Fedweek

OPM has started to conduct the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, an annual government-wide polling of personal experiences and opinions of the government as an employer. For many years, the survey consistently has shown, for example, that employees have little confidence that promotions and awards are based on merit or that they would be safe in making a whistleblowing disclosure—although theylargely feel their work is important and they are willing to put in the effort needed to get it done. Opinions have fallen in recent years virtually across the board, though. Results of this year’s polling will be examined for evidence of whether employees merely had been soured temporarily by the salary rate freeze and furloughs of that period, or whether that higher level of dissatisfaction is the new normal. About 400,000 federal employees responded last year to the survey, which is conducted electronically starting with an email notification, a response rate of nearly 50 percent that officials said produced a high level of confidence in the accuracy of the results. The survey this year will run through June.