Thriving From Work in Public Health: Evidence From the Front Lines of Worker Well-Being

Objectives. To evaluate worker well-being in the US governmental public health workforce using data from the 2024 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS). Methods. We analyzed data from 48 949 respondents (weighted n = 204 823) working in 48 state health agencies and 1178 local health departments. Worker well-being was measured using the validated Thriving From Work Questionnaire. We conducted weighted analyses examining group differences across demographic, occupational, and organizational characteristics. Results. Mean thriving scores were 35.6 (SD = 7.4) out of 48, indicating moderate levels of work-related well-being. Older workers (aged ≥ 55 years) and those with 0 to 5 years tenure reported highest thriving; midcareer workers (6-15 years) reported lowest levels. Fully remote workers reported highest thriving. Supervisors and managers reported lower thriving than nonsupervisors and executives. Small and medium-sized local health departments showed higher thriving than large departments and state agencies. Conclusions. This first national assessment of public health workforce thriving identifies critical intervention priorities: midcareer support, workplace flexibility, fairness and inclusion, and enhanced supervisor support. Though effect sizes were small, these patterns have meaningful implications for workforce retention across more than 200 000 employees. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print July 16, 2026:e1-e12. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308602).