Equifax (NYSE: EFX) has released its Social Services Outlook Index. The survey of 500 government social service workers supporting programs such as Medicaid, SNAP and TANF found that the majority or around 54% of respondents say their workplace is very efficient, and all respondents (100%) expect their work to be more efficient in the coming year, “helping them expedite appropriate aid delivery to eligible applicants.”
The survey shared by Equifax underscores the role of data and automation in public service delivery, with 57% of social service workers “saying that advancements in data and technology will make their work efficient in 2026.”
But, despite an optimistic outlook, the survey also “highlights key challenges that could impact progress.”
The top concerns for the year ahead include “changing policies (49%), insufficient staffing (41%) and lack of automation (41%).”
David Turner, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Government Solutions, Equifax:
“Data and automation help address these challenges by streamlining repetitive tasks and improving access to information for verifications, freeing up time for caseworkers to focus on what matters most – delivering meaningful support to the people and communities they serve. The result is not just greater efficiency, but a better experience for both caseworkers and beneficiaries.”
As social service agencies continue to modernize and benefit from technology, caseworkers are “adopting new workflows and preparing to transform how they do their jobs.”
In fact, 40% of social service workers report that they expect their day-to-day technology and automation use to increase “significantly” in the next year.
Workers now anticipate tangible gains from “greater use of tech, with nearly one in four (23%) citing increased access to data as a factor that will most improve workplace efficiency.”
They see this efficiency as directly supporting “the people they serve, with more than one in four (27%) noting their ability to determine appropriately sized benefits for eligible applicants as the top area where technology and automation will have the greatest positive impact.”
When asked how to further enhance efficiency, respondents identified several practical solutions including:
- Simplifying eligibility and documentation requirements (38%)
- Increased internal communication and feedback (35%)
- Solutions to help with accessibility barriers such as transportation and language (34%)
Despite these opportunities, caseworkers also “recognize the growing complexity in their work.”
Almost all government workers (98%) anticipate an “increase in applicants with multiple income streams, such as gig work, and 97% say they’re somewhat (46%) or very (51%) confident they have information needed to help these individuals.”
Turner added:
“The rise of gig work and nontraditional income streams is one of the key factors prompting social service agencies to evolve their processes in recent years, adding not only new layers of complexity for caseworkers, but also new opportunities to serve people more effectively. By leveraging data and automation to gain more insights into an applicant’s income and employment situation across multiple income streams, agencies can better deliver appropriate benefits to eligible applicants in their time of need.”
As agencies look to streamline operations through “smarter use of technology, caseworkers see strong potential in a more unified, connected determination process.”
Nearly all social service workers (98%) agree that a “universal intake process – such as a common applicant form shared across programs – would increase efficiency.”
Likewise, almost all workers (99%) believe that it is “helpful for beneficiaries to have a single caseworker supporting multiple programs, enabling a more consistent and coordinated experience for beneficiaries.”
Workers with more than 10 years of experience “are particularly strong advocates for these changes.”
Over half (54%) of these more experienced employees say “a universal intake form would make their role much more efficient, compared with 43% of their less experienced peers.”
Notably, 61% of these more experienced workers believe it is “very helpful for beneficiaries to have one caseworker supporting multiple programs, versus 48% among less experienced staff.”
These research findings suggest that as caseworkers gain experience, they develop a clearer understanding of “how modernization can strengthen both operations and outcomes.”
This reinforces the case for improving efficiencies by “simplifying processes, laying the groundwork for a more connected and human-centered social service system.”
The Equifax Social Services Outlook Index was reportedly fielded from August to September 2025 among a “statistically significant sample of 500 U.S. government social service workers across the federal, state and local levels, and supporting programs including Medicaid, WIC, TANF, SNAP, SSI and others.”
The survey measures worker sentiment on “efficiency, technology adoption and the future of public service delivery.”