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Organizational and Personnel Studies

Westat conducts qualitative and quantitative investigations and consults with Federal agencies, state and local governments, major corporations, utility companies, and labor unions. Our work has focused on organizational assessment and effectiveness, change management, job analysis, test development and validation, performance appraisal, training, and systems evaluation.

Federal Workforce Studies

Employee Engagement/Satisfaction Surveys

  • Westat provided wide-ranging consultation and support to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in its planning for, and administration of, the secure web-based Federal Human Capital Survey (FHCS), in 2004, 2006, and 2008, and the 2010 Employee Viewpoint Survey. The survey is designed to measure job satisfaction and employee perceptions of workforce management effectiveness. Westat followed best survey practices and prepared government-wide survey results covering more than 88 agencies and analyzed individual data for 42 agencies. Westat delivered agency-specific management reports and briefing presentations to the 42 agencies, as well as survey data results for their agency-specific web sites. Westat is conducting FHCS-related special analyses and research.
  • The Merit Principles Survey measures the "health" of Federal merit systems over time. The survey examined Federal employees' views on how well the workforce is being managed. The survey tracked a variety of workforce issues, including performance management, training and development, and overall job satisfaction. The survey was administered to approximately 90,000 Federal employees across 31 Federal agencies. Westat was responsible for the 2010 and 2007 web-based survey application development and implementation, survey administration, survey support, and data delivery.
  • Westat conducted the 2007 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Annual Employee Survey. The survey sample included over 141,000 DHS employees. The web-based survey assessed DHS progress in promoting employee job satisfaction and assessed perceptions of work environment throughout the agency and within the 13 agency components. Westat developed and tested the web survey instrument, sent a series of communications to employees to inform them about the survey and to promote a strong response rate. Westat also developed an online database to track survey progress. The web-based management system also computed and generated reports on overall response rates as well as DHS-specific response rates. DHS had real-time access to the web management system applications. Westat analyzed the data and prepared final reports for overall DHS findings and for agency components, as well as an Executive briefing. In the DHS management report (DHS overall findings). Westat included recommendations for action planning.

Policy-Based Surveys

  • The 2009 Federal Telework survey is a web-based survey of approximately 20,000 Federal employees across 13 Federal agencies. The survey examines how telework polices are being implemented in Federal agencies, its impact on Federal employees, both those who currently have a formal telework agreement and those employees who either have an ad hoc agreement or who are not currently teleworking. The survey also investigates how telework can be used more efficiently. Westat was responsible for all aspects of survey administration and data delivery.
  • The 2007 Career Advancement Survey examined how Federal employees move through their careers and what factors or experiences may help or hinder career advancement. Westat was responsible for the web-based survey application development and implementation, survey administration, survey support, and data delivery.

Diversity Studies

  • The 2008 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Equal Employment Opportunity Employee Survey was administered via the web to more than 17,000 civil service employees working at EPA headquarters, regional offices, and lab sites. The survey measured the perceptions and experiences of EPA employees regarding equal employment opportunity and affirmative employment at the EPA. The survey explored four specific topics:

Other Studies

  • We are assisting the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in developing the Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs) Provider Satisfaction Survey, which monitors Medicare providers and ensures patient safety. We are responsible for the evaluation design, design and development of the satisfaction questionnaire, and the sampling plan. Westat will also provide the QIOs with guidance for quality improvement and measure their performance.
  • We have conducted a telephone survey of a national sample of more than 1,200 employers to assess the impact of family and medical leave policies on business for BLS. The study was particularly focused on employers' reports of the impact of the Family and Medical Leave Act. The Westat team wrote up the results for the Commission on Family Leave, a bipartisan task force commissioned by Congress to report on the impact of the law. The results were also presented during a 2-day workshop run by the National Academy of Sciences.

 

For more information about the Organizational and Personnel Studies Research Area, please send us a message.

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