Federal retirees, social security recipients, and military retirees will receive a 1.5% COLA next year! This is the lowest COLA since 1985 not counting the two years we did without one. Based on the average retiree’s annuity the 2014 COLA will add approximately $48 monthly for CSRS retirees and $18 for FERS retirees age 62Read… Read more »
Unfortunately a lot of people are afraid to ask questions, they see it as a weakness . . . afraid of looking silly. Successful people are successful in part because they’ve learned the art of asking questions. By asking questions you will improve your competencies, effectiveness and your likability. Scientist asks questions to learn more;Read… Read more »
The workplace is filled with misunderstandings both big and small. An off hand comment can send a workplace spiraling. The diversity of the government make misunderstandings even more common. Because of varied backgrounds, experiences and perceptions, employees can interpret messages from managers quite differently, leading to confusion and conflict. So how do you get aroundRead… Read more »
I saw the movie “12 Years A Slave.” I have seen other movies on slavery, such as Amistad and Glory, but none were as potent and realistic as this was. I came out with my head full of feelings of pain and injustice, as if I had just lived through those 12 years as aRead… Read more »
29 percent of the 2012 new hires in the Federal workforce are former military personnel who served during times of war. What an awesome commitment to our Veterans in the face of sequestration and serious budget cuts! Doing more with less is what the military does! Check out The Federal Eye for the full scoop!Read… Read more »
“My people don’t get it. My staff is incompetent. I feel like I’m babysitting instead of doing real work. My team is dysfunctional. I’m sick of my employees bringing me problems instead of solutions.” Ever hear yourself registering these complaints to a confidant, significant other, or friend? I’ve heard these laments from many clients. ThereRead… Read more »
In the “better late than never” department, the Senate unanimously passed S. Res. 276 (below) designating October 2013 as National Work and Family Month. My question is – What is YOUR agency’s best work/life practice? In my case, parts of my agency are supportive of employee health and wellness – providing time off for fitness,Read… Read more »
On GovLoop Insights’ DorobekINSIDER: For the past few years federal budgeting has been all over the place. The roving numbers make it almost impossible to accurately forecast what the market will look like in the next year, let alone five years down the road. But the folks over at Tech America are experts in forecastingRead… Read more »
On GovLoop Insights’ DorobekINSIDER: The only way to get through these complicated times in government is for leaders to communicate as genuinely as possible. Employees have been trampled on recently with the shutdown and furloughs so they will not tolerate fake empathy. We get more insights on how to deal with being back from theRead… Read more »
On GovLoop Insights’ DorobekINSIDER: The 16 day government shutdown may be over but resentments and fears remain for many federal employees. So how do you get through the low morale and motivate your workforce? Insights from Tom Fox from the Partnership for Public Service. But First: HealthCare.gov’s continued problems The Hill reports that HealthCare.gov crashedRead… Read more »