Washington , D.C. - U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Linda M. Springer announced today Federal employees are expressing increasingly positive views of governmentwide benefits programs, while the importance of benefits programs to the Federal workforce is also on the rise. Director Springer released the findings of the 2006 Employee Benefits Survey conducted to determine employee attitudes about the importance, adequacy, value, and competitiveness of Federal benefits programs.

"This survey reinforces the importance of providing quality benefits to employees to ensure the Federal Government can continue to attract an effective civilian workforce," Springer said. "Just as OPM believed it was important to launch a new dental and vision benefits option last year to meet employees' needs, we are commitment to continuing to search for ways to help the Federal workforce better manage their overall health care, plan for their financial futures and assist in other areas."

Springer said she was particularly encouraged by results showing employees' positive view of benefits has increased since the benefits survey was first conducted in 2004. Results of the 2006 survey show the importance of benefits increased by an average of three percent across all benefits programs; adequacy increased by four percent; value increased by five percent; and competitiveness with the private sector increased by seven percent.

The benefits survey focused on ten benefit programs and was issued to a random sample of 2,000 employees governmentwide last August. The target population included almost equal numbers of employees with three or more years of Federal service and new hires who had less than three years service. OPM received 850 responses by the end of the five-week administration period in September 2006. Survey participants answered a 59-item questionnaire involving the ten benefit programs including Thrift Savings Plan; employee health benefits; retiree health benefits; retirement annuity; life insurance; long term care insurance; flexible spending accounts; health and wellness programs; telework; and child care subsidies.

The Thrift Savings Plan, employee health benefits, retiree health benefits, and retirement annuity consistently rated the highest in importance and value. Life insurance benefits rated the fifth highest. Programs that are not necessarily available to all employees - including telework, child care subsidies, and health and wellness - received lower ratings. Employees may not have access to some or all of these at their agencies, or they may not be eligible to participate. To access the survey results, please visit:

www.opm.gov/employment_and_benefits/survey/index.asp