GovernmentExecutive.com

The implementation of the Senior Executive Service's pay-for-performance system may serve to ease anxiety among non-SES employees about their looming governmentwide personnel reform, a chief human capital officer said Monday.

Employees are starting to notice their annual rewards for high achievement in the workplace are "much smaller" than the rewards some of the executives in their agencies are receiving under the new system, said Allen Pittman, assistant secretary for human resources in the Veterans Affairs Department. Pittman serves as one of 25 CHCOs who sit on a council to address human resources issues across agencies.

The SES performance-based system is "creating more curiosity, absolutely," among rank-and-file employees about having their own pay tied to job performance, Pittman said.

The system was put into place after Congress passed legislation in November 2003 that eliminated regular cost-of-living adjustments and locality pay for senior executives, instead tying raises to performance evaluations.

The Office of Management and Budget is drafting a piece of legislation called the Working for America Act that would implement personnel reforms, including performance-based pay, for all civil servants.

Even if the SES model has not quelled every concern about impending changes to personnel rules, Reginald Wells, deputy commissioner and CHCO at the Social Security Administration, said the new system has not caused widespread apprehension.

The implementation of the senior level pay-for-performance system has been "remarkably quiet," Wells said. "There has not been a tremendous expression of delight or outrage." Wells said that could be because the SES employees within his agency have generally received high performance ratings.

Pittman and Wells made their remarks Monday in a session at the Excellence in Government conference, which is co-sponsored by Government Executive.

The CHCOs warned that even though implementation of the SES system was relatively quiet, some people were shocked by the change.

Pittman recounted telling an executive who had received "outstanding" reviews throughout his career that he would be rated only slightly above "satisfactory."

"The blood just left his face," Pittman said.

COMMENTS

• What a buch of cry babies. Nothing is ever good enough for you all. Get over it or don't. If you each made 200K per year with 2 months of vacation you would still complain because you think you are owed something. Pathetic, self centered little minds you all have. I hope to god we implement some sort of mental health screening before we hire any more of your types. Manager Posted August 4, 2005 6:42 PM
• The neverending nonsense continues. The SES was supposed to be a corp. of senior executives who were expert managers and could manage anywhere across the federal sector. It became an entrenched group of senior technical specialists more interested in driving deep into a program and never, ever moving. Most of the SESers I've had the privilege of knowing would be completely lost outside of their technical program-- as managers and leaders in dealing with HR issues, abysmal failures! The quote: Pittman recounted telling an executive who had received "outstanding" reviews throughout his career that he would be rated only slightly above "satisfactory." "The blood just left his face," Pittman said." just makes me howl in laughter. Mr. Pittman, has there ever been an SESer who it is recorded has lost their position because of performance deficiencies-- of course not. The SESer is quietly told to leave but I challenge anyone to find a recorded case of an SESer being placed under a PIP and removed in a performance based action. So you don't get your full award in the SES this year and are skipped for that meritorious presidential award-- don't worry, your SES committee will give it to next time regardless of your performance. If you want to make a frittata you have to break some eggs. If you want a top notch management corp. in the federal sector-- you have to break some eggs. :-)))) HR Specialist GovExec.com reader Posted August 1, 2005 8:01 AM
• I talked to a woman who I think is doing a great job in an organization that has been steadily improving over the last several years. She is on one of the demonstration programs at a fairly low grade. She is trying to get a job in a traditional structure, because her pay raises have been miniscule. I suspect the SES success will not be a predictor for lower graded personnel. GovExec.com reader Posted July 28, 2005 12:40 PM