Employee Satisfaction in the 2018 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey Free Essay Example

Abstract

The purpose of this report is to present the results and analysis of the 2018 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey by analyzing how different factors impact employee job satisfaction. The analysis of the literature revealed that different factors such as workplace diversity impacted workplace satisfaction. Employee satisfaction was also found to lead to improved productivity and performance. The methodology involved collecting data from the 2018 FEVS and conducting a statistical analysis. The results revealed that the different factors like talent, the use of rewards, and interaction with supervisors positively impacted employee satisfaction.

Employee Satisfaction in the 2018 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey

Conducting an employee survey is a way to gather important information about employees. One of the reasons for conducting a survey is to measure the satisfaction of employees. The survey is crucial because it gives employees a chance to raise their opinions and issues, and it establishes two-way communication. The 2018 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) is usually given to federal employees, where they provide answers to specific questions. The survey is important in giving employees a chance to air their views and opinions and to state their satisfaction with the organization’s practices and policies. This report analyzes the results of the 2018 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey by analyzing various factors that can determine employee satisfaction.

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Literature Review

The Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey is an annual survey that is usually given by the Office of Personnel Management. The tool is given to federal government employees, and it measures the extent and characteristics of their opinions. The survey is an opportunity for employees to share their perceptions about their organizations, leaders, and work experiences. The main goal of the survey is to provide an opportunity to build on the strengths and to improve areas that are considered challenging. The data from the survey can be used for research on other topics. One of the key questions that can be investigated in the research is employee satisfaction.

There are different aspects to employee satisfaction, and the thing that satisfied one employee could be different from another employee. Employee satisfaction can be referred to as the basic employees that can make an employee happy and fulfilled in their work (Liao et al., 2017). There are different factors that can affect the satisfaction of employees. According to Cletus (2018), the appreciation of diversity in an organization can impact the satisfaction of employees. Workplace diversity refers to the appreciation of talents, the creativity of employees, and their ethnic and cultural differences. These factors can impact the ability to perform well in teams, the morale of employees, and the performance of employees. The analysis of employee satisfaction should thus involve an examination of how well an organization appreciates diversity.

Employee satisfaction can have multiple effects on an organization. According to Kawiana (2018), employee satisfaction has a strong relationship to organizational culture and personality, and it can significantly improve employee performance. The study showed that organizational culture influences employee commitment and job satisfaction. Additionally, the personality of the employee in a given organization can determine whether they are satisfied in a specific work setup. Employee job satisfaction is not a single concept, and that it is related to several other factors (Arian et al., 2018). It also showed that achieving high performance and productivity in any organization setup requires a high level of job satisfaction.

Method

The data used for the study was conducted through the 2018 FEVS that was given to participants between May 1, 2018, and June 2, 2018. The survey was given to all eligible employees that were full-time or part-time, permanent, non-seasonal, and non-political. The survey had several questions, and employees were to respond to the given choices. The sample size chosen was 78,195, where only 42,027 employees responded, giving a total response rate of 54%. The survey consisted of 98 items, and 78 items were used to measure the perception of employees regarding different topics. There were sixteen items that were used to measure the experiences of employees with regard to the leadership, work unit, supervisors, agency, satisfaction, and work experiences. After the data was retrieved, the results were analyzed by running descriptive statistics on the demographic variables, and pie charts were created. The other research questions that were analyzed were analyzed through the use of SPSS, where frequency tables and bar charts were formulated. The results from the analysis were analyzed, and conclusions were drawn to analyze the level of employee job satisfaction.

Results

Statistics
		Are you:	What is the highest degree or level of education you have completed?	How long have you been with the Federal Government (excluding military service)?	What is your supervisory status?	Minority status (coded from DRNO and DHISP)	Are you considering leaving your organization within the next year, and if so, why?
N	Valid	518903	520623	524927	534041	510686	567838
N
Missing	79100	77380	73076	63962	87317	30165

Are you:
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Male	293014	49.0	56.5	56.5


Female	225889	37.8	43.5	100.0
Total	518903	86.8	100.0
Missing	99	79100	13.2
Total		598003	100.0

What is the highest degree or level of education you have completed?
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Less than a Bachelor's Degree	149163	24.9	28.7	28.7



Bachelor's Degree	182979	30.6	35.1	63.8
Beyond a Bachelor's Degree	188481	31.5	36.2	100.0
Total	520623	87.1	100.0
Missing	99	77380	12.9
Total		598003	100.0

How long have you been with the Federal Government (excluding military service)?
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Ten years or fewer	221712	37.1	42.2	42.2



Between 10 and 20 years	162634	27.2	31.0	73.2
More than 20 years	140581	23.5	26.8	100.0
Total	524927	87.8	100.0
Missing	99	73076	12.2
Total		598003	100.0

What is your supervisory status?
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Non-Supervisor/Team Leader	432781	72.4	81.0	81.0


Supervisor/Manager/Senior Leader	101260	16.9	19.0	100.0
Total	534041	89.3	100.0
Missing	99	63962	10.7
Total		598003	100.0

Minority status (coded from DRNO and DHISP)
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Minority	168099	28.1	32.9	32.9


Non-Minority	342587	57.3	67.1	100.0
Total	510686	85.4	100.0
Missing	99	87317	14.6
Total		598003	100.0

Are you considering leaving your organization within the next year, and if so, why?
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	No	382646	64.0	67.4	67.4




Yes, to take another Federal job	100354	16.8	17.7	85.1
Yes, to take a job outside Federal Gov	22298	3.7	3.9	89.0
Other reason	62540	10.5	11.0	100.0
Total	567838	95.0	100.0
Missing	99	30165	5.0
Total		598003	100.0

11. My talents are used well in the workplace.
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Strongly Disagree	52665	8.8	9.0	9.0





Disagree	78803	13.2	13.4	22.4
Neither Agree nor Disagree	95965	16.0	16.3	38.7
Agree	248772	41.6	42.3	81.0
Strongly Agree	111838	18.7	19.0	100.0
Total	588043	98.3	100.0
Missing	99	9960	1.7
Total		598003	100.0

6. I know what is expected of me on the job.
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Strongly Disagree	16239	2.7	2.7	2.7





Disagree	36257	6.1	6.1	8.8
Neither Agree nor Disagree	62254	10.4	10.5	19.3
Agree	282901	47.3	47.5	66.8
Strongly Agree	197316	33.0	33.2	100.0
Total	594967	99.5	100.0
Missing	99	3036	.5
Total		598003	100.0

8. I am constantly looking for ways to do my job better.
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Strongly Disagree	3610	.6	.6	.6





Disagree	6203	1.0	1.0	1.6
Neither Agree nor Disagree	42654	7.1	7.2	8.8
Agree	243630	40.7	40.9	49.7
Strongly Agree	300082	50.2	50.3	100.0
Total	596179	99.7	100.0
Missing	99	1824	.3
Total		598003	100.0

17. I can disclose a suspected violation of any law, rule or regulation without fear of reprisal.
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Strongly Disagree	48233	8.1	8.4	8.4





Disagree	45503	7.6	7.9	16.4
Neither Agree nor Disagree	95703	16.0	16.7	33.1
Agree	212817	35.6	37.2	70.2
Strongly Agree	170473	28.5	29.8	100.0
Total	572729	95.8	100.0
Missing	99	25274	4.2
Total		598003	100.0

23. In my work unit, steps are taken to deal with a poor performer who cannot or will not improve.
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Strongly Disagree	95795	16.0	17.8	17.8





Disagree	105906	17.7	19.7	37.5
Neither Agree nor Disagree	151990	25.4	28.2	65.7
Agree	140366	23.5	26.1	91.8
Strongly Agree	44391	7.4	8.2	100.0
Total	538448	90.0	100.0
Missing	99	59555	10.0
Total		598003	100.0

25. Awards in my work unit depend on how well employees perform their jobs.
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Strongly Disagree	72897	12.2	13.1	13.1





Disagree	79598	13.3	14.3	27.3
Neither Agree nor Disagree	135027	22.6	24.2	51.5
Agree	195913	32.8	35.1	86.6
Strongly Agree	74564	12.5	13.4	100.0
Total	557999	93.3	100.0
Missing	99	40004	6.7
Total		598003	100.0

5. I like the kind of work I do.
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Strongly Disagree	11428	1.9	1.9	1.9





Disagree	22638	3.8	3.8	5.7
Neither Agree nor Disagree	64660	10.8	10.9	16.6
Agree	257215	43.0	43.2	59.8
Strongly Agree	238879	39.9	40.2	100.0
Total	594820	99.5	100.0
Missing	99	3183	.5
Total		598003	100.0

44. Discussions with my supervisor about my performance are worthwhile.
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Strongly Disagree	40079	6.7	6.9	6.9





Disagree	48795	8.2	8.4	15.3
Neither Agree nor Disagree	93500	15.6	16.1	31.5
Agree	205764	34.4	35.5	67.0
Strongly Agree	191439	32.0	33.0	100.0
Total	579577	96.9	100.0
Missing	99	18426	3.1
Total		598003	100.0

55. Supervisors leaders work well with employees of different backgrounds.
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Strongly Disagree	28036	4.7	5.1	5.1





Disagree	31248	5.2	5.7	10.8
Neither Agree nor Disagree	101556	17.0	18.4	29.2
Agree	256375	42.9	46.6	75.8
Strongly Agree	133454	22.3	24.2	100.0
Total	550669	92.1	100.0
Missing	99	47334	7.9
Total		598003	100.0

69. Considering everything, how satisfied are you with your job?
		Frequency	Percent	Valid Percent	Cumulative Percent
Valid	Strongly Dissatisfied	26451	4.4	4.6	4.6





Dissatisfied	55743	9.3	9.7	14.3
Neither Satisfied nor Dissatisfied	93724	15.7	16.2	30.5
Satisfied	262796	43.9	45.6	76.1
Very Satisfied	138060	23.1	23.9	100.0
Total	576774	96.5	100.0
Missing	99	21229	3.5
Total		598003	100.0

Discussion

The analysis of the demographics revealed the level of education, their gender, supervisory duties, minority status, and whether one is likely to leave their organization the following year. The study revealed that males were 49% and females were 37.8%, and the individuals that had a Bachelor’s degree and beyond were 62.1%. The study also revealed that 50.7 percent of the employees had been in the federal government for more than 10 years. Most of the employees also held the position of a non-supervisor or team leader. 57.3% revealed that they were in the non-minority group. The data showed that 67.4% were least likely to leave their federal employee work, and 16.8% could leave the work to take a job outside the federal government. The study showed that most of the employees were satisfied with their current roles and were least likely to consider leaving the federal government jobs.

Further analysis of the job satisfaction provided insights about how employees use their talent, understand their roles, and whether they engage in improvement. A significant percentage of the employees revealed that they either agreed (41.6%) and strongly agreed (18.7%) that their workplace recognizes talent and uses them in the workplace. According to Cletus (2018), such appreciation of talent enhances workplace diversity and can improve employee satisfaction and performance. The other results showed that 47.3% agreed and 33% strongly agreed that they understood what is expected of them. Such understanding of job roles can indicate that employees understand their job descriptions and they strive to fulfill them. A large number of the employees also revealed that they strive to always do their job better. The given results show that the employees were satisfied with their work.

The next survey questions revealed how the employees were satisfied with various work processes such as whistleblowing, dealing with poor performance, and the use of rewards. The results showed that most employees felt that they could disclose violations without fear of reprisal. Additionally, the use of rewards was considered sufficient as most employees considered that there were awards for their units. Rewards through monetary compensation and praise can improve the satisfaction and commitment of employees (Froese et al., 2019). However, the results revealed that improving satisfaction could further be improved by making use of rewards and improving low-performing employees.

The other questions considered the interaction with the supervisor leaders and their general satisfaction with their work. The interactions with the leaders were considered positive as 32.0% strongly agreed that interactions with their supervisors were positive, and 22.3% revealed that the supervisors appreciated the background of the employees. Ochola (2018) observed that employee performance and satisfaction are related to training and development and performance appraisals from the leaders and managers. The results showed that 43% agreed and 39.9% agreed that they liked the work they do and 43.9% were satisfied, and 23.1% were very satisfied with the work they did. It revealed that the employees were generally satisfied with their work.

Conclusion

The given analysis showed that there were different factors that impacted employee satisfaction. The appreciation of talents and understanding job roles impacted the employees positively. The interactions with the supervisors were also considered helpful as they appreciated the backgrounds of employees and engaged in meaningful strategies to improve their satisfaction. However, it was revealed that there was a need to improve the application of rewards to improve employee job satisfaction.

References

Arian, M., Soleimani, M., & Oghazian, M. B. (2018). Job satisfaction and the factors affecting satisfaction in nurse educators: A systematic review. Journal of Professional Nursing , 34 (5), 389-399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2018.07.004

Cletus, H. E., Mahmood, N. A., Umar, A., & Ibrahim, A. D. (2018). Prospects and challenges of workplace diversity in modern day organizations: A critical review. HOLISTICA–Journal of Business and Public Administration , 9 (2), 35-52. https://doi.org/10.2478/hjbpa-2018-0011

Froese, F. J., Peltokorpi, V., Varma, A., & Hitotsuyanagi‐Hansel, A. (2019). Merit‐based rewards, job satisfaction and voluntary turnover: moderating effects of employee demographic characteristics. British Journal of Management , 30 (3), 610-623. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8551.12283

Kawiana, I. G. P., Dewi, L. K. C., Martini, L. K. B., & Suardana, I. B. R. (2018). The influence of organizational culture, employee satisfaction, personality, and organizational commitment towards employee performance. International research journal of management, IT and social sciences , 5 (3), 35-45. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/b611/63e69df38a425b5f616526ce3002306dd38d.pdf

Liao, S. S., Hu, D. C., Chung, Y. C., & Chen, L. W. (2017). LMX and employee satisfaction: mediating effect of psychological capital. Leadership & Organization Development Journal . https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-12-2015-0275

Ochola, G. O. (2018). Employee motivation, An organizational performance improvement strategy (A review on influence of employee motivation on organizational performance). JOJ Sciences , 1 (5), 120-125. https://ideas.repec.org/a/adp/oajojs/v1y2018i5p120-125.html

Employee Satisfaction in the 2018 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey

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