A closer look at the latest public service census findings for reports of bullying suggests more people are speaking up about unacceptable behaviour.
De-identified data from an annual perceptions survey of more than 149,000 federal public servants has found 10% of employees have been subject to bullying or harassment at work — another 4% are not sure.
Verbal abuse ranked among one of the highest reported forms of bullying and harassment, which were the same as the responses from 2025.
The census was conducted from May 4 to June 5, 2026, and this year included six questions that directly addressed bullying.