GAO ANALYSTS MESSAGING CENTER

08/24/09 Communique

GAO Works with Union and Diversity Groups to Improve Employee Feedback Survey
GAO management worked with the GAO Union again this year to incorporate suggestions to the Employee Feedback survey, which has resulted in a number of new questions that can be used to calculate set benchmarks for a survey method called the “employee engagement” index.  This index can be used to benchmark GAO employee engagement and job satisfaction from year to year using a robust measure comprised of 16 survey questions that better reflect employees’ connection to the workplace than simpler measures of satisfaction.

The index is based on one that was developed by the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) in its 2005 Merit Principles Survey of federal employees.  In the MSPB survey, 16 survey questions were developed to measure employee engagement in the following six areas:

  1. Pride in one’s work or workplace
  2. Satisfaction with leadership
  3. Opportunity to perform well at work
  4. Satisfaction with the recognition received
  5. Prospect for future personal and professional growth
  6. A positive work environment with some focus on teamwork

GAO management had already included eight survey questions that were either the same or very similar to questions in the MSPB employee engagement index, and so GAO management agreed to add eight new questions so a similar index could be calculated for GAO employees.  We feel this will provide an improved means of measuring important aspects of GAO employees’ professional engagement from year to year.

For further information about the “employee engagement” index that the MSPB developed and implemented, see the report “The Power of Federal Employee Engagement” on the MSPB.gov Web site.

GAO management also worked with our elected diversity representatives, employee liaison groups, and the Diversity Council to add two new demographic questions that will help to determine the population size of GAO demographic groups whose numbers are difficult to measure -- disability and lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender sexual orientation.  In addition, these new questions are intended to inform GAO’s diversity strategies.  The two new questions are:

  • Are you an individual with a disability?
    • Yes
    • No
  • With which of the following categories do you most identify?
    • Heterosexual/Straight
    • Homosexual/Gay/Lesbian
    • Bisexual
    • Transgender

 
To our knowledge, GAO is the first federal agency to include such demographic questions in an employee survey, although some private firms include questions corresponding to the new demographic items in the 2009 GAO Employee Feedback Survey.

For further information about how the Union has worked with GAO on prior employee feedback surveys, see the June 16, 2008 Communiqué.

We encourage you to consider participating in the employee feedback survey this year.  Your participation will make the survey results more representative and more useful for improving GAO!

Update on Compensatory Time
As a result of the GAO Union raising concerns about staff not earning compensatory time for working long hours and on weekends, the Human Capital Office recently provided briefings to GAO SES staff (7/30, 8/04, 8/11) on the use of compensatory time.  The briefings were intended just for SES staff, but GAO management communicated with the Union throughout and provided the PowerPoint slides used for the presentation in advance for input from the GAO Union. GAO told us they received many questions from SESers about distinguishing the use of credit hours from the two different types of compensatory time (in lieu of overtime and time for travel).  They are considering offering additional briefings for Assistant Directors.

In addition, management is currently proposing revisions to the Compensation for Overtime Work Order, 2550.1 to conform to current OPM regulations.  OPM regulations do not limit the number of compensatory hours that can be earned (currently 24)(GAO sets no limit on comp time, but credit time--which is earned and used differently--is limited to 24 hours) and provide that employees can be paid for unused compensatory time that has not been used within 26 pay periods.  GAO's comment period for its proposed revisions closes August 31, 2009.

We view these actions by GAO management as positive steps to use existing GAO policies to fairly compensate staff for extra hours worked when credit hours and other time charges are not permitted, as well as to revise parts of the current GAO Order to be in line with OPM’s regulations.  If you would like clarification regarding the use of compensatory time, or have any other questions, please contact a Union officer or any Assembly delegate.
For more information see:

6/22/09 Special Communiqué: GAO policy on Compensatory time
SES Briefing Slides:  Slides can be accessed on http://info1.gao.gov/humancapital/leave/comptime.html
GAO Management Proposed Changes to Compensatory Time Policy:  http://weblogs.gao.gov/notices/archives/2009/07/changes_to_comp_1.html


PAST COMMUNIQUES:
07/14/09:  Master Contract preparations continue
06/22/09:  GAO policy on compensatory time
06/02/09:  PBC pay to be Processed Soon Using Alternative to SRS
05/27/09:  Help Improve GAO: Volunteer as a Union Representative on Management Initiatives