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Return to Article: Finding Flexibility

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  Why is it always about managers being happy? What about the working level folks? You know, the ones who actually get the work accomplished while all of the managers go to meetings so they can implement processes that make it harder for the employees to do their work. Managers reward those workers with agressive type-A personalities that appear to be achieving yet do so without adequate planning, often "shooting from the hip", and then moving on to the next project so they don't have to deal with the mess they made. Their rewards are made at the expense of the other not so agressive employees. The hard working and careful planners and executers that get the job done correctly but not in high visibility don't get anything. Mismanagement is everywhere in the Government. If the working level employee are given the power to rate and criticize their management an daffect their pay you will truly see some happy employees.

  Dave Posted July 7, 2009 9:34 AM
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  Nothing motivates taxpayers more than to see their taxdollars being well spent. no matter how you look at it putting lipstick on a pig

  dan m ketter Posted July 1, 2009 10:01 PM
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  Nothing motivates a worker more than to see his boss put in an honest day's work. That has been the major problem for decades. Workers know when the management is competent and when it is not.

  If more effort was made to have competent and trustworthy managers, a lot more federal employees would be happy. OPM needs to stop being part of the problem. It's the bureaucratic mentality that bad bosses count on to keep their jobs.

  Robert M. Posted July 1, 2009 10:41 AM
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  Good to see that GAO made the list. If I recall for the first time in this organization's recent history its staff voted overwhelmingly to unionize in response to the clumsy and arbitrary implementation of its so called "pay for performance" system. Perhaps this happiness is due to its former management leadership going out the door.

  Jim Jools Posted July 1, 2009 9:47 AM
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  Maybe before you write a piece about how great these agencies' benefits are or how much flexibility managers have, you should actually talk to someone at the agency (someone beyond the public affairs office). Sure, people are happy here at GAO, but it's not because our benefits are any different than anywhere else--we piggy back on OPM's benefits package, and our tuition reimbursement program is actually much less generous that other programs. Our salary structure is actually lower than comparable level in the GS scale (e.g., our equivalent of a GS-12 caps out $10,000 lower than GS-12); managers cannot terminate poor performing employees any easier than other agencies; and while there is an option to give more time off to people coming in with experience, the HR office doesn't negotiate that--and the extra time off cannot be retroactively granted. On top of this, we now have a union that seems to be focusing on eliminating performance-based pay.

  By the way, I want to stay anonymous on this.

  frank Posted July 1, 2009 9:10 AM
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  Well we certainly know what FAA "managers" did with the increased flexibility the Bush Blakey Sturgell crowd gave them.

  FAA ended up 214 out of 216 in the last employee survey.

  Mission accomplished !

  Mark AThas Posted July 1, 2009 8:59 AM
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  Consider the impact of FAA personnel and pay reforms implemented in 1996. Judged 214th Best Place to Work out of 216 agencies by it's employees. I'm so glad to be an ex-FAA employee!!!

  Ex-FAA Employee Posted July 1, 2009 8:56 AM
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  I do not agree that management should control or even have a say in Benefits other than Leave! Benefits are what draws a person to the job and are built into the position. All employees should have the equal opportunity to secure the Benefits which fits them and their family and should not be at the whim of management!

  B Schell Posted July 1, 2009 8:11 AM
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  Perhaps some of the joy being felt at GAO is a direct result of the workers taking their careers back from mismanagement. Please remember that only after David M. Walker, ex-top dog, was rebuffed by the creation of GAO?s first ever union did the workers feel vindicated. This was a direct result of their action versus managements'.

  Now good ole Dave may be seeking retribution in Blackrock?s bid for control of the government workers? TSP. Did I just hear a... ?That?ll teach ?em!?

  Tip off Posted July 1, 2009 8:00 AM