Fort Leavenworth Garrison leaders received a professional development session led by Johnny Bevers, the Deputy to the Garrison Commander, April 7 at the Frontier Conference Center, to discuss the findings of the latest Defense Organizational Climate Survey (DEOCS).
DEOCS is a 100 percent confidential survey that provides leadership with valuable information about employee perceptions of the organization’s climate.
The professional development discussion included opportunities for Fort Leavenworth civilian supervisors to discuss best practices to maintain the positive areas of feedback while also looking for ways to improve those areas that the survey identified as needing improvement.
Bevers pointed out that the annual rate of turnover for Fort Leavenworth is 10 percent for appropriated funds employees and 11 percent for non-appropriated funds employees. While this is on par or slightly more than numbers seen at other installations, Bevers said many things can be done to make more people want to stay here long-term.
When it comes to employee satisfaction, Bevers said it is the little things that make the biggest difference.
“Take the time to look at your internal processes for things like recognition of departing personnel,” he said, adding that leaders can set the stage for their employees by fostering a monetary award program that recognizes deserving top performers.
“Give special act on-the-spot cash awards when your employees earn them,” Bevers said. “Proper recognition of employees serves not just to motivate the awardee but provides a roadmap for success for others in the organization to aspire to.”
Another area of discussion for the leaders regarded the belief by some that no matter how hard civilian employees worked, it was nearly impossible to get a top rating on annual evaluations. Bevers addressed this by telling the supervisors that it is their responsibility to provide employees with a pathway to get a top evaluation.
“All performance objectives should be written so the employee can achieve a five,” Bevers said, referring to the top rating allowed in the DoD Performance Management and Appraisal System (DPMAP). “Write the objectives with a pathway to five and clearly identify to the employee what needs to be done to exceed the standard.”
Some of the areas that have seen the most positive improvement for this year’s DEOCS include:
· High employee morale, up 15 percent
· Fair treatment of employees, up 12 percent
· Cohesive organization, up 13 percent
· Transformational leadership (senior NCO), up 24 percent
· Transformational leadership (unit leadership), up 26 percent
· Supportive leadership (all immediate supervisors), up 15 percent
In explaining the importance of transformational leadership to the garrison supervisors, Bevers said, “One definition of leadership is getting work done through others, while transformational leadership is getting people to get work done in an environment where they will feel good about the work they are doing and want to stay with the organization… it allows people to feel valued and included.”
Some of the areas that the DEOCS identified as unfavorable and needing improvement included:
· Stress, with 26 percent of respondents feeling high to moderate levels of emotional strain or pressure.
· Workplace hostility, with 26 percent feeling that individuals within the workplace may act in an angry or hostile manner. This includes behaviors such as insults, sarcasm, or gestures to humiliate others.
· Presence of Sexually Harassing Behaviors, with 22 percent reporting that they were aware of such toxic behavior as “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and offensive comments or gestures of a sexual nature.”
· Presence of Racially Harassing Behaviors, with 18 percent feeling admitting that they had witnessed “unwelcomed and offensive experiences of individuals based on their race, color religion, and/or national origin.”
The areas of Stress and workplace hostility are tied together, according to Bevers. “There are a lot of factors that can lead to stress in the workplace to include new systems and changing leadership,” he said. “Stress may lead to workplace hostility, but as leaders, you need to be able to identify these behaviors and address them as you see them.”
The same approach must be taken regarding the toxic behaviors of sexual and racial harassment Bevers said.
“There is no room for these behaviors in our Garrison, or in our Army,” Bevers said. “If you perceive it, address it immediately. Pull the person aside and have the conversation and when needed counsel the individual.”
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