Federal workers say Congress and public do not appreciate them

Federal workers are very satisfied with their workplaces and leadership in their agencies but say Congress and the public do not appreciate their work, according to results from an online survey conducted by Graduate School USA.

The survey of 450 federal workers, published on Dec. 20, said 68 percent of respondents felt their work was not appreciated by Congress, with 52 percent expressing similar sentiments about the negative public perception of their jobs. However, 59 percent of the feds interviewed said they felt appreciated by President Obama, and 74 percent of the feds said they received support from the leadership within their agency.  

Dr. Jerry Ice, chief executive officer and president of Graduate School USA, said the survey emphasized the need for additional leadership training and effective employee communication for a better federal workforce. 

“The survey indicates a direct correlation between a clearly articulated mission and positive team dynamics,” Ice said in a statement. “If your mission isn’t clearly stated, it’s hard to know if you’re meeting it.”

The survey’s results follow the Office of Personnel Management’s recently released federal employee viewpoint survey, which indicated a dip in federal employee morale in 2012. Pay issues were among the biggest factors affecting federal worker sentiments. In 2012, 59 percent of federal employees expressed satisfaction with their salaries and benefits, down from 62.5 percent in 2011 and 65.8 percent in 2010. 

(Image via Bplanet/Shutterstock.com)