OPM survey finds smaller agencies excel in job satisfaction

Feds are most satisfied working at relatively small, professional-oriented agencies, according to results of the Office of Personnel Management’s Federal Human Capital Survey released today.OPM used the survey to rank the top 10 agencies for employee satisfaction in four categories. The agencies listed in the top 10 in all four categories were the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Science Foundation, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Office of Management and Budget. Defense and intelligence agencies were absent from the top rankings; however, the State Department ranked tenth in terms of satisfaction with leadership.“Our aim here with this new set of rankings is [to] provide a source of best practices and information,” OPM Director Linda Springer said at a press conference. “It's a window into what works.”  Springer pledged to continue to work with agencies to improve employee satisfaction.OPM used the survey to rank the top 10 agencies for worker satisfaction in these categories: job satisfaction, talent management, a results-oriented performance culture and leadership and knowledge management. OPM asked federal employees questions such as how satisfied they were with their pay and benefits, and if they felt their managers treated them fairly. In a related development, OPM released governmentwide survey results earlier this month that reported job satisfaction is high for federal employees across the board. Nearly 90 percent of those responding said they believe their work is important. Also, 83 percent said they know how their work fits into the big picture, which is their agency's mission.