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FCS Survey January 2008

FCS Survey January 2008. Donald Businger AFSA VP Stephen Anderson AFSA Rep. Overview of AFSA Surveys. AFSA surveys of foreign service officers taken in late 2007 including State, USAID & US&FCS Following results are from 122 of 211 active duty Commercial Officers (58% of all COs)

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FCS Survey January 2008

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  1. FCS Survey January 2008 Donald Businger AFSA VP Stephen Anderson AFSA Rep

  2. Overview of AFSA Surveys • AFSA surveys of foreign service officers taken in late 2007 including State, USAID & US&FCS • Following results are from 122 of 211 active duty Commercial Officers (58% of all COs) • Previous FCS Survey was conducted in late 2005 /early 2006 and results published in the Foreign Service Journal June 2006

  3. Focus of Survey • This survey (and previous one) focused on: • What AFSA’s top priorities should be • How well Commercial Officers are served by HQ HR-type units (OFSHR/CDAS/OPD) and the DG • Views on Morale and Conditions • Views on Directed Assignments • Views on Domestic Assignments (7 and 15 Year Rules) • Satisfaction with AFSA

  4. What AFSA’s top priorities should be • Number One Priority: Overseas Comparability or Locality Pay for FS-1s and below – Two-thirds of respondents supported this • Equal Benefits similar for all FS Agencies and Fairness in Assignments and Promotions ranked second and third, respectively • Assignment system fairness and domestic tours were issues of shared concern

  5. Commercial Officer Views of HR-type units (OFSHR/CDAS/OPD) in HQ and of the DG • OFSHR received generally good grades with top honors to Payroll, Time and Attendance; but Travel & Benefits and Awards & Service Recognition somewhat sub-par • CDAS received modest grades, which were dragged down by a sub-par grade for consultations • OPD shined even less, especially with respect to Commercial Officer orientation at senior & junior levels • Less than half of respondents (48% and 43%, respectively) rated the DG’s overall performance and ability to secure resources as excellent or good

  6. Results Over Time: Worsening Conditions • US&FCS’s member surveys conducted • in March-April 2006 and • in December 2007-January 2008 December 2007-January 2008 finds 67% of Commercial Officers thought work conditions were “worsening” & only 8% said “improving.” March-April 2006 survey found that 57% of Commercial Officers thought work conditions “worsening”& only 10% said “improving.”

  7. More on Morale and Conditions • A majority (57%) views CS morale as fair or poor, and believes AFSA should be more vocal (61%) • Three-quarters (74%) consider CS efforts on EFM employment overseas fair-poor • Fully two-thirds (67%) believe overall conditions of work are worsening

  8. Views on Directed Assignments • A majority (56%) would be opposed to directed assignments • But virtually half might be willing to serve in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, or Pakistan, with two-thirds (66%) supporting worldwide availability • Security and separation from family were the top two “disincentives”

  9. Views on Domestic Assignments (7 and 15 Year Rules) • Only one-third (33%) are convinced that domestic assignments to USEACs are necessary during the first 7 years of service (“7 year rule”) • Similarly, barely a third (35%) are convinced that any domestic assignment is necessary every 15 years (“15 year rule”) • Although USEAC tours are seen as beneficial to CS (48%), they are detrimental to promotion (42%) and should get a TIC waiver (30%). • “Hard core” of 27% believe USEAC tours should be eliminated

  10. Most Now Overseas Though Over Half Had Domestic Assignments

  11. USEAC Tour: Mixed Reviews “should be meaningful and optional” “should be optional TDYs” “Forced USEAC tours are a HUGE mistake!” “should be done before going abroad” “create a financial hardship for FSOs” “Sr management now managed w/o USEAC “ “tours should be in conjunction with training” “Should not be a ‘tenure’ or ‘promotion’ factor” “are essential to understanding US&FCS”

  12. Satisfaction with AFSA • Although AFSA should be more vocal, 90% were satisfied with AFSA’s general efforts • Similarly 88% were satisfied with the efforts of the AFSA FCS VP and Rep

  13. AFSA FCS Contacts • Results will be summarized for AFSANET and • Foreign Service Journal • Contacts: • Donald.Businger @mail.doc.gov • Stephen.Anderson @mail.doc.gov

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