ANALYSIS OF WRITTEN COMMENTS AGENCY EMPLOYEE SURVEY DD/S&T RESPONDENTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00357R001000010007-7
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 5, 2001
• Sequence Number: 7
• Content Type: REPORT

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ADDENDUM II
Analysis of Written Comments
Agency Employee Survey
DD/S~,T Respondents
1. (A/IUO) The employee survey of 1976 produced written
responses from 183 employees of the Directorate of Science and
Technology. This represents 370 of the employees who completed and
returned a questionnaire. This analysis focuses on the written
responses provided at the option of the participant relating to
items on the questionnaire or to suggestions annd remarks on any
topics of interest pertaining to the Agency.
2. (A/IUO) The respondents represent personnel from all
levels of the DD/SF~T Career Service. They direct their conmients to
approximately 16 items of which nine appear to be of major concern.
They are listed in this order based upon the quantity and substance
of replies.
a) Career Development
b) Equal Employment Opportunity
c) Training ,
d) Grade Structure and Promotions
e) Fitness Reports
f) Hiring of "outsiders" an_d retired A~Iilitary Personnel
g) Vacancy Notices
h) Letters of Instruction
i) Quality-Step Increases
3. (C) Although the majority of written comments were in the
negative vein, some offer constructive criticism or statements of
general observations. Many of the connnents reveal ignorance on
the part of the respondent about basic personnel programs.
Specifically, these employees appear to lack knowledge of: a) the
availability and enrollment procedures for training courses; 2) the
use of the vacancy notice systems; c) the existence~of Agency
counseling services, especially career counselingy and d) the EEO
grievance procedure. Other areas of special concern highlighted by
DD/S$T personnel are the one-grade promotion system and the hiring
of outsiders and retired military officers to fi11 higher graded
positions within the Directorate. A brief analysis and commentary
on the topic areas follow:
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a. Career Development
Respondent comments concerning career development and/or
career management deal with the lack of planning for non-technical
personnel, problems in understanding position requirements, and
concern far older, pradttctive employees who are leaving the organization.
"I have recently transferred from one DD/S~;T component
to another. Although my present office is ~ruch more personnel
conscious and career planning oriented, the DD/SF~T as a
Directorate does little or nothing far personnel in the non-
technical fields".
"More efforts should be made for rotational assignments
and career development of clerical individuals in the SF,T
Career Service. I refer here to those who have the desire and
the qualifications".
"At a certain point people. without degrees axe told
they cannot go beyond a certain grade or jab level. A person
should be able to advance on his ability and job performance -
not whether or not he has a degree".
"It is hard to understand why a person who has been in
grade (GS-09) for 7 1/2 years, with all excellent fitness
reports, cannot get ,a promotion".
"For older employees nearing retirement 'age, better
jobs and promotions are a thing_of the past".
"The younger officers (under 40) are given all the
considerations for promotions, training, and other "goodies''
forcing the experienced, older employees to leave the
organization".
"Career Development is working for me only because I'm
taking action on my own to direct it".
"If someone wishes guidance, or information, or training,
or anything else relating to Career development, the means are
available and help is easily obtained. If someone is not
.interested, it isn't forced upon him",
"As far as a Career is concerned I cannot find any
correlation between career planning, career training and
individual careers. It appears that each service goes its own
merry way".
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"'The selection process for managers is extremely poor.
Too often they are selected based on expertise in a functional
area, rather than on potential for handling and solving resource
allocation problems". r
b) Equal Employment Oppoxt~anity
The EEO program is both sensitive and difficult to
administer as reflected in employee comments. Perceptions between
the sexes in this area differ considerably. The male. at the GS 9-13
level seems to feel threatened by what he believes are unfair
advantages the system offers minority group members. Typical
comments are:
"EEO is not being given to a11. Minorities, blacks in
particular, are given preference because they are black. This
is racism. Competence is the only true criterion for job
competition. Let's cut the crap and simply hire the best
person for the job".
"I don't believe the Agency is making progress. in EEO
because the standards have been lowered to achieve racial/sexual
balance. I believe the Agency can achieve this balance (if a
numbexs game must be played) by working harder in recruiting
qualified people". .
"EEO means hiring people who in the long run will have
a negative effect upon Agency standards".
"The pendulum has swung~to the other extreme rather than
to the middle. Equality should mean equality - not quota"!
Female employees express dissatisfaction with the lack of progress
in the EEO area. Examples of their feelings are:
"Clearly, women are badly used by the Agency and
thoroughly discriminated against in terms of promotions and
assignments to managerial positions".
"Women in my component are not promoted as rapidly as
the .men - doing the same job and receiving the same or better
fitness reports".
"I think people should be made aware of what they have
to do or where they go if they have a. complaint about the EEO
program or about the Careex Service".
"I am afraid to inquire about channels to follow to
complain about an EEO situation in my office",
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"From my standpoint, NPIC appears to be "taking up the
.slack" as far as minority employment in the DD/SF~T is concerned.
Surely our Directorate can do better if this program is as
important as it appears". '
c) Training
Some employees express frustration because of their
inability to obtain training:
"In my co~r~ponent, training is non-existent due to the
requirement to be on the jab".
"Very few people in the lower grades are given training
opportunities. Supervisors purposely avoid circulating notices
about training programs".
Others expressed doubt concerning the selection of
personnel far training and the benefits derived from courses:
"Too much en~~hasis on management training! The quality
of management has not changed by sending employees to these
courses".
"Many go to extended training programs (3 mos. - 1 yr.)
and no job exists when they return".
Apparently unaware that Career Service Development Profiles contain
training information an employee at the GS 5-7 level suggests a way.
to meet employee training needs:
"I think it would be a good idea to supply each employee.
with a list of training that is expected to be accomplished in
order to progress. Also, the OTR Catalog of courses should be
made available to all employees".
d) Grade Structure and Promotions
Except for the one-grade promotion policy, the promotion
system within the DD/SF~T receives relatively little criticism.
"Promotions from GS-07 to GS-11 should be two grades
at a time, rather than one".
"I work with counterparts from DIA. We do the same
jobs. However, we are promoted. 7-8-9-10-11 whereas they are
promoted 7-9-11. They become managers and supervisors before
we do. Why not more equity"?
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"Botlt DIA and CIA personnel are assigned to my component.
At lower grade levels, DIA employees of my component progress
rapidly from GS-07 to GS-09 to GS-11, wh~.le CIA personnel must
move slowly through GS-07, 08, 09, 10, 11. No effort is made
to equalize this treatment and it causes morale problems. "Equal
pay for equal work'' it is not".
"There is one area concez7ting my job which I have found
particularly disappointing - promotional scheme for GS levels
from 7 to 11. It is Agency policy that personnel are promoted
without any grade skipping, i.e., sequencing 7-8-9-10-11. The
point of irritation is .that I am an engineer by training, In
every government agency that I have knowledge about, they promote
engineers as 7-9-I1 with about the same time between promotions
as in Agency promotions. The result is that in other government
agencies an engineex will rise from 7 to 11 in half the time
that it takes in our Agency.
The only argument given to me in support of this
particular Agency promotion policy is that "you can go higher
in. CIA than other agencies". While this may be true, what
happens (and I have personally witnessed this in several
instances), is that engineers will "beat the system" by starting
in some other Agency and rising quickly through the lower levels.
and then switching over to CIA as a GS-11 or I2 to continue.
The effect is to give those of us who began at CIA a late start
and a disadvantage in arriving at the higher grade levels
because tltey may be filled by peers in our age group who got a
head start elsewhere". __
e) Fitness Reports
. Three employees observe that they have not had a fitness
report written about them for over 18-24 months; they have the feeling
"I think Ism lost in the shuffle". Others express doubt about the
validity of fitness reports:
?'The non-uniformity of personnel practices within
offices of the DD/S~,T is atrocious. Fatness reports have become
useless because the people preparing them and the people
receiving them don't know what to expect".
"I think that too many supervisors don't actually know
-what their employees are doing in their jobs. Also, I think
they hold back from writing what they really feel so as not to
hurt someone's feelings or the relationshop between them",
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"T think the average fitness report is a farce, because
of the "halo" effect, which in tua-n stems from a lack of
confidentiality. The decisions for or against promotion or
job assignment are generally .based on other evaluation...which
may (and usually are) superficial.
Quite often, reviewing officials are incapable of
making valid remarks about an individual being rated, but they
hardly ever admit it. As a result, they make a few colrnnents,
which often have no basis of personal knowledge...but are
intended to make them appear "on tap af" their component's
personnel situation, but which sometimes adversely reflect on
the individual's career".
"Most people .are afraid to comment on their fitness
report when they feel unfair things are written about them.
Supervisors intimidate them".
f) Hiring of Outsiders and Retired Military Officers
Same respondents express concexn about the hiring of
"outsiders" for key positions within the Directorate. The following
three conmients are typical of the responses on this subject:
"Why is it necessary to continually hire retired
military officers far senior-level management positions? Is
the talent within the Agency at such a low level that the
positions cannot be filled internally? I hope not".
"I would like to see hiring-in at .the GS-15 level
stopped completely. It's hurting the careers of very capable
young men at the GS 13-14 level".
"In my opinion inadequate attention is given to filling
vacancies from within. This is especially-true for senior
vacancies. Hiring of military retirees and people from
industry (usually for only a few years) is often not warranted.
Greater emphasis should be placed on career employees being used
to fill vacancies, even if some training is necessary. In the
long run this will benefit the Agency as well as individuals".
g) Vacancy Notices
The Vacancy notice system draws much criticism. Many
respondents express the opinion that the vacancy notice sytem borders
on being a "hoax", because advertised vacancies are-often filled before
notices are even distributed. Sample responses are as follows:
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"Don't know what a vacancy notice is".
"Vacancy natices are either out-of-date by the time
we see them, or are seen only occasionally".
"Job Vacancy notices are not promptly circulated
within our Directorate".
"Positions are usually filled even though notices are
circulated. It's just for show".
"My section sees only a few vacancy notices. We canno t
apply for GS 1.2-16 positions".
"Vacancy notices create dissapointment and bitterness
because someone has always been selected before the notice is
published. Let's be truthful regarding vacancy notices".
h) Letters of Instruction
Respondent connnents reveal that the COI's are either.
not being utilized or that their primary purpose has been misunderstood.
There appears to be little attempt on the part of some el~loyees and
supervisors to use the COI, although some corrnnents clearly support
its potential value as a management tool,
Typical comments an Letters of Instruction are:
"Feel the LOI is a paper exercise - of little utility".
"Have never seen an LOI".
"Have been in my present position for 2 years and have
not received an LOI".
"COI's have had no effect on anyone. Just one more
paper work project".
"I have not been shown an LOI for my present job".
"The LOI - it was merely an exercise in late 1973 and
early 1974 - it has not been used - a waste of time. In theory
it is great (and in practice tao where it is used). Indeed a boom
to management practices ~ it's too bad it is not practiced here
in ".
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"Unfortunately, the requirement for LOI's is not
enforced and is openly derided by some middle and upper level
managers. 'I7~ey don't like LOI's because it~forces them to
sort out their tasks and delegate clearly and positively. The
enforcement of this one requirement would have a most beneficial
effect on the total management picture".
i) Quality-Step Increases
Many af_ the DD/SFT respondents believe the QSI to be an
excellent method of rewarding employees, but, believe it is not always
granted in accordance with its intended purpose.
"QSI's are too often used to pacify employees who are
not promotable.- This practice should be stopped".
"While management utilizes QSI's, it appears to do so
reluctantly. Program could be better utilized".~
"I look at QSI's as a management~b 1 ? and even though
I received one within the past year, T disagree with using them
? as an instrument within the system".
"QSI's are used as an incentive to people who can't be
promoted or as another fringe benefit for Branch and Division
Chiefs. They are not used in the way they were designed".
4. (A/IUO) Several comments and observations of DD/SyT employees
are favorable with respect to Directorate policies and practices.
Many employees express appreciation,'not only for being included in
the survey, but for management's concern and efforts to continually
look into organization problems.
~' S. (C) In conclusion it is somewhat disappointing to learn that
a number of employees lack lrnawledge and understanding regarding
many of Agency and Career Service personnel programs. 'Ine fault may
be in tending to assume that, since policies and practices are
articulated by management and distributed in the form of notices, etc.,
they are read and comprehended by all employees. If this is true,
follow-up action is needed to ascertain that the execution of
management policies and practices is accomplished with employee
understanding and support. Although same employees may continue to
exercise selectivity in their reading and understanding, close
fallow-up and program evaluation should be continued.
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