Isn’t that what happens in government under the current Grade-Step system? People basically advance in career and compensation based on years in office vs. quality of performance. At least that’s the overall perception of public sector pay among citizens…and OPM Director John Berry:
The current review process “seems to take place in Garrison Keillor’s Lake Wobegon, where everyone is above average,” said Berry, who prefers to be called the government’s “chief people person.” “If that doesn’t make our performance ratings suspect, I don’t know what would.”
Do you find this to be true in your agency? Are people promoted based on tenure or talent?
Do you like the current situation or would you prefer to have a more performance-based environment in government?
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@Charlie HAHAHA
@Charlie – I have to admit that one made me LOL…
I’ve had it both ways under GS and it seems to be a cultural thing to the organization. I’ve been told no bonus because I didn’t do ‘such & such’ only to point out that I put out the biggest fires whereever they happened. So what if I was working 2.5 positions at the time. Come to think of it, I left the government for a short period of time after that.
The current gig usually gives us an annual ~$400 performance bonus. I don’t know if that’s across the board for everybody or just select folks. I’m a high performer because that’s the kind of person I am.
I can’t think of anyone who works for the government to get rich.
I think that the purpose of the step increases is to reward people for staying. And in many jobs that is helpful or even necessary. Some of the skills in government are very specific to the place where you work. This sentence is not true and is confusing: “People basically advance in career and compensation based on years in office vs. quality of performance.” . Getting a step increase is not an advance in career. It is an advance in compensation that rewards people for gaining one to three years in experience. Is that good or bad? I think it is good, but please it does not preclude a performance based system.