JOB-RELATED ATTITUDES AND OPINIONS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090007-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 24, 2003
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: June 23, 1970
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2003/ -RDP86B00269M600900090
hf EMOF ANDUM FOR : Deputy Director for Intelligence
Deputy Director for Plans
Depity Director for Science and Teec
Deputy Director for Support
T : Job-Related Attitudes and Opinions
1. You have each received a copy of the Office of t Medical
Survey of Job-Related Attitudes and Opinions within your
Directorate. I asked the Inspector General to compare the results
of these Surveys with the independent findings accumulated during
the aorrial course of his Staff's work. His report is attached, and I
think you will find it informative.
Z. At our meetings and elsewhere we have often discussed the
causes of frequently voiced complaints against "manage.ent. " 14 hike
we can find comfort in the fact that 70 percent of those surveyed are
apparently satisfied with their jobs, supervisors, co-workers, our
mission. etc.. we do know that there are at least four trends of r
man dissatisfaction. I believe. however, that they lie in areas where
remedial action I. quite within our reach or already under way. The
four most c onamen complaints appear to be;
a. Lack of .ommunication.. Employees need to be told
clearly whit is expected of there, how their work fits is with
the Agency's over -all effort, what other elements of the Agency
are doing, etc.
b. Failure to consult each employee on his next assign-
moat and career aspirations.
c. Lack of private office space and attra=_tivs working
environment.
d. Overburdening professional employees with I lerical
tasks and the lack of clerical assistance.
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3. Througb the years we have taken pride in this Agency as a
"ptople-orteated" *rganisatte. In my Judgment, it is; and the re-
sults of these Surveys strongly suggest that each of you has given ~w b
energy and careful atteation to people--oe-r most important resoorca.
Nevertheless. it seems that we have not done enough toward cornmu-
atcattag with others on matters which are essential to effective pereoasfei
managei lel t. It is necessary to enunciate the various basic princi-
ples; they are known to all of you.
4. Please study the Inspector Oeaeral's memorafdum and the
Survey of your Directorate. I am optimistic that our future discus-
sions will relate constructive actions which have been taken.
167 13
L. K. White
.ecutive 1irectar-Comptroller
.Attachment
IG era*randum (ER 70-2997)
O/ExDir:BE:jrf
Distribution:
0 - DD/I w/att
1 - ea additional adse w/att
1 - IG
A- ER w/O of att
1 - ExDir w /att
1 - D/Pers w/att
1 - OGC w / att
Approved For Release 2003/078j flETRDP86B00269R000900090007-6
 J Executive Registry
Approved For Release 20/~TCIA-RDP86B00269~000900090 9~ 7
MEMORANDUM FOR: Executive Director-Comptroller
This is in response to your request that I compare findings
given in the OMS survey of job-related attitudes with the impressions
gained by the Inspection Staff concerning employee attitudes in the
pursuance of its normal work.
Although the Inspection Staff has made no effort to achieve the
degree of statistical precision that is reflected in the OMS study,
we believe that the OMS study has confirmed the impressions gained
by this staff over the years. Last year, for example, we inter-
viewed about 100 employees who had been recruited during 1961.
In summing up the results of this program, made the
following statements:
"The prevailing attitude of personnel from all com-
ponents and grades is that the Agency is a good place to
work.... General comments reveal a poor opinion of
personnel management per se inspite of overriding job
satisfaction.... There is a feeling expressed by some
that the Agency has become more bureaucratic and that
they neither know the nature of work elsewhere nor have
access to information about vacancies.... There is a
diffuse feeling that 'managements could do something to
give employees more sense of participation or appreciation
of the Agency's work.... It is said that overqualified
personnel are recruited for some types of work and that
they consequently find themselves in less than challenging
positions.... It is said that personnel who have proven
their ability and possess the experience are denied
advanced positions because they lack formal academic
credentials. "
Our interviews with persons returning from overseas again
reflect general satisfaction, but with reservations about personnel
management and headroom for promotion.
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GiU'ut' f
Exclut;ei irst autc,nallc
dan;adln; and
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During the past two and one-half years we have and completed h and
surveys of close to twenty elements of the Agency, anumerous complaints and grievances. These studies and inter-
views have produced results that
to the question: t Why
the OMS survey, but they do suggest answers is it that so many people voted negatively on the matter "the way
the Agency is run?' despite over-all satisfaction with the Agency .
In dealing with people face-to-face, we find there is more
talk about the need to get rid of deadwood than is reflected in the
OMS study. This subject is not taken up in the questionnaire, but
it is certainly a major preoccupation among bright young officers
throughout the service. To many it appears to be a key symptom
of managerial weakness in the Agency.
Another point which is made in conversation is that the
collection, processing, and analysis of intelligence in the Agency
and in the US Government is needlessly inefficient. Thoughtful
employees acknowledge rstand what appear to beuastronom i al costs
they find firt.d it hard ard t to o u n
and apparent duplication, over-staffing, several layers of super-
We
visory and editorial personnel, and cumbersome procedures.
should note that much of the comment we hear on these subjects
is based on hearsay, some of which is doubtless exaggerated.
Only those inefficiencies that are close at hand are accurately
gauged. However, a young person is likely to hear a good deal
about wastefulness -- often from a senior officer who is talking
about some other part of the Agency or community. This doubtless
affects employees' attitudes on the subject of management.
Finally, of course, we repeatedly hear from people whose
chief and often only complaint is that they have no idea what to
survey picked
expect in the way of future
is the single assignments.
for among
this up. In our view it gle most those which give people a negative view of management.
Gordon M. Stewart
Inspector General
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Approved For Release 2003/07gE RDP86B00269R000900090007-6
GRET
 Approved For Release 2003/07/30 : CIA-RDP86B00269R00j 9Jk0%90190?
MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director for Intelligence
Deputy Director for Plans
Deputy Director for Support
Deputy Director for Science and Technology
SUBJECT . Job-Related Attitudes and Opinions
1. You have each received a copy of the Office of Medical Services
Survey of Job-Related Attitudes and Opinions within your Directorate.
I asked the Inspector General to compare the results of these Surveys
with the independent findings accumulated during the normal course of
his Staffs work. His report is attached, and I think you will find it
informative.
2. At our meetings and elsewhere we have often discussed the
causes of frequently voiced complaints against "management. " While
we can find comfort in the fact that 70 percent of those surveyed are
apparently satisfied with their jobs, supervisors, co-workers, our
mission, etc. , we do know that there are at least four trends of common
dissatisfaction. I believe, however, that they lie in areas where remedial
action is quite within our reach or already under way. The four most
common complaints appear to be:
unica conce ing what i s exp ed of
o
the e .
the employed, what o et ele nts of he Agency are do fig, etc
b. Failure to consult each employee on his next assignment
and career aspirations.
f core
a. Lack
SE ET
Approved For Release 2003/ fT~ A-RDP86B00269R000900090007-6
 SECRET
Approved For Release 2003/07/30: CIA-RDP86B0026000900090007-6
c. Lack of private office space and attractive working
environment.
d. Overburdening professional employees with clerical
tasks and the lack of clerical assistance.
3. Through the years we have taken pride in this Agency as a
"people -oriented" organization. In my judgment, it is; and the
results of these Surveys strongly suggest that each of you has given
much energy and careful attention to people--our most important
resource. Nevertheless, it seems that we have not done enough
toward communicating with others on matters which are essential to
effective personnel management. It is unnecessary to enunciate the
various basic principles; they are known to all of you.
4. Please study the Inspector General's memorandum and the
Survey of your Directorate. I am optimistic that our future discus-
sions will relate constructive actions which have been taken.
L. K. White
Executive Director-Comptroller
Attachment.
Approved For Release 2003/07,/30 : CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090007-6
 Approved
Approve
A
ISENDER WILL CHEC, Ru
or
g
e
T
OFFICIAL ROUTING SLIP
TO
NAME AND ADDRESS
DATE
INITIALS
1
Inspector General
-V y
2
3
4
5
6
ACTION
DIRECT REPLY
PREPARE REPLY
APPROVAL
DISPATCH
RECOMMENDATION
COMMENT
FILE
RETURN
CONCURRENCE
INFORMATION
SIGNATURE
Remarks :
Gordon:
I am considering issuing the
attached memorandum and welcome
your comments.
LKW
FOLD HERE TO RETURN TO SENDER
FROM: NAME, ADDRESS AND PHONE NO.
DATE
Executive Director-Com troller 7D592
or -
2 JUN 1970
-
FORM No. 237 Use previous editions
1-67 237
 Remarks :
Red:
I think your memorandum is right to the
point. The statement made in paragraph 2. a.
might be changed to read as follows:
Lack of communication. Employees
need to be told clearly what is expected
of them, how their work fits in with the
Agency's over-all effort, what other
elements of the Agency are doing, etc.
25X1
ILLEGIB