Presentation: Enabling Employee Engagement in a Federal Agency
Abstract: Most government agencies use the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) results to conduct action planning and determine initiatives to improve working conditions that impact employee engagement. Employee engagement refers to how connected and committed employees feel toward their organizations. Agencies recognize that there are numerous benefits of high employee engagement, such higher levels of productivity, a greater level of loyalty to the organization (potentially resulting in lower turnover), and lower rates of absenteeism. By focusing on building and sustaining a great place to work, government agencies can attract top talent and realize the benefits of a highly engaged workforce.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) has developed an Engagement Strategy to integrate principles of engagement into all aspects of our organizational culture – including employee experience, executive decision-making, and change management. As a part of a strategy, the agency developed evidence-based framework for enablers, or drivers, of engagement. The enablers help to focus on the important factors that matter to engagement and allow for building an on-going dialogue with employees to build a great place to work. By focusing efforts on factors that enable engagement, OCC can realize the benefits of an engaged workforce (e.g., increased productivity, higher innovation, increased retention, mission accomplishment).
The current presentation will provide an overview of the engagement enablers framework that allows to move from an abstract term of “employee engagement” to concrete steps that allow for meaningful changes. In addition, I will show tools we have developed to support managers in having on-going conversations about factors related to engagement. I will also discuss lessons learned and our journey up the maturity level moving from formal action planning focused on FEVS to building a culture of engagement through an integrated approach at all levels of the organization.
PMI Talent Triangle: Strategic and Business Management
Biography: Agata Gluszek is an Engagement and OD Consultant at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (Department of Treasury), where she leads the agency’s employee engagement program. Previously, as an Organizational Psychologist, she stood up and managed the employee engagement program at the National Science Foundation (NSF). Prior to her position at NSF, Agata worked as a Research Psychologist at the US Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences. In addition, in her role as an independent consultant, Agata has been advising clients on data-driven approaches to design organizational solutions in the areas of employee engagement, strategic planning, change management, diversity and inclusion, and human capital analytics.
Agata obtained her PhD in experimental social/personality psychology from Yale University. She has published both academic and general interest articles. Her review of literature on non-native accents was published in the top journal in the field, Personality and Social Psychology Review. Her educational background includes an MS and an MPhil from Yale University and a BA (magna cum laude) in psychology and history from Cornell University.
