Washington, D.C. - Later this month, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management will issue a Federal Benefits Survey to approximately 2,400 randomly selected federal employees. The information gathered is expected to provide OPM with important information on the effectiveness of federal benefits programs, and what must be done to continue to provide first-rate service.
"I believe federal employees are wise consumers, fully capable of making informed decisions about the benefits that are appropriate for their needs and those of their families," said OPM Director Kay Coles James. "That is why I have directed OPM staff to get more information directly from the people who receive federal employee benefits. With their feedback, we will be able to better tailor our efforts to meet the current and future needs of its employees."
Federal benefits represent a critical component of the federal government's overall compensation package, thus making them an important factor in an agency's ability to compete for the workforce they need to meet their mission. This factor is at the heart of one of the initiatives outlined in the President's Management Agenda, the Strategic Management of Human Capital.
As the leader of the federal government's Strategic Management of Human Capital initiative, one of OPM's objectives is to provide a package of benefits that employees will find competitive with benefits packages other employers are offering.
The survey will specifically examine the Federal Employees Retirement Program, the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Program, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, and the Federal Long-Term Care Program.
It also will include the variety of work life programs, such as telework, alternate work schedules, Child and Elder Care Programs, and Flexible Spending Accounts.
MEMORANDUM FOR CHIEF HUMAN CAPITAL OFFICERS
FROM: KAY COLES JAMES
Director
Subject: Benefits Survey for Federal Employees
We have developed a Federal Benefits Survey to obtain in-depth information from a small sample of Federal employees concerning the entire benefits package offered to the Federal workforce (copy attached). This includes the Federal Employees Retirement Program, the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Program, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, and the Federal Long-Term Care Program. It also includes the variety of work life programs, such as telework, alternate work schedules, Child and Elder Care Programs, and Flexible Spending Accounts.
The survey will serve as an immediate tool to help OPM:
· Assess the competitiveness of Federal benefits
· Provide effective oversight of these benefits programs under the Government Performance and Results Act
· Meet OMB Program Assessment and Rating Tool (PART) requirements
The Federal Benefits Survey is separate from the Federal Human Capital Survey. The Federal Benefits Survey will provide us additional detailed feedback from employees apart from those benefit questions incorporated in the 2004 Federal Human Capital Survey. We will distribute the survey governmentwide via e-mail to approximately 2,400 randomly selected incumbents, including new hires, employed in the Federal Government. With such a small sample size, we expect very few employees will be asked to complete both surveys. We ask that you encourage your employees to complete this survey.
Your assistance is sincerely appreciated.
cc: Human Resources Directors
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