GAO Summarizes Views on Performance Pay

The Government Accountability Office has issued a report (GAO-05-832SP) on a symposium it convened earlier this year among experts on pay for performance systems and how they might apply to the federal government. It said that there was a broad consensus that agencies should: focus on a set of values and objectives to guide the pay system; examine the value of employees’ total compensation to remain competitive in the market; build in safeguards to enhance the transparency and ensure the fairness of pay decisions; devolve decision making on pay to appropriate levels; provide training on leadership, management, and interpersonal skills to facilitate effective communication; build consensus to gain ownership and acceptance for pay reforms; and monitor and refine the implementation of the pay system.