MEMO, 25 FEBRUARY 1955 FROM IG TO DCI, SUBJECT 'TEN WAYS FOR IMPROVING CIA'S PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT'

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-01826R001100030016-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 20, 1999
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: March 28, 1955
• Content Type: MEMO

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MF KORAIVDUM FOR: Director of Personnel
SUBJECT : Memo, 25 February 1955 from IG to DCI,
Subject "Ten Ways for Improving CIA's Personnel
Management"
REFERENCE : Your Memo, 7 March 1955, Same Subject
le Since items 1 and 2 bear directly on the operations of
Classification and Wage Divisions these will be commented on
specifically. General comments only will be offered on the balance
of the Ten Points.
2. Point 1: Attitude of Services
a. There can be no argument with the principal that CWD like
other components of the Office of Personnel exists to give service
to the primary mission of the agency* our staff members have been
informed again and again that they are in a fluid program rather
than one rigidly controlled by statutes and that effectiveness
depends on reaching common understanding with operating officials
as to the Agency's need for and advantages of uniform pay practices.
It would be an obtuse person indeed, who did not by this time
recognize that we have no legislative mandate. The IG states that
we are to do "what the CIA wants not what the CSC wants". As far
as this Division is concerned, this is a cryptic remark. since the
CSC to the best of our knowledge wants nothing of us,. Indeed our
contacts with them are extremely limited, being confined to such
things as, classification aspects of employee appeals, and copies
of pertinent issuances such as advanced in-hiring rates for
scientific and engineering occupations. Perhaps this intangible
matter of attitude can be better discussed in terms of speed and
quality of service and working relationships.
b. Every effort will be made to improve speed of handling
T/O requests and personnel actions, through the medium of~c ose
0 on w-up on reports of cases holding., shifting work force to meet
various priorities, and impressing the staff with necessity for
action, even if such action must, when warranted, be taken on the
basis of sketchy information. It would be foolish to deny that
there have been cases where we have been "off" on our timing and
perhaps given priority to certain requests where such priority could
better have been given to others. On the other hand, extraordinary
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service has been given on occasion, In the latter category was
the processing of CI Staff T/O of ich were 25X9
requested at GS-15 or better. This request was reviewed, discussed
with the officials concerned, and a machine listing developed
within 18 hours of receipt. Suggestions to improve our service are
tied in with the staff study now being prepared on a "Revised
Personnel System".
c. The item of quality of service is one on which no apologies
are offered. The development of the IA Occupational Handbook which
steers a course between published agency policy on conformance in
principle to the Class Act of 1949 and shapes these principles to
the unique occupational requirements of the Agency is an example
of the service rendered by this Division. Initiative has been
taken in developing and presenting to higher authorities a series
of proposed CIA regulations which seek to clarify Agency policies
on salary and wage matters so that this Division as well as the
operating components can be aware of what the Agency actually wants
in these areas. overslotting is cited as an
example of the constructive approach taken by this Division on
operating problems. The development of the IBM Position Control
Register has been accomplished and a standards program initiated
so that operating officials would have a better understanding of
grade-level characteristics and the values of the different occupa-
tions. Invariably where controversial or precedent allocations
have arisen, these have been "staffed-up" and presented to higher
authorities for decision. This Division has not presumed that it
has blanket authority to over-ride operating requests. Rather, it
has assumed its role to be that of a central cocrdinating body to
implement (and emphasis is on implement) Agency Personnel Policy
with respect to uniform pay practices and equity of compensation
in accord with our delegation by the Director of Personnel. This 25X1A
is the spirit in which, for example, the survey of the Logistics
Office was undertaken and accomplished. the study of wage rates M
and the clarification
and codifying of types of duty assignments in the ORR completed.
On the Covert side, the full-time services of one staff member were
given the FE Division including physical presence in the Division
for the bulk of working time, an arrangement which was not particu-
larly convenient for this Division but which was done to assist and
expedite the many field and departmental T/O revisions of FE. In
the case of the TSS, an advance T/O listing was recently given of
grades and titles so that personnel planning could proceed even
though such action represented, from a beaucratic standpoint, "Jumping
the gun" without formal DD/A or AD/P (at that time) approval of the
proposed revision. In eight hours of continuous session, the grades
and titles for the TSS annex to the SR MAC T/O were hammered out
with representatives of the Senior Representative, FE Division and
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TSS, although this action was subsequently oritized by repre-
sentatives of the Management Staff as being in advance of the
fact of approval. The point being made is that the operators are
entitled to competent professional assistance when they need it,
even if the procedural book must occasionally be by-passed, subject,
of course? to the normal amount of discretion and common sense.
As to what we intend to do in the future on the item of quality
of service, it is simply to try to maintain the standard set by
the former Chief, Classification and Wage Division; and to throw
our whole-hearted efforts into the study you have requested of
possible revisions to the T/O ate in the interests of greater
procedural flexibility, accelerate the
standard position description and position standard programs so
that the operator will be in possession of guides to enable him
to tell the values of the different occupations,
d. The matter of working relationships presents no problems as
far as this Division is conc earned. r example, of the average of
six Class and Wage Officers who have been servicing Covert components
for the last six to eight months, four have received letters of
commendation from operating officials. These letters have shown an
appreciation of salary and wage administration in the covert area
and are testimonials as to the general competence which these officers
have shown in handling the problem. You are familiar with the field
trip made by one staff member. at the direct request of the Assistant
Director of Communications to review and assist in field station
grades and manning tables. Requests are presently on hand for the
TPY services of additional personnel in both the BE and FE Areas to
furnish expert advice on field compensation and occupational
requirements, in a relationship where tension and strain are implicit,
this is a rather remarkable record. As to where we go from here,
nothing spectacular is offered. Rather a continuance of day-to-day
attention to the building of proper relationships is called for,
along with conduct on the part of the individual staff members which
will earn the confidence of the operators. SI.iary and Wage Adminis?
tration will never be a "bed of roses" in either industry or govern.
ment, and we are perfectly willing to stand corrected on anything
we have done or failed to do, and to work continually toward safe-
guarding the excellent working relationships which have been established
to date.
Point 2s Now Blood:
a. This is not entirely a new approach, but one which this
Division endorses in principle. You are familiar with the serious
in-roads made on our personnel by recent transfers to operating
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offices -- particularly in the Covert Branch. There, over half
the personnel could be classified as "new blood" with but few
classifiers who have had any substantial experience in covert
job classification. Even this continuity is now threatened by the
proposed transfer of the Branch Chief to the Planning and Analysis
Staff. Although this is not what the Inspector General had in
mind, it must be noted that in staffing the Division, attention
was given to the item of new blood in one form at least. Although
many of our staff have conventional classification (CSC type)
backgrounds, which we still maintain is an excellent technical
preparation for our assignments, we have varied the composition of
the staff by selecting personnel from other fields. The present
Chief, Covert Branch, has both private industry and federal service
experience of a wide variety with concentration prior to entry in
CIA on military occupational classification. The Deputy Chief,
Covert Branch, came to us with an industrial job analysis background.
Accordingly, the CSC influence on key Covert Branch personnel is
hardly believed to predominate*
b. However,, a constant influx of new blood to the Division may not
be consistent with the number one objective of providing the greatest
possible service to the operating components. In the classification
and wage administration field, it has been long conceded that a
Classification and Wage Officer can beat service an Office after he
has had a chance to become thoroughly familiar with its operations]
its personnel, and the responsibilities of all its positions. To
reach this stage takes, in our opinion, six months to one-year of
the Classifier's time--providing he is an experienced classification
technician at the beginning. Accordingly, if we are faced with the
task of training a great deal of "new blood" not only in the field
of classification but also must make allowance for the time required
for familiarization with an assignment, our effectiveness in providing
optimum service to the operating components cannot but be impaired.
It must be noted though that if the "new blood" is already familiar
with the operations of the component in which he will be the Classifier,
the time for an individual achieving an effective operation can be
shortened. Finally, if "new blood" is to be the rule, it will be
necessary to maintain continuity in the "key" positions of the Division,
in particular, a Branch Chief and his Assistant should not both leave
the Division during the same year, and a minimum two-year tour
established as a guide line for classification and Wage Officers.
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as In connection with the continuity concept expressed above,
Operating components have endorsed this policy, particularly in
connection with arranging for field trips for individual Staff
Members. At the current time, the three Division Personnel who
spent three months surveying positions have been 25X1A
transferred from the Division, and we are faded with sending a
completely new team to that location for the resurvey of that
organization.
4. Except for Points Three, Sight and Ten, the balance of the Ten
Points do not involve this Division directly and oczmnent on them is best
left to.the components concerned. The course in personnel administration
does appear to be an excellent idea which would stop many of our problems
at the point of origin. The idea of appointing a woman to a high executive
post in the Office of Personnel is a 'special interest, type of appoint-
ment which may be justifiable since women account for much of the Agency
turn-over. However it is believed that no matter-who is appointed to
watch out for the welfare of women, that Nature will have the last word
and the future of the race will win out over the Career Service.
5? As to Point Ten, "handling of people like human beings," one of
the cardinal principles of classification and wage administration is
that "positions will be evaluated not individuals". We do not reocmnend
an abandonment of this principle but feel more can be accomplished if we
continue to appraise objectively the level of positions and provide other
means for permitting personnel actions to be taken in consideration of
personalities involved, such as for example, overalotting as authorized
We shall continue, however, to recognize the fact that
very frequently the "individual makes the job" and give full credit in
evaluating the job on the basis of duties and responsibilities assigned
by virtue of incumbency by a specific individual. In addition, we realize
and will continue to recognize that in evaluating professional positions,
consideration must be given to the unique talents or experience which the
individual brings to his job.
Deputy Chief, Classification
and Wage Division
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