Employees keep training expectations to themselves

Early findings from a survey of the federal workforce reveal that a large number of employees want more job training, but many are not sharing their expectations with their supervisors.

The Merit Systems Protection Board earlier this month released preliminary statistics from its 2005 survey. Of 37,000 employees canvassed across 24 agencies, the board found that 46 percent "would like additional training to improve their job performance" and 64 percent believe they have received sufficient training to perform their duties.

But MSPB found that only 33 percent had communicated expectations for training to their supervisors as part of career development plans and just 48 percent said they viewed their supervisors as a resource for improving workplace skills.

"These results suggest that better communication between employees and their agencies may be necessary if federal employees are to receive the training they need," the board said in the January publication of the MSPB newsletter Issues of Merit. MSPB cited employee training as an opportunity for improvement in the government.

Employees surveyed also said they expect the training to be funded by agencies. Eighty-one percent said instruction should come through agency-sponsored formal training and 77 percent said it should be from "on-the-job developmental experiences."

A lack of training did not keep 71 percent of respondents from indicating that they like their jobs, however. The survey found that 98 percent are motivated by pride in their work, while 71 percent said they would be motivated by a hypothetical $1,000 cash award.

More than 60 percent of employees said they were satisfied with their pay, but only 40 percent expressed satisfaction with the recognition and awards they receive.

Sixty percent of employees surveyed said they think their jobs are secure.

Many employees reported that their agencies' budgets were tight. Only 64 percent of respondents said they had the resources needed to do their work.

Employees responded strongly to questions of commitment to public service. Eighty percent said they believe their organizations "provide high-quality products and services to the public." Eighty-six percent said their jobs are meaningful and 94 percent said they believe their agency's mission is important.

MSPB said a juxtaposition of these findings shows that "federal employees are committed to their public service roles, [but] they are less satisfied with how well they are supported in these roles."

The board will release its full findings in a formal report to the president and Congress, as it has done every few years since 1983. The survey was conducted by the board's Office of Policy and Evaluation.