The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2015

Last July, I wrote a column highlighting the disparity in benefits received by State Department and USAID For- eign Service officers (see the July 2014 AFSA News) . The article served as a power- ful catalyst leading to the creation of several working groups focused on closing the gaps. We have seen improve- ments in some areas, such as greater resources and opportunities available to eligible family members. Although an excellent start, I am dismayed by the lack of progress on establishing a functioning temporary-duty housing program for USAID employees in the United States (similar to what is available to State FSOs). This glaring inequity should not persist! I’ve heard of horrific hardships borne by USAID colleagues forced to wait months before being reimbursed for thousands of dollars’ worth of TDY lodging costs. These stories have only strength- ened my resolve to see this benefit come to fruition. Responding to my frustra- tion over this issue, one AFSA member likened the process of achieving change in government to turning an oil tanker, lamenting, “It just isn’t going to happen fast.” The agency has had a year to research and under- stand the impact of benefit inequalities on morale, qual- ity of work and retention. Government Change: An Oxymoron? If USAID wants to keep the FS cadre in whom it has invested, addressing the fundamental concerns with working condition inequi- ties and other drivers of low morale must be a top prior- ity. We do not want to lose momentum with the change of leadership, and I person- ally want to see a hot fire lit under the temporary-duty lodging situation. My private-sector friends can’t understand why it takes so long to enact wanted changes. One theory is that senior politi- cal leadership in govern- ment agencies turns over more frequently than in the private sector. The kind of disruption this turnover causes in agency priorities is usually only seen in hostile takeovers in the private- sector context. The main goal of many political appointees is to promote the policies of the administration or change the policies of the previous administration, or both. Few focus on organizational management issues, often because they lack manage- ment know-how, will not be in government long or desire to concentrate on higher- profile policy issues. Furthermore, spending time on improving working conditions for the federal workforce yields low political support in many districts—a clear incentive to ignore the problems. Employee engagement is a major challenge for the federal government. I was saddened to learn from last year’s Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey that over- all job satisfaction among federal employees was at its lowest since the survey began in 2004, and that USAID was voted 19th out of the 25 best medium-sized federal agencies in which to work. This placement is an absolute travesty in my mind, as USAID employees are—by nature—altruistic, brilliant and dedicated to USAID’s mission, one that should yield great personal satisfaction. Unfortunately, USAID FSOs have endured a series of morale-crushing epi- sodes, including reductions in performance awards, promotion opportunities and training; a threatened government shutdown; last year’s “promo-gate” (see the December 2014 AFSA News); and a lack of trans - parency in assignments. And when USAID FSOs, in the face of such challenges, find themselves also battling poor leadership, non-inclu- sive decision-making and the appearance of disinter- est in securing equitable benefits, their dedication can only last so long. Agency leadership is the most important factor in effecting change. I believe Acting Administrator Alfonso Lenhardt will be a strong ally in the days ahead. His dis- tinctive military and ambas- sadorial background means he understands better than most that today’s officers are less inclined to execute orders without question; they care about being involved in the creation of departmental strategies and want to understand their implications. Management occasion- ally inquires about what “low-hanging fruit” to tackle first, for many issues are cross-cutting and complex. My response from now on will be that USAID should demonstrate appreciation for its employees by pri- oritizing their concerns and engaging those who would be affected by any change. These basic gestures would go a long way, if done genuinely. Meanwhile, I intend to light that hot fire under the TDY housing program and help make it a reality. Stay tuned, and thank you for all of your support as we blaze this new trail together. n THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY-AUGUST 2015 71 Views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the AFSA USAID VP. Contact: swayne@usaid.gov or (202) 712-1631 USAID VP VOICE | BY SHARON WAYNE AFSA NEWS My private-sector friends can’t understand why it takes so long to enact wanted changes.