TSA Workers Report a Jump in Job Satisfaction
News & Happenings
By Stephen Barr
Washington Post
Tuesday, August 8, 2006; D04
Job satisfaction at the Transportation Security Administration has markedly improved over the past two years, according to employee survey data released by the agency.
The TSA's 2006 organizational satisfaction survey found that 59 percent of employees were satisfied or very satisfied with their jobs, up from 35 percent in 2004.
The 2006 survey results, however, also suggested that many TSA employees think their agency is falling short on leadership and in information-sharing. The responses in these categories were basically unchanged from 2004, a sign that the TSA faces continuing challenges in managing its staff, especially its 43,000 passenger and baggage screeners.
How TSA employees view their jobs is important because the agency is considered critical to aviation security and to the federal effort to combat terrorist threats. The agency, nearly five years old, has coped with high turnover in its screener workforce and complaints in Congress about treatment of airline passengers.
TSA officials cautioned against drawing any conclusions from the 2006 data, noting that the agency will soon undertake an in-depth analysis of the results. "We have a workforce that is extraordinarily committed to the job and to the mission," said Gale Rossides, associate administrator for business transformation and culture at the TSA.
In the 2006 survey, only 33 percent of the employees responded favorably when asked to assess how well managers communicated the TSA's mission and followed up on employee suggestions for improvements.
Survey respondents, however, gave higher marks to their supervisors. Forty-two percent said their supervisors provided constructive comments and clearly explained what they expected from employees.
When asked about "organizational communication," only 35 percent agreed that essential policies were clearly communicated and that employees were kept well-informed of issues affecting their jobs.
Only 21 percent said the TSA took steps to protect job security and communicated effectively on policy changes and reorganizations that affect the workforce.
Rossides said the TSA has put into place programs aimed at addressing some employee concerns, such as how leaders are selected and trained. The TSA also is working on finding a technological solution, perhaps a specialized Web site, to improve internal communications for a workforce that is spread across the nation and does not have easy access to e-mail during the business day, especially at airports.
Survey responses in some categories, such as the relatively low marks on how secure employees feel in their jobs, may have been affected by a series of workforce realignments over the past year that shuffled assignments and reduced staffing at smaller airports, Rossides said.
TSA officials were encouraged to see higher marks in such areas as teamwork and career development when comparing survey results. They also were pleased to see 69 percent of survey respondents indicate that they planned to stay with the agency for the next 12 months.
But Tim Kriescher, president of TSA Local 1, said he does not think morale is improving among TSA employees because many of them work long shifts at airports and because their injury rate is higher than many other occupations'. "Cronyism, favoritism -- it's still very huge," he said.
The TSA local is sponsored by the American Federation of Government Employees, which is seeking to represent screeners even though unions have not been allowed to bargain on their behalf.
TSA officials said the survey was mailed to employees at their homes and 36 percent -- 17,874 -- completed and returned the questionnaire. The survey was taken between March 1 and April 12.
