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GOVT WORK

Federal Workers More Miserable Than Last Year

Still, a majority report overall satisfaction with their jobs and agency goals

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by Dain Fitzgerald

Staff Writer t

"Don't even ask" / Image: Flickr

Federal workers are feeling underpaid and under-appreciated compared to 2011, reports Government Executive magazine, the subject matter of which should be obvious.

While more than 80% of federal employees surveyed enjoy the work they do, and most would recommend their workplace to those in search of a livelihood in civil service, only a third said that promotions around the office were based on genuine merit. This is down 3% from 2011. Additionally, 43% said that management didn't do enough to deal with "poor performers" who repeatedly fouled up on the job, an increase over last year.

While more than half of federal staffers said they were happy with their current salary - which isn't set to rise until March of next year at the earliest due to a nationwide pay freeze - this too has dropped from last year's relatively more chipper assessment.

Still, says John Berry of the US Office of Personnel Management, "these results show that federal employees continue to be [almost] as dedicated to their agencies, their mission, and to public service as ever before."

Via Government Executive.
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Do federal workers have good reason to complain about low pay and office politics?

Comments (view in Forum)

  • Fishbone345
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    US Office of Personnel Management. Another unneeded Government Agency suckling at the teat of taxpayer money. Good to see our investment working so well.
    "People are unhappy at work". Thanks, is the Sun hot too?
  • Real4WheelDrv
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    No, the sun is actually SO cold it generates heat!!! Or....is it? We....we should really convene a months or years long scientific study to answer this question,
  • martydotcom
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    @fishbone. Do you have any concept of what Office of Personnel mgt. does? Have you every been employed by a corp of any significant size that did not have a personnel dept. They didn't conduct the survey they commented on it. I think you'd find similar comments from a survey of any major corp. Every employee is sucking on the teat of their employer.
  • Fishbone345
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    @martydotcom Yes I'm aware how bureaucracy works. More often than not, they justify reasons for their existence. Most workers and bosses can figure out how to make things better themselves without the need for outside help.
    The hospital I worked at once hired GE to come and help us make things better in our surgical setting.
    Almost every one of their "improvements" came from within, the employees asked to sit in meetings with them. We shelled out several million dollars for this BS. A meeting with employees and management in the hospital could have done the same thing without the bill.
    Bureaucrats will always come up with ways they are "needed". And more often than not its smoke and mirrors.
  • martydotcom
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    @Fishbone345 equating bringing in a consultant is like comparing apples and oranges to a corp or federal personnel dept.
    I did a stint with McKinsey & co. Part of the job is to bring management and employees together in a productive environment and end up with each feeling that they came up with the solution thereby avoiding any difficulty with implementing changes.
    What wasn't apparent in your post. GE I would assume spent significant time within each group/dept. defining their role and their problems executing. They did the same with mgt. I would assume the project went beyond the surgical setting you were exposed to. Every assignment I was involved with included total governance of the operation from accounting IT systems & procedures, patient intake - discharge - procedures & cost analysis. ER the biggest fee generator would been gone thru with a fine tooth comb from the moment the patient came thru the door until wheels were rolling ..and so on thru every dept.
    The only was a consultant business can exist is, their recommendations MUST result in more savings than the fee the charge amortized over a given period. If they couldn't justify their existence financially, they would cease to exist that's just common sense
  • CanisCanemEdit
    !
    WORK: A four letter word that means to labor for personal gain.

    PLAY: A four letter word that means to have fun.

    LUCKY: A five letter word that means you enjoy what you do to earn income!
  • u
    Hireman
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    @martydotcom federal employees work for the federal government whose actions are dictated by, you guessed it! Politicians
  • u
    AceLuby
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    That's a pretty broad brush you've got there. Do you truly believe that half the federal workforce does 'nothing'? If so, I recommend doing some research on the many different parts of the federal govt and who they employ and for what reasons.
  • Thegrif
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    @AceLuby oh no! You are right every Fed employee works their butt off. I think everyone realized I wasn't talking about all Fed emplys, except you. There is no gov't waste and no gov't employees get pay checks wasted on them. Please everyone knows thats a lie. As for what I did, dont worry about it.
  • u
    AceLuby
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    @Thegrif I never claimed any of that, just that your brush is very broad to paint millions of workers as people who do 'nothing'.

    You were the one that said most of them do nothing. You also said you know because you worked as a federal employee. Is it so much to assume you did nothing and were a leech off the American taxpayer like you claim most other federal employees are?
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    Jim49418
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    If these "Federal Worker's" are really so Miserable than they were last year, why dont they just quit their jobs, and find something similar in the private sector?
    .......Probably because they would never be able to.
    If these people are so miserable with their job's, then they should leave them, and let some of the Millions who are looking for jobs, have them.

    How far left can Politix go,....when they post crap like this?
    With the economy in the tank, record unemployment records, Millions of families that are homeless, and Politix wants us to feel sorry for Federal workers?
    Good luck with that!
  • 1adam2
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    oh come on do you really expect, fte's to give up a gravy sucking job like that? and your right - there is no way, they can find somthing simular in the private sector. unless they could, find a job as an overpaid boat anchor. there are not that many, fte workers. why because good workers, make em look bad.
  • 1adam2
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    @1adam2 i left out good, in there are not that many good, fte workers. oh and in case you want to know. with government workers fte: stands for full time employee.
  • DARSB
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    Let's see... A two year pay freeze so far with only the possibility of a 0.5% raise IF the fiscal cliff is avoided, an out of touch conservative faction that wants to eliminate their jobs, and a general disdain from conservative media... Yup, I'd be a little bit miserable, too.
  • u
    Jim49418
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    Yeah, a two year pay freeze!
    Big deal!
    Millions of people cant find work, but you UNION people refuse to take a 0.05% pay cut, and claim you are "miserable"
    Good luck getting your sympathy!
    If those government workers are so miserable.... then they should quit.
    There are plenty of people that would be willing to have those job's.
  • DARSB
    !
    @Jim49418 You may want to start over again, this time with a bit less rant factor.

    To begin, I am not a union member, nor an employee of any government. I have no idea where your "pay cut" idea came from, maybe you can enlighten the rest of us. Lastly, these are your fellow citizens you seem so angry with, and mostly the jobs they do need to be done. They aren't agents of Satan, and begrudging them the same right of self-expression you so vigorously exercise here is a venal and petty behavior.
  • FFX_VA
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    It's a matter of perspective, they compare themselves to contractors' pay rates, what is always forgotten is its near impossible to get let go from a fed job, but contractors are employed "At-Will" meaning they can be let go at any time with no liability. Federal employment offers much more security. They also work for an org that can't cover its expenses (US Govt) so it's a little nuts to expect much of a raise. Complaining is fine, but there are a lot of qualified people looking for their jobs if they don't want them.
  • DARSB
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    @FFX_VA over the summer Congress heard testimony to the effect that tens of thousands of civilian DoD employees would be laid off if the sequestration takes effect on January 1.
  • View all 7 replies >
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    Sabio
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    not just no, but HELL NO! They have well paying jobs for minimal work, best health care and benefits at no cost to them, bloated, massive pensions that they don't have to contribute a dime to. quit crying and do your damn job or quit and get a private job where you pay for you and your families health care, pay your own retirement, at 1/2 the salary you make!
  • u
    LadyRose
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    Let me explain how wrong you are. I am a retired Federal employee. Yes I did retire with a well paying job bit I held several different positions in my 25 years and I can assure you there was nothing about them that required minimal work, I do not have a massive pension and I did contribute to it evey 2 weeks. I agree I did have and still do have wonderful health care but I don't believe paying over $500 a month for this health care constitutes no cost to a government employee or retiree. I am thankful ever time I have to see a doctor or have medical test done for the health bebefits I have and I do feel sympathy for all citizens without health benefits. I can't imagine where you received the information you posted here since it isn't true. I am no fan of the job that our senators and congressmen & congresswomen have done or I should say haven't done but they contribute to their retirement & health benefits also.
  • FollowTheMoney
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    Most of their jobs are unnecessary and unwanted by the taxpayer. Yet these people except their paychecks without remorse or thought for the people who's money is confiscated to cover their checks. I could really care less how they feel about their jobs.
  • MRMacrum
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    Not as good a reason as much of America. I find it difficult to feel as much empathy for say the DC area and it's way below the national unemployment rate against the high rate here or where it is even worse than my state has.
  • CATTLEPROD
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    I know what they need to raise thier spirits, ANOTHER DAY OFF!!!! I propose National Peanut Butter day. We give them 2 days off for that, in honor of both the ingredients. I think peanut butter is worthy of a national holiday, it helped win world war two. And government employees always honor the reason for thier day off whether its veterans day, flag day, presidents day, I know on those days I always see a govt. employee thanking a veteran, saluting the flag and reminding people who george washington was.
  • mimi57
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    @tomincali LOL..I have a pit that is almost a year old, such a baby doll...I feel bad I insulted pit bulls all over the country!...
  • kirbstomp1
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    They need to complain about all the useless federal agencies , quit their job and move to the free market to make our government smaller.
  • o
    jeffbrightone
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    The Obama federal 'working hordes’ print money day and night to pay their outrageous benefits since they do not have a budget or any limits during almost four years of Obama. Obama set sky as their limit on buying votes by re-distribution of free checks and free phones to Blacks, Hispanic , Asians, free loans to Black Hispanic and Asian students, free mortgages to their Democratic party base and unions and free food stamps to illegals from all over the world. The federal workers are printing money day and night and spreading checks to Obama's interest groups all over the world including unions and Mozlem brothers. They also busy in destroying the private sector small businesses and corporations by doubling the taxes fines and, fees and by adding worthless new million regulations to protect the planet with tons of extra paperwork that the small businesses need to prepare. The Federal workers aim at making all efforts to make sure the small businesses and US corporations become losers and non-profitable and lose lots of money in too much taxes and regulations. The federal workers earn twice than the private sector for the same equivalent job and they enjoy the security that allows them lots of freedom to do whatever they like on the job. There is no way to fire Federal worker who watch porn videos on the job or secret service agents that go to prostitutes on the job. In addition, the Federal workers enjoy the better health care than the average America and they enjoy pension that most Americans do not even dream about. They make the American people miserable while living like kings on the back of the people that they tax and fine every single day in the name of liberalism and global warming.
  • jessejaymes
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    I flat out could not care less whether federal workers are more happy than in the past. They're obese, incompetent and lazy. I could not possibly care less what their frame of mind is. What I do think they should be is scared to death that their job is history if they didn't measure up to tough but attainable performance reviews. These people are nearly zombies in terms of efficiency and I'm fairly certain Zombies move faster.
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