Survey results addressed by leadership with action plan

Huntsville Center Public Affairs
Published Jan. 6, 2023
Of the 979 Federal Employee Viewpoint Surveys administered to Huntsville Center employees, almost 682 completed the survey for a response rate of 69.9 percent, the second highest response rate in USACE.

Of the 979 Federal Employee Viewpoint Surveys administered to Huntsville Center employees, almost 682 completed the survey for a response rate of 69.9 percent, the second highest response rate in USACE.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. --Data from a recent federal workforce survey implies most of the U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville workforce is content. However, Huntsville Center leadership is committed to set in motion a plan of action to address and improve areas cited in the survey’s results.

The Office of Personnel Management’s Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, conducted throughout the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in June and July, measures employees' perceptions of whether, and to what extent, conditions characteristic of successful organizations is present.

Of the 979 surveys administered to Huntsville Center employees, almost 682 completed the survey for a response rate of 69.9 percent, the second highest response rate in USACE.

Col. Sebastien Joly, Huntsville Center commander, said the survey is the best tool he has available to ensure the Center’s workforce feels valued, supported, and respected.

“Our (Huntsville Center) greatest strength and asset is our people, and we owe it to our people to respond to their feedback by improving the workplace so that they can safely deliver quality projects on time and within budget.,” Joly said.

Valerie Ward, Human Resources Strategic Advisor for the Center, reviewed the data received in the survey and provides leadership with results.

Ward said top scores in this year’s survey corelated to mission accomplishment, achieving goals, producing high quality work and supervisor’s treating employees with respect.

She said lowest scores correlated to changes in work priorities, employees feeling under too much pressure, differences in performance recognition and management not involving employees in the decision-making process.

One area of concern, Ward said, was employees lacking confidence that the survey itself will be used to make agency better.

Joly said that concern is telling, and he is doing everything he can to ensure the lower survey results are addressed by activating an action plan to tackle employee’s concerns.

He said action plan includes conducting a Center-wide town hall to discuss the FEVS results with the workforce as well as a “State-of-the-Center” address from Chip Marin, Huntsville Center Programs and Business director, to update the entire workforce on our recent progress toward our target goals.

Joly said he continues to promote use of the Center’s anonymous feedback program (found on the Center’s SharePoint front page) to find solutions to problems as they arise.

“If an employee sees something that requires a deeper look, and they have followed their chain of command yet felt their issue isn’t being addressed, the feedback program is there for them and I assure you I put eyes-on every message sent,” Joly said.

Other planned actions to address employees concerns include assessments for supervisors, an informal mentoring/shadowing program, a more robust onboarding program for new employees and greater focus on Individual Development Plans, technical training and leadership development.

“Our People are the centerpiece of the Huntsville Center mission, and we must do all we can to take care of them,” Joly said.

“They want and deserve to be recognized for their unique talents; they want purpose, a feeling of belonging, and a say in their pathway to success. When our People are afforded these considerations, we know that they perform better, stay longer, and make our Army, USACE and the Center stronger.”