How to Cure Federal Workers' Biggest Workplace Pains

My recent column on how federal senior executives have vastly different perceptions than their employees on a number of critical workplace issues struck a chord with readers, many of whom described their own experiences.

The readers were responding to an analysis of a federal employee survey, which revealed that senior executives are quite satisfied with the fairness of promotions, the way poor performers are handled and the recognition and awards given for good job performance--while federal employees believe that many executives are failing on these issues.

Several readers said the problems begin with the selection of senior executives, suggesting agencies sometimes do a poor job of identifying and choosing leaders who have the organizational, people and management skills required for success. Making matters worse, several noted that poor performing executives are seldom replaced.

"I've seen incompetent individuals promoted to key positions where their failure is a significant drag on the director's ability to accomplish mission goals," wrote one federal employee. "Then the process for demoting or removing them is stuck and there they stay."

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