The Office of Personnel Management has issued a final regulation listing questions agencies must include in mandatory annual employee-satisfaction surveys.
Effective January 1, 2007, the regulation –published in the August 24 Federal Register — requires each agency to conduct annual employee surveys to assess leadership and management practices contributing to agency performance, as well as employee satisfaction with leadership policies and practices, work environment, rewards and recognition, opportunities for professional development and growth, and attitudes regarding the opportunity to contribute to achieving the organizational mission.
Required questions ask employees to state whether they have trust and confidence in their supervisors, whether supervisors in the employees’ work units support employee development, whether employee talents are used and training needs are assessed, and whether managers communicate the goals and priorities of the organization.
The 35 required questions also ask employees to rate how satisfied they are with the information they receive from management on what’s going on in the organization, as well as their satisfaction with opportunities to get a better job within the organization.
Agencies are required to complete the surveys by year-end and post the results online by May 1.