2009 Career Development Survey Executive Summary Print E-mail

By Frank B. Clearfield, Social Sciences Team Leader, East National Technology Support Center, Greensboro, NC

Profile

Approximately 85 respondents completed the survey; of this total, 66 were NOPHNRCSE respondents. Since there are 115 NOPHNRCSE members, this represents a 57% response rate. A profile of respondents indicates that they are highly mobile, young, higher graded, Hispanics, who generally want to advance in NRCS. Compared to other studies, more respondents in this current survey are supervisors and over 70 percent are located at the field or area office. The respondents are less likely to retire during the next decade, compared to NRCS's general workforce.

Mobility and Preferred Activities

Respondents have higher positive attitudes toward mobility than other government workers along with ambitious career goals.  Their preferred activities to reach those goals are:  "details" outside the state, participating in a leadership development program, and training (both On-the-Job and formal).  To try to advance in the organization, respondents often apply for jobs, but a high percentage is not selected. 

Obstacles

Respondents identified several obstacles to career advancement: (1) low opportunity to serve on out-of-state details, (2) unavailability of leadership programs, and (3) lack of support for taking specialized college classes or participating in educational degree programs. If the agency did offer a leadership program and a mentoring program, well over half the respondents would participate over the next 2 years. Respondents also gave high support for NOPHNRCSE sponsorship of a mentoring program.

Work Environment

Respondents did not see their immediate supervisors as an asset for achieving career development goals. This seemed partly based on the supervisor's inability to work well with people of diverse backgrounds. The respondents also gave mediocre support for the performance appraisal system, their involvement in work decisions, and opportunities for a better job. Respondents are comfortable with their own skills, but some don’t feel they are given an opportunity to improve them.

Discrimination

Although discrimination seems to be felt, witnessed or perceived by half the respondents on a personal level, the respondents gave the agency an above average score in its efforts to address cultural understanding and diversity. 

Recommendations

  1. Career development programs should be offered at national and state levels, and they should be offered to newer employees.
  2. The agency needs to provide adequate resources for Leadership Development Programs at different grade levels.
  3. The agency should provide appropriate resources for mentoring programs at the state level
    1. NOPHNRCSE should help coordinate mentorship programs by matching mentors with employees from their organization (including retirees).
  4. The agency should establish and formalize employee career development plans in addition to Individual Development Plans. 
  5. The agency should devote adequate resources for On-the-Job training and formal training. 
  6. NRCS should support "details," "acting assignments", and shadowing
    1. These opportunities should be open to lower grades as well as higher grades.
  7. The agency should devote resources for tuition reimbursement and graduate studies programs.
  8. The agency should set up a formal feedback mechanism to unsuccessful job applicants.
  9. Agency should provide training to employees on the best way to construct and package a job application.
  10. The Department/Agency should continue to provide training and awareness programs that promote cultural understanding and diversity.

Survey Results Documents