Language of work: Supervisors report good understanding of responsibilities, but senior management leadership and second-language ability are key

GATINEAU, QC, Sept. 8, 2025 /CNW/ - Commissioner of Official Languages of Canada Raymond Théberge today published the results of an exploratory survey of over 4,200 supervisors in the federal public service called Managing Language of Work: Survey of federal public service supervisors on their familiarity with the Official Languages Act, Part V – Language of Work, and on their experiences and needs.

Survey responses indicate that supervisors' familiarity with language-of-work responsibilities is generally quite high, however putting best practices into action in the workplace is relatively lower.

A key factor for success in following through on language-of-work requirements is being able to supervise employees in both official languages. Supervisors who reported better abilities in their second official language appear to have a greater understanding of language-of-work rights and obligations, and they are more inclined to respect those requirements and implement best practices, such as discussing language rights and preferences with employees.

The survey findings also point to some long-standing inequalities related to the use of French and English in the federal public service. A greater proportion of Francophones than Anglophones said that they could regularly supervise their employees in the official language of their choice, whereas Anglophone supervisors were more likely than Francophones to say they could regularly exercise their own language-of-work rights.

The survey brought to light the ripple-effect of leadership on language of work among senior management and its positive impact on employees at all levels. Supervisors whose own rights were respected by senior management were more likely to meet their responsibilities toward employees. In addition, most supervisors surveyed—Anglophones and Francophones—agreed that there should be mandatory training on language of work across the government.

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"It's reassuring that the supervisors we surveyed appear to be quite knowledgeable about their responsibilities when it comes to language of work. Results show that when leaders at all levels 'walk the talk' by upholding employee language rights and ensuring both official languages are used equitably, it encourages their employees to follow suit—it's a win-win approach. In order to create the conditions for a truly bilingual public service, senior leaders must ensure that current and prospective supervisors receive better training, resources and support."

Raymond Théberge, Commissioner of Official Languages of Canada

Related links

• Managing Language of Work: Survey of federal public service supervisors on their familiarity with the Official Languages Act, Part V – Language of Work, and on their experiences and needs - 2025
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SOURCE Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages

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