Fedweek

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 27, 2018: More than 9 million veterans are served each year by the Department of Veterans Affairs Image: Shutterstock.com

The VA has said that this year’s survey of employees shows gains in satisfaction with the department in general and with their own jobs in particular, with a related increase in willingness to recommend the VA as a place to work.

OPM has not yet released government-wide results of the annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey—that is expected at any time—but individual agencies have been announcing their own figures.

The VA combined the government-wide survey with its own employee survey in order to limit what it called “survey fatigue,” so its results include responses to some questions not asked elsewhere. For example, the VA asks employees what they care most about; the answer was having a civil and respectful work environment, having their concerns addressed by supervisors and having their talents used well in the workplace.

Regarding government-wide issues, the results also fell largely in line with those of prior years and with results reported recently by DHS and DoD, the other two of the three-largest departments in terms of employment. For example, only 50 percent of VA employees agreed or strongly agreed that differences in performance in their work unit are recognized in a meaningful way, and only 53 percent were satisfied with the recognition they receive for doing a good job; also similarly, views of management declined with each higher level of supervision.