The shift to pay for performance involves only a modest increase in award amounts for members of the senior executive service, the Office of Personnel Management has said in a report on SES trends for fiscal 2005.
OPM said agencies are taking the requirement to develop rigorous appraisal systems seriously and are starting to make meaningful distinctions in performance ratings and pay for the 6,834 career and non-career senior executives in the federal government.
The average performance award increased from $13,734 in fiscal 2004 to $13,814 in 2005.
Executives rated at the highest level of performance dropped 16 — 17 percent in fiscal 2005 over fiscal 2004, something OPM cited as evidence of increased distinctions in ratings.
It said agencies are also exercising rigor in implementing pay for performance. For example, all reporting agencies now have at least one rating level above fully successful.
