Profiles of Excellence — The High-Flying Agencies

The surest way to become a Best Place to Work is to learn from the organizations at the top. In 2007, the highly-ranked and most-improved agencies are a diverse group. Some are high profile (Social Security Administration and Department of Justice), while others work more behind the scenes (Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service). Still others are highly effective in their spheres of influence (National Science Foundation) or have a big impact on national policy from “inside the beltway" (Office of Management and Budget, Government Accountability Office).

However, despite seemingly large differences in mission, focus and public visibility, the high-fliers share a common set of characteristics that helps ensure high levels of employee engagement:  effective leadership, a strong connection between employee skills and the organizational mission, and a culture that values professionalism and performance. Here are brief profiles of some of the highly-ranked agencies, large and small, in 2007.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

The number one ranked Best Places large agency, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) protects the health and safety of people, the environment, and the nation by regulating the civilian use of nuclear power and nuclear materials. NRC’s 3,200 employees strive for “excellence in regulating the safe and secure use and management of radioactive materials for the public good.” The Commission licenses nuclear facilities and the use of nuclear materials, inspects nuclear facilities and materials, and enforces compliance with standards and requirements.

For the first time in more than a decade, new nuclear power plants are being planned, and NRC is expanding its workforce. About 400 new employees were brought on board in 2006, and NRC is on track to hire another 400 in both 2007 and 2008.

NRC management has been working hard to keep employees fully informed of these changes. Despite a growing workload, NRC is also committed to maintaining an employee-friendly workplace. This has allowed the Commission to retain skilled employees who might otherwise have left. That’s why NRC ranks number one among the large agencies on “work/life balance.” In short, a vital mission, increased visibility, a highly professional and growing workforce, good internal communications, and a focus on employees, as well as mission, all converge to make NRC the top-ranked large agency in 2007.

Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service

The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) is the number one small agency and has the highest score of all 283 organizations ranked in 2007. FMCS is an independent federal agency that:

• Promotes sound and stable labor management relationships in both the public and private sectors;
• Mediates labor-management disputes;
• Advocates collective bargaining, mediation and arbitration as the best ways to resolve labor issues;
• Provides conflict resolution services; and
• Fosters constructive joint processes to improve labor-management relationships, employment security and organizational effectiveness.

About 75 percent of FMCS’s employees are mediators who work in 79 field offices located across the nation. The Service uses a rigorous selection process to hire new mediators and also works hard to provide professional development opportunities for them.   

FMCS is continually on the lookout for qualified mediator candidates. As a result, the FMCS applicant pool is usually well-stocked with hundreds of mediator candidates. Applicants who qualify after the initial screening process go through a series of highly structured interviews that involve role play simulations and a formal presentation. Then, after they’re hired, even the most experienced new mediators are assigned mentors and receive training.  

The Service also pays close attention to each mediator’s professional development. For example, the agency has presented a series of regional workshops to its staff on key industries and issues, including aerospace and health care. FMCS also sponsors biennial professional development seminars for all mediators. These seminars provide valuable training, and also bring together the otherwise far-flung mediator workforce.

Social Security Administration

Among the 30 large agencies ranked in Best Places, the Social Security Administration (SSA) is the most improved, increasing its index score from 60.6 in 2005 to 66.5 in 2007, an improvement of almost 10 percent. This vaulted SSA to the number 7 ranking in 2007. Not bad for one of the federal government’s most highly decentralized agencies (about 65,000 employees working in more than 1,500 offices across the country). About 60,000 of these employees directly serve the public or SSA’s front-line workers. SSA also has a very diverse workforce, and is one of only two large agencies where the percentage of Hispanic employees mirrors the Hispanic percentage in the larger civilian labor force. 

SSA promotes the nation’s economic security by administering major income support programs for the elderly, the disabled, and their dependents. SSA employees touch the lives of over 95 percent of the American public by assigning social security numbers, maintaining earnings records for covered workers, and administering the Supplemental Security Income program for the aged, blind, and disabled. The agency also provides service delivery support to the Medicare, Medicaid, Railroad Retirement, and Food Stamp programs.

The SSA values call for employees to be “respectful, responsive, and reliable” in dealing with the public. The latest employee survey findings suggest that SSA is also being responsive to its own employees. The Administration recently jettisoned a pro-forma pass-fail performance appraisal system and invested in a more meaningful, multi-level system. SSA also supports its supervisors and managers. Both efforts appear to be paying off, as indicated by higher Best Places scores in 2007 in effective leadership, and performance-based rewards and advancement (gains of 8.8 and 9.7 percent, respectively).

Department of Justice

Compared to 2005, the Department of Justice (DoJ) had the third highest Best Places improvement among large agencies, increasing its score from 64.5 to 69, a seven percent increase. This puts the Department in fifth place in 2007. DoJ also had significant gains from 2003 to 2005. With its 2007 gains, Justice is the biggest mover from 2003 to 2007, up 21 percent.

Some of DoJ’s improvement can be explained by its changing structure. In 2003, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, one of the lowest-rated subcomponent agencies, moved from Justice to the new Department of Homeland Security.  In addition, for the first time, Justice administered the FHCS to FBI employees. The FBI index score of 71.4 helped boost the overall DoJ score in 2007.

Department officials also point to other reasons for the Department’s improvement this year. After the 2004 results were in, the DoJ CHCO and her staff worked with the individual Justice components to develop action plans that focused on three to five key issues related to performance management, leadership, and job satisfaction. DoJ also conducted “best practices sessions” to share the lessons from highly-ranked components. In 2007, Justice has already developed action plans to address key issues from the 2006 FHCS results.

U.S. Government Accountability Office

The Government Accountability Office places second in the 2007 Best Places rankings among large agencies. With a workforce of about 3,200 employees and a budget of just under $500 million, GAO supports the Congress in carrying out its Constitutional responsibilities on behalf of the American people. GAO is often called “the investigative arm of Congress.” It examines how taxpayer dollars are spent, evaluates whether policies and programs are meeting their objectives, and advises lawmakers and agencies on ways to make government work better. Recent GAO studies have assessed reconstruction efforts in Iraq, the federal response to Hurricane Katrina, border security, credit card fees, Medicare prescription drug coverage, and pandemic disease preparedness.

GAO seeks to lead by example and has undertaken a series of internal changes in recent years to help better recruit, retain, and motivate a first-rate workforce. For example, the agency modernized its job classification and compensation systems, including implementing a performance-based compensation system that was not only a major structural change, but also a profound cultural change. This makes GAO’s ability to stay near the top of the rankings in 2007 impressive.

Investments in new technology have also been a priority, and GAO has adopted practices such as flexiplace and telecommuting to help employees better balance the demands of work and home. GAO employees have a voice in organizational changes through periodic electronic surveys and an Employee Advisory Council that regularly meets with top management. The result has been improved performance, greater employee job satisfaction, and more effective use of agency resources. Measurable financial benefits from GAO work in fiscal 2006 reached an all-time high of $51 billion — a $105 return on every dollar the American taxpayer invested in GAO.

Office of Management and Budget

The number three small agency in 2007, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) may be small in size, but has a big impact on national policy. Its mission is to assist the President in developing the federal budget and administering all executive branch agencies. Operating within the Executive Office of the President, OMB is charged with ensuring that in both policy and practice the federal government is meeting the needs of the American people.

With one-third of its staff under the age of 35, OMB focuses on ensuring that even at the beginning stages of their careers young workers are given responsibility for critical agency assignments. More than 70 percent of OMB staff work in professional positions – most with graduate degrees in economics, business, law and engineering. OMB work is fast-paced with tight deadlines and intensive collaboration with high-level agency officials. This demanding environment makes the most of its employees’ talents. OMB’s performance management system places more emphasis on employee feedback to help monitor success. The result is consistently high Best Places ratings overall, as well as “top five” 2007 rankings in employee skills/mission match, strategic management, effective leadership, and teamwork.

National Science Foundation 

The National Science Foundation (NSF) – fourth in the 2007 small agency rankings – is at the center of the effort to support America’s scientific advancement, innovation and competitiveness. With an annual budget of $5.5 billion, NSF is the source of 20 percent of all federally-funded basic research and the key supporter of work in computer science, mathematics and the social sciences. By issuing about 10,000 merit-based grants per year, NSF has fueled a wide range of discoveries and innovations, from past successes such as the creation of the Internet, bar codes and fiber optics, to emerging fields such as nanotechnology.

The NSF organizational culture is grounded in its scientific mission, incorporating the best elements of the academic and research organizations it supports. Senior managers work hard to promote a collegial environment, and subject matter experts from major universities rotate through departments on one to two year assignments to ensure fresh thinking and the most up-to-date practices and perspectives. Outside the workplace, NSF staff members are encouraged to actively engage in their research communities by delivering presentations, attending conferences, and making on-site visits to collaborate with their grantees. These connections to the broader scientific community enhance the work environment by broadening the reach and impact of employees’ work.

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

They don’t wear white hats or tin stars on their suit jackets, but the employees at SEC – the number three large agency in the 2007 Best Places rankings – like to think of themselves as the “good guys.” Charged with the enormous job of maintaining the integrity of the securities markets, SEC employees are a dedicated staff of professionals motivated by the chance to help level the playing field for the average American investor.

In addition to the appeal of its mission, SEC has benefited from its willingness and ability to adjust its human capital policies to maintain competitiveness amid fierce private sector competition for talent. In 2002, Congress gave SEC the authority to develop a more flexible compensation system. Agency leaders responded by developing a pay and compensation system with more competitive salaries and better awards for superior performance. Combined with the frequent use of student loan repayments, these changes help SEC attract and retain some of the country’s most talented and dedicated employees.

 

© 2007 Partnership for Public Service