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Washington, D.C.—Employee morale dropped to an all-time low in 2014, according to the rankings released today on the best places to work in the federal government.

The score for employee satisfaction and commitment was 56.9 out of 100, the lowest since the Best Places to Work survey was first conducted in 2003. Done by the Partnership for Public Service and Deloitte, the survey is based on data collected by the Office of Personnel Management in its annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey covering 389 agencies and component offices.

“Sadly, this is unsurprising given the difficult environment federal employees have faced for the past several years. Low morale hurts the current workforce, and will also hamper future recruitment efforts by making talented candidates think twice before taking federal jobs,” said National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) National President Colleen M. Kelley. “Lack of adequate funding has led to hiring freezes, staffing shortages, growing workloads, cuts in performance-based awards and training, and diminished opportunities for career advancement.”

Government-wide morale dropped in 2014 for the fourth year in a row, declining 8.1 points from the high of 65 in 2010, according to the survey. The main reason employees gave was their lack of confidence in their leaders, particularly those in senior positions.

Senior leaders should pay close attention to the survey results and find ways to work with frontline employees to improve morale and retention and to listen to employees’ ideas about how to do the work better, Kelley said.

Despite the overall decline, NTEU’s strong presence played an important role in creating positive and effective workplaces at many agencies. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was first among mid-sized agencies. Other highly-ranked agencies where NTEU represents employees include the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) and the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA).

“These are all examples of how agencies could dramatically improve workplace conditions—by collaborating with frontline workers and NTEU to put in place policies and procedures that help employees meet agency missions and stay satisfied with their work,” President Kelley said.

To improve employee morale, however, better communication and cooperation between labor and management alone will not be enough. Lawmakers also need do their part by boosting resources for agencies and by treating federal employees with respect and recognizing the valuable work they do for our nation.

“Budget cuts, sequestration, the government shutdown, ongoing fiscal brinksmanship and the gap between federal and private-sector pay are all problems that take a toll on employee morale,” President Kelley said. “Employees remain committed to their jobs and are willing to go the extra mile, but they are constantly being asked to do more with less.”

“And now,” Kelley added, “federal employees are facing yet another fiscal crisis as Congress struggles to complete agency funding for the remainder of the fiscal year. Lawmakers should provide agencies with the resources they need to fulfill their missions, get federal pay back on track and refrain from trying to weaken the federal pension system.”

The survey also pointed to continuing difficulties at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which ranked last among the large agencies. DHS and component units like Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have long been saddled with inadequate budgets and insufficient personnel. Given the critical role that CBP plays in safeguarding our nation, Congress should make it a top priority to boost funding and personnel, Kelley said.

NTEU is the largest independent federal employee union and represents 150,000 workers in 31 agencies and departments.