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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	CONTACTS:
Embargoed until March 31, 2000	Sue Blumenthal, NPR
	(202) 694-0051
	Ivonne Cunarro, OPM
	(202) 606-1479

FEDERAL AGENCIES PLEDGE CHANGES BASED ON EMPLOYEE SURVEY Federal workers are driving improvements in their offices as a result of a survey sponsored by Vice President Gore's National Partnership for Reinventing Government and the Office of Personnel Management. The fall 1999 survey showed that 84 percent of employees who believe reinvention is a priority in their office are satisfied with their jobs. The rate is almost triple the 31 percent satisfaction rate of employees who do not believe their office stresses reinvention. "This survey reconfirms the value of reinvention," said Morley Winograd, director of the reinvention partnership. "We are in the midst of a fierce contest with private business for the country's most talented workers. Making the federal government an exciting place to work is the best thing we can do for the government and our workers." Responses from employees in 48 agencies showed that overall job satisfaction in the federal government, 60 percent, is about the same as for private business, but federal employees give lower ratings to their immediate supervisors and work units. Many are frustrated with a system that fails to reward outstanding employees or deal with under performers. "We have listened carefully to the message federal employees sent us in this survey and we are taking steps to address the issues that most concern them," said Janice Lachance, Office of Personnel Management director. As a result of the survey, the President's Management Council, comprised of chief operating officers of major federal agencies, has proposed that both political and career federal executives be accountable for employee and customer satisfaction as well as attaining mission results. "In order to reward good performance and deal with under-performers, it's important to have a clear definition of what we mean by good performance," Winograd said. In response to survey responses that gave low ratings to immediate supervisors, many agencies pledge to increase management training. Some agencies are streamlining their hiring process and improving their use of recruitment incentives. Each agency has pledged long- and short-range changes based on responses from its own employees: The Defense Logistics Agency will invest 1.5 percent of its payroll costs into training, and each employee will receive at least 40 hours of training each year in new acquisition practices. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has launched a series of on-line chats with Commissioner Todd Dickenson and will open an e-mail box for employees who want to communicate with agency leaders. The Interior Department will begin measuring the percent of employees who offer suggestions and the percentage of suggestions that are adopted. Interior will also track the number of employees who telecommute, share jobs and work flexible or alternate work schedules. The National Partnership for Reinventing Government works with government agencies to identify best practices in partnership with the Office of Personnel Management. The survey will be repeated later this year to measure the success of reinvention efforts. Individual agency results, improvement strategies and survey details can be found on the Internet at www.employeesurvey.gov.