Employees Responded Most Positively to Statements Related to Planning and Setting Expectations Phase; Least Positively to Those Related to Rewarding Performance

From 2010 through 2017, surveyed employees generally demonstrated  positive responses to FEVS statements related to four of OPM’s five  performance management phases, including: planning and setting  expectations, monitoring performance, developing the capacity to  perform, and rating performance (as shown in figure 2). Specifically,  employees at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Centers for  Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Drug Enforcement  Administration (DEA), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency  (OCC) consistently agreed or strongly agreed to selected FEVS  statements related to the five phases of OPM’s performance  management cycle. All four  agencies agreed that these practices helped contribute to their  employees’ responses to the selected FEVS statements and improved  performance management. Each of  the agencies in our review cited a strong organizational culture that was  based on and tied to their agency’s mission. In addition, three of the four selected agencies also used other practices. However, OPM does not have a process for regularly updating  its performance management website with new guidance and resources  to ensure that the information is readily available. OPM Could Better Lead Efforts to Identify and Share Emerging Performance Management Research and Innovation

OPM provides opportunities for agencies to share promising practices. Without OPM  taking the lead to share emerging and innovative research, agencies, and  therefore their employees, may not benefit from the best information  available. Conclusions

Managing employee performance has been a long-standing government- wide issue. While OPM provides performance management resources on its website,  some information is not regularly updated and can be challenging to find. Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

This report (1) describes federal employee perceptions of performance  management as measured by the results of selected statements from the  Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) annual survey of federal  employees, the Federal Employment Viewpoint Survey (FEVS); (2)  identifies practices that selected agencies use to develop and implement  strategies to improve performance management; and (3) evaluates  OPM’s guidance and resources to support agency efforts to improve  performance management government-wide. We selected agencies that had the highest average scores for the  performance management phases.
Why GAO Did This Study

Managing employee performance has been a long-standing government-wide issue and the subject of numerous reforms since the beginning of the modern civil service. Without effective performance management, agencies risk not only losing the skills of top talent, they also risk missing the opportunity to effectively address increasingly complex and evolving mission challenges.
GAO was asked to examine federal non-Senior Executive Service performance management systems. This report examines (1) government-wide trends in employee perceptions of performance management as measured by the results of selected FEVS statements, (2) practices that selected agencies use to improve performance management, and (3) OPM's guidance and resources to support agency efforts to improve performance management government-wide.
GAO analyzed responses to selected FEVS statements related to the five performance management phases from 2010 through 2017; selected four agencies based on the highest average scores for the five phases, among other criteria, to identify practices which may contribute to improved performance management; reviewed OPM documents; and interviewed OPM and other agency officials.

What GAO Found

GAO found that from 2010 through 2017, surveyed employees generally demonstrated positive responses to selected Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) statements related to four of the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) five performance management phases, including: planning and setting expectations, monitoring performance, developing the capacity to perform, and rating performance. Employees responded least positively to statements related to rewarding performance, with only 39 percent of employees, on average, agreeing with statements regarding this phase.
Of the four agencies with among the highest average scores for the performance management phases (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency), GAO identified practices that may contribute to improved performance management including strong organizational culture and dedication to mission; use of FEVS and other survey data; and a focus on training.
OPM provides guidance and opportunities for agencies to share promising practices on performance management; however, some of this information is not easily accessible on its performance management website. In addition, OPM does not leverage its leadership position to formally identify and share emerging performance management research and innovation with agencies. As a result, agencies, and therefore their employees, may not benefit from the best information available.

What GAO Recommends

GAO is making three recommendations, including that OPM improve its website and share innovations in performance management with agencies. OPM agreed with GAO's recommendations.