JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville's city-owned utility JEA has released results from its latest employee engagement survey, as City Hall continues an investigation into concerns about workplace culture at the agency.
JEA says 59% of employees participated in the survey — 1,362 out of 2,314 employees. JEA says respondents also submitted 4,124 written comments. The utility says its overall results are benchmarked against “comparable electric and water utility companies.â€
On Wednesday, News4JAX combed through the comments to see what employees said about the utility company.
Three results that stand out
-
47% of employees surveyed said they feel well-informed about important decisions at JEA.
-
49% said they have confidence in JEA's chiefs.
-
46% said directors, VPs and chiefs understand what is really happening at JEA.
View the survey below:
Those results come as City Hall investigates workplace culture issues raised about the utility.
Council President Kevin Carrico formed a special investigative committee to look into culture complaints and capacity fee concerns.
What employees wrote
The newly released comments show a wide range of experiences across the utility.
Some employees described pride in the work and serving the community, including one comment that said they love “helping the people of our community in times of bad storms by getting their power back on in a quick, safe, and timely manner.â€
Others emphasized teamwork and stability, with one employee writing that they feel supported by coworkers and that the job's purpose is part of why they stay.
But other comments were sharply critical of leadership and workplace culture — including direct mentions of CEO Vickie Cavey and City Hall.
One employee wrote:
“I don't trust the Board or Vickie, or at this point anyone at City Hall. JEA isn't a political tool. It is a community service.â€
In another comment, an employee described the culture as “unsettled,†while others pointed to what they called constant change at the top and stress tied to outside scrutiny.
Three other results
The survey also included several higher-scoring measures related to employees' direct supervisors and overall satisfaction (each nearly on par with similar utilities):
-
83% said their manager cares about their concerns.
-
80% said they are very satisfied with their job.
-
77% said they would recommend working at JEA.
What JEA says happens next
In a statement released with the results, JEA said it is analyzing the survey and that senior leadership is developing action plans to address key employee concerns.
JEA also noted it has received three USA TODAY Culture Excellence Awards in the categories of Work-Life Flexibility, Professional Development, and Compensation and Benefits.
Copyright 2026 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.
