IMPROVING THE FITNESS REPORT PROGRAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00357R000600170019-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 10, 2001
• Sequence Number: 19
• Publication Date: June 3, 1972
• Content Type: MF

pproved For Release 2006/09/28: CIA-RDP82-00357R000600170019-1
MEMORANDUM FOR: Executive Director-Comptroller
SUBJECT : Improving the Fitness Report Program
1. From a review of the Agency's performance evaluation system and
Federal personnel management plans in this area we recommend certain changes
to improve the Fitness Report Program. These recommendations are contained
in the Attachment, which would be suitable for presentation in a meeting of
the Deputy Directors should you wish to do so.
2. There is no current prospect of major changes in Federal performance
evaluation programs which would bear on this Agency's system.
a. A representative of the Civil Service Commission advises that
the Commission contemplates no significant changes in current policies
and procedures for performance evaluation in the foreseeable future.
The Commission will continue to review and approve systems as developed
by Federal agencies within the present policy framework as established
in the Federal Personnel Manual. Ordinarily such plans will have three'
rating levels: Outstanding, Satisfactory, and Unsatisfactory.
b. The Foreign Affairs Manual was amended recently to require
that the rated officer, after reviewing the completed report and the
reviewing officer's comments, append a statement "Certifying that the
rating officer discussed the performance and the report ... with the
rated officer and commenting on the extent to which adequate goals or
standards for the rated officer's performance had been established.
The rated officer may rebut the evaluation ... and comment on its
contents if 5 67 chooses." Responsible planning officers in the De-
partment also advise that other proposals which are being developed
for possible future consideration would discontinue numerical ratings,
call for employees' self appraisals, and generally allow raters more
freedom in presenting comment on significant aspects of performance..
3. This Agency's system of performance evaluation evolved through at
least a dozen significant modifications during the last twenty years. In
its present form it represents practical adjustments in consideration of
multiple and sometimes conflicting management objectives. For example:
a. The advantages to the Agency of a single system have been
found to outweigh possible advantages which might derive from the
development of different systems to meet more directly the specific
needs of the several career services.
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b. Although "Unsatisfactory," "Satisfactory," and "Outstanding"
rating categories would probably satisfy Agency level interests in
evaluating individual performance, a scale of five categories has
proven to be more useful and adaptable to the more refined needs of
the several career services. These adaptations have been formalized
in some cases through component publications of special guidance to
various groups of supervisors in the use of the Fitness Report.
c. In response to shifts in the focus of management's interest,
the Agency system has moved from showing the employee the full report
of his performance evaluation to showing him one-half of a two-part
report (Performance and Potential) to, as now, showing the employee
all of the report except the comment of the reviewing official.
d. From time to time some of the five rating categories have
been renamed to accommodate changes in management's interest. For
example, at various times management has looked to the system for
statistical comparisons in accordance with a normal distribution
curve, for distinctions between the levels of performance among the
majority of employees who are performing within acceptable limits,
and for the identification of employees whose performance is marginal
and requires corrective action.
4. This review has led us to conclude that it would be in the Agency's
interest to retain the basic format of the current Fitness Report with five
rating categories. This will continue to provide enough standardization to
allow comparisons of the ratings in different components of the Agency and
will ensure continuation of the ability to make comparisons of current and
future ratings with past records of performance. As in the past, modifica-
tions of items within this framework can be made in response to shifts in
management interest.
5. I will be glad to discuss these proposals with you at your con-
venience.
Harry 3. Fisher
Director of Personnel
Approved For Release 2006/09/28: CIA-RDP82-00357R000600170019-1