| Comment Number: | OL-10504213 |
| Received: | 3/8/2005 5:23:51 PM |
| Subject: | Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Request for Comment |
| Title: | National Security Personnel System |
| CFR Citation: | 5 CFR Chapter XCIX and Part 9901 |
| No Attachments |
Comments:
I've sent two previous comments and have one more to add concerning the labor relations, appeals, and adverse actions sections of the proposed NSPS regulation. It's really quite simple. Take a look at the employee morale problems the Dept of Homeland Security is facing, partly due to the draconian personnel policies/regulations that department has adopted. Anyone with even the remotest of managerial smarts would take heed and give a second look at the equally draconian and employee-unfriendly personnel regulation being introduced by DoD. Why? In a word, "risk mitigation". In the risk sections of almost all major DoD program briefings, there are a list of risk events unique to that program, as well as mitigation techniques to lower that risk event. In this case, the risk event is, "Low morale will cause a reduction in employee performance, increased sick leave, and a loss of the knowledge base through early retirements and resignations." The risk mitigation strategy should be, "Amend proposed regulation to provide a more employee-friendly personnel system so as to ensure maximum productivity and a retention of the existing knowledge base." I would hope the NSPS Program Manager(s) will follow the prescribed methodology for risk mitigation in the area of NSPS personnel regulations. In addition to that, it boils down to a well known, and very true, statement: "A happy worker is a productive worker". Refer to the article contained on the following link: http://www.terrilevine.com/Productivity.html Several of the bullets speak to the very heart of this issue. Instilling fear through draconian disciplinary practices, and a reduction in the rights of employees have a proven track record of failure. On the other hand, positive motivation, praise, and a rewards/recognition system have a proven record of increasing employee productivity and morale. How? By helping employees look forward to coming to work instead of dreading it. And at the end of the day, when an employee looks forward to their job, they will give it their all.