TAHC survey: employees report high engagement (score 414) though pay remains a concern

Human Resources Director Tana Keeling presented the results of the 2026 employee engagement survey to the commission, reporting a 74% response rate and an overall score of 414, a result the presenter described as "a highly engaged workforce." "The Texas Animal Health Commission scored 414 points, which is considered a highly engaged workforce," she said.

Keeling told commissioners that the score reflects progress since 2024 and credited leadership actions such as increased internal promotion opportunities, merit raises, and targeted salary‑equity reviews. Survey detail showed 42% of staff classified as highly engaged, a share of moderately engaged staff and a smaller cohort identified as disengaged; Keeling said leadership will target additional education and in‑field exposure to help close that gap.

Areas the survey flagged for improvement included pay and certain benefits; Keeling noted pay remains below the agency’s preferred threshold compared with peer state agencies, but said staff see recent management efforts to address compensation and that pay construct scores have improved since the prior survey. Keeling described planned next steps including expanded training, continued career‑ladder and classification reviews, and use of a learning‑management system to deliver targeted skill development.

Why it matters: High engagement supports agency capacity to implement surveillance, inspection and emergency response programs; persistent pay concerns, if unaddressed, can increase turnover risk among inspectors and specialists.

Next steps: HR and leadership will prioritize training investments, continue salary‑equity work and report back to the commission on concrete progress in the next quarterly update.