Mike Nartker
WC Monitor
12/5/2014
A survey of employees in the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management has found that approximately 60 percent are satisfied with their jobs, but less are satisfied with the organization as a whole, according to information EM recently provided to WC Monitor. The results of the 2014 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, for which 663 EM employees took part, largely mirror the results of last year’s survey in most areas. For the question, “Considering everything, how satisfied are you with your job,” 58.10 percent of EM survey respondents answered positively, while 21.70 percent provided a neutral answer and 20.30 percent provided a negative answer. When asked how satisfied they were with their organization, slightly less than half (49.40 percent) responded positively, while 24.40 percent responded neutrally and 26.20 percent responded negatively.
This year’s survey found that approximately half of EM’s workforce appears to have a positive view of the organization’s senior leadership. Approximately 52 percent of those surveyed responded positively to the statement, “I have a high level of respect for my organization’s senior leaders,” while 21.8 percent responded neutrally and 25.4 percent responded negatively. The statement, “My organization’s senior leaders maintain high standards of honesty and integrity” generated similar results. Those EM employees surveyed appeared to have a more negative reaction, though, to the statement, “In my organization senior leaders generate high levels of motivation and commitment in the workforce,” to which 37.8 percent responded positively, 23.5 percent responded neutrally and 38.7 percent responded negatively.
Also similar to last year’s survey results, EM employees this year expressed concern with how their performance—either good or bad—is measured and addressed. Approximately 47 percent of those surveyed responded negatively to the statements, “In my work unit, steps are taken to deal with a poor performer who cannot or will not improve” and “In my work unit, differences in performance are recognized in a meaningful way,” while approximately 25 percent responded positively to each. More than 40 percent of those surveyed responded negatively to the statement, “Promotions in my work unit are based on merit,” while just under 30 percent responded positively. Approximately 60 percent responded negatively to, “Pay raises depend on how well employees perform their jobs,” while approximately 13 percent responded positively. EM did not respond to a request for comment this week on the survey results.
EM Working to Build a ‘Healthier Organization,’ Acting Cleanup Chief Says
In a message to employees late this week on the survey results, acting Assistant Energy Secretary for Environmental Management Mark Whitney reiterated that EM is working to become a “healthier” organization. “EM has made progress but there is still much to do. We want EM to be an organization in which people trust one another. Peers trust peers. Employees trust supervisors. Managers trust their employees. People admit mistakes and ask for help when needed,” Whitney said.
He went on to say, “We want EM to be an organization in which people voice their perspectives and any disagreements freely without concerns for retaliation. We want EM to be an organization in which informed decisions are made, the rationale for the decisions is communicated and the entire organization commits to the decision that is made. We want EM to be an organization in which we hold each other accountable and we ask one another for help when we need it We need to be all these things in order to safely and efficiently deliver the results that are expected of us.”
