Lately I’ve become obsessed with the show Parks and Recreation. I think it’s hysterical — and maybe part of that is because I work around government, and can relate the characters to people I’ve met. But it does make me wonder, is the show reinforcing negative stereotypes about government? For example: 1) Leslie Knope isRead… Read more »
The Australian bullying recently announced an inquiry into workplace bullying. The public service should be leading the way in putting a stop to workplace bullying. Sadly, the reality is that there is a gap between what is espoused and what actually happens in the Australian Public Service. Ticking the boxes on administrative processes is notRead… Read more »
Many local governments on paper have a Employee Suggestion Review Committee, but few actually utilize such committees successfully. The Town of Amherst, NY as I mentioned in a previous post has such a Committee along with wooden suggestion boxes, which had not been opened in years. According to an Arizona Republic news article at theRead… Read more »
To answer this question, I checked in with my former colleague and friend, Dr. Barbara Male. Dr. Male retired from the federal government in April 2008 after 25 years of federal service, most recently serving as a Deputy Assistant Secretary with the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management (EM). She was a career memberRead… Read more »
So how many of you raised your hand? It’s ok, we can’t see you – go ahead, be honest. If we were to ask your employees if they feel your organization can improve employee development and learning and increase recognition– how many would raise their hand? One of the most overlooked yet important assets anRead… Read more »
Some of you might know that I run a little blog for Microsoft called Publicyte.com, about the people, places, and things driving civic innovation. We’re beginning to run more photo and video content as part of our recent site redesign. One thing I love is seeing photos of where people work, their offices, desks, andRead… Read more »
A recent report by the CBC has pegged the cost of federal public service absenteeism at $1B per year. According to the CBC story, the average public servant is taking 18 days a year in sick leave, double what their private sector counterpart does in that same year. While the story does discuss fairly obviousRead… Read more »
Telecommuting is a great option for the agency and the employee. It can improve continuity of operations and morale. There are cautions, however, as shown in a recent article from the MIT Sloan Management Review. What I took away was adivce for when you are telecommuting Stay in touch when you are out of theRead… Read more »
It may seem hard to believe, but the Federal Fiscal Year 2013 is a mere 3 months away. Lots will happen between now and October 1, but it’s important that government employees in all different functional areas (not just budget officials) begin to think about what they want to accomplish in FY14 / FY15. AskRead… Read more »
Hopefully, you have never been harassed at work and never will be. But what would you do if such a situation occurred? Would you know where to turn and what steps to take? Do you know your employment rights and the laws protecting you? What constitutes harassment? You probably have a good general idea ofRead… Read more »