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News Release
Tuesday, September 7, 2004
Tel: 202-606-2402
U.S. Office of Personnel Management Begins Rollout of 2004 Federal Human Capital Survey
Survey to measure against 2002 benchmark survey
Washington, D.C. - As part of the President's Management Agenda, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management is distributing its second Federal Human Capital Survey (FHCS) of federal employees. The initial survey was sent to OPM employees last week. It will be distributed governmentwide through mid-October. (The first survey was conducted in 2002 and surveyed 200,000 employees. Its response rate of over 100,000 made it the largest survey of the federal workforce. Like 2002, most employees can take the survey electronically.)
The survey is intended to measure employees' perceptions of whether, and to what extent, conditions that characterize successful organizations are present in their agencies. Employees taking the survey are assured of their confidentiality because OPM will release only grouped data to their agencies.
"With 1.8 million employees, the federal government is the largest civilian employer in the world," said OPM Director Kay Coles James. "Every federal employee plays a role in fulfilling the mission of each federal agency or department. More than ever, your work is critical to the well-being and security of our Nation."
The blind survey will provide general indicators of how well the federal government is running its human resources management systems, and it will give senior managers critical information to answer the question: "What can I do to make my agency work better?"
"We are conducting the survey because striving for excellence means continuous improvement, and the President expects the highest level of performance and results within the federal government and on behalf of the American people. Those chosen to complete this survey will help the federal government be even more efficient and effective in dealing with workforce issues."
OPM will be encouraging the government's Chief Human Capital Officers to use the data to help them with their workforces, and it is expected that agency managers will make a sophisticated assessment of their own human capital management and develop an action plan for improvement.
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is the leader in workforce management for the federal government. Our agency builds, strengthens, and serves a federal workforce of 2.2 million employees with programs like hiring assistance, healthcare and insurance, retirement benefits, and much more. We provide agencies with policies, guidance, and best practices for supporting federal workers, so they can best serve the American people.