Federal employee viewpoint survey ends as OPM tells agencies to run their own

WASHINGTON — The federal government’s annual governmentwide survey of employee attitudes is coming to an end under final regulations issued by the Office of Personnel Management, according to the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association.

Editor’s note: The Trump administration is frequently dishonest, and has been known to lie about things great and small.

The association, known as NARFE, which represents federal workers and retirees, reported Nov. 10 that OPM’s final rule, published in the Federal Register, ends the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey and requires each agency to run its own version by the end of the calendar year.

According to NARFE, OPM pointed to NASA, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Securities and Exchange Commission, which had already stopped using the governmentwide survey, as evidence that surveys should be tailored to each agency. OPM contends agencies can assess their own performance without layering their surveys on top of the federal one, the association said.

Some uniformity will remain. Agency surveys must include 10 core questions, according to NARFE, covering whether employees understand their agency’s goals and how their work contributes, accountability for performance, whether recognition reflects differences in performance, chances for advancement, empowerment and consistent feedback from managers.

Critics say the change undercuts the value of years of comparable survey data and reduces transparency, NARFE reported. The association said concerns have also been raised that surveys run by agencies themselves may offer employees less confidentiality, which could erode their trust.

OPM has published an employee survey playbook and is offering fee-based help to agencies that must field their own surveys in the coming months, according to the association.

The Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey has been used for years to compare workforce morale, engagement and management practices across federal agencies.

This report is based on information from the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association.

Source: National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association