Homeland Security | 7.5 |
| Veterans Affairs | 6.6 |
| Defense | 6.2 |
| Energy | 5.8 |
| Commerce | 5.7 |
| Education | 5.4 |
| Agriculture | 5.3 |
| Interior | 5.2 |
| HUD | 5.1 |
| HHS | 5.0 |
| State | 5.0 |
| Transportation | 4.3 |
| Labor | 3.3 |
| Justice | 3.2 |
Note: The attrition rate was calculated by dividing separations other than reductions-in-force, transfers, deaths, and end-of-term appointments by the total full-time permanent workforce at the beginning of fiscal 2004.
Source: Office of Personnel Management
Reasons to Leave
To hang on to employees, agencies attempt to address the main reasons they consider leaving. Here are the Top 10:
| Reason |
% saying reason is important/very important |
|---|---|
| Better use of skills and abilities | 86% |
| Increase opportunities for advancement | 84 |
| Desire to earn more money | 76 |
| Improve opportunities for training | 64 |
| Lack of recognition | 62 |
| Desire for different work | 55 |
| Good job market | 51 |
| Too few people to handle the work | 51 |
| Inadequate equipment/supplies | 47 |
| Excessive job stress | 46 |
Source: Merit Systems Protection Board 2000 survey
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