A SURVEY OF JOB-RELATED ATTITUDES AND OPINIONS OF CAREERISTS IN THE SUPPORT SERVICES

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CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0
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S
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59
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December 19, 2016
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August 11, 2006
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3
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May 1, 1970
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QXcOtive Registry Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-R DP86B00269R00090009 n A SURVEY OF JOB-RELATED ATTITUDES AND OPINIONS OF CAREERISTS IN THE SUPPORT SERVICES Office of Medical Services Psychological Services Staff Research Branch May 1970 MORKIDIF Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006QQ8 146 CIA Zl P86B00269R000900090003-0 Page SUMMARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Sample Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Questionnaire and Administration. . . . . . . . . 4 RESULTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Basic Job Dimensions -- Degree of Satisfaction on Present Job. . . . . . . . . 5 Job-Related Attitudes of DDS Careerists Comparisons with Other Agency Professionals , . 8 Differential Job Attitudes of Headquarters and Overseas-Assigned Support Careerists. . . . 25 Summary of Attitudinal Differences Between New and Relatively Experienced Support Careerists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Discussion of Comments Made in Response to An Open-End Attitude Survey Question . . . . 31 Appendix A: Summary of Background Characteristics of the DDS and Non-DDS Samples . . 38 Appendix B: Distribution of Response Per- centages to Agency Job Attitude Questionnaire: DDS Sample Only. . 41 S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14 C: CCIA---RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 JOB ATTITUDES AND OPINIONS OF CAREERISTS IN THE SUPPORT SERVICES ,, SURVEY OBJECTIVES: . To describe job-related attitudes and opinions of DDS careerists To To To compare compare compare job views job views expressed of of job DDSers and other Agency professionals Headquarters- and Overseas-assigned DDSers satisfaction of experienced and new DDSers ? DDS group consisted of 133 employees who EOD'd approximately 5 or 10 years ago in professional-level jobs and who were under age 30 when hired. All carried DDS service designations. - O/S sub-group, numbering 61, consisted of Support officers who had served overseas for at least 6 months of the year preceding the survey - Headquarters sub-group consisted of 72 Support officers Agency comparison group (non-DDSers) consisted of 415 employees who met same age and EOD requirements as DDS group. Included were 46% DDIers, 45% DDPers, 9% DDS&Ters, and 1% from O/DCI . DDS (1-year) comparison group, numbering 35, was made up of employees who had entered Agency in -8, at under age 30, in professional-level jobs. Results for this group were drawn from an earlier attitude survey. 127 item multiple-choice questionnaire covering respondent's back- ground, and attitudes toward immediate job and work environment, career, training and supervision, and the Agency in general 1 open-end question which invited personal comment and suggestions for change Survey conducted in Fall 1969 under auspices of the Inspector General to whom questionnaires, completed anonymously, were returned 133 of 186 DDSers returned questionnaires, yielding 72% return rate DDS GROUP -- General Job Satisfaction . 75% claimed satisfaction with their jobs as a iahole About 15% were "about as satisfied as dissatisfied" Less than 10% expressed clear dissatisfaction -i- S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 S E C R E T Aspects on which a High Percentage (about 75% or more) Satisfied Agency Goals - importance and worthwhileness . Co-workers - cooperation and interpersonal relations ? Intrinsic Aspects of Work Itself ? Personal Work Accomplishments - sense-of"makiftg a contribution Agency Rules and Regulations - reasonableness ? Treatment by Supervisor ? Competence of Supervisor ? Impression Job makes on Family and Friends JO Aspects on which a Moderate-Sized Percentage (60 to 70%) Satisfied ? Physical Surroundings and Working Conditions ? Salary Received ? Recognition Received for Work - appropriateness and adequacy Jod Aspects on which Low or Moderate-Sized Percentage (45 to' 55%) Satisfied Classroom and On-the-Job Training -(,quality and relevance e.g., Nearly 1 in 5 felt Agency had provided him with inadequate training Opportunities for Advancement More than one-third felt that promotional opportunities were unfair and that their rate of advancement would be slower than they were led to believe Way Agency is Run (see below) r1a tors Pertaining to Way Agency is Run Eliciting Unfavorable Comment Communications 46% claimed communication gap existed between management and employees 47% felt that management failed to explain adequately to employees the reasons for its actions Coordination 37% felt management does not see to it that there is cooperation between offices Career Development and Personnel Management 37% indicated that decisions affecting their assignments and careers were-made with little regard for their own preferences 67% indicated that they were rarely asked to participate in the planning of their careers 36% felt that Agency is not doing a good job managing its young professional 35% felt Agency has grown more depersonalized in relations with its employees Miscellaneous About 4 in 10 claimed that they are unable to get enough clerical help and that they spend too much time themselves on clerical tasks -ii- S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/y/4 CCj gD, 86B00269R000900090003-0 DDS vs. Other Agency Professionals Slightly larger percentages of DDSers than others satisfied with intrinsic aspects of their work and with personal work accomplishments Proportionately more DDSers satisfied with their immediate work environment, although in absolute terms, sizeable minorities of both groups noted discontent with their office areas Percentage-wise more DDSers voiced satisfaction with quality of Agency training instructors and with the handling of the personnel function'- 77% of the DDSers and 67% of the others indicated long-range career plans were to remain with Agency DDS: New vs. Experienced Careerists Levels of job satisfaction voiced by new (1-year) and relatively experienced DDSers did not differ on most extrinsic aspects of their jobs - e.g., supervision, training, co-workers, pay, work setting A larger percentage of new DDSers viewed opportunities for advance- ment favorably Proportionately more of the experienced DDSers satisfied with intrinsic aspects of their jobs, including how interesting, challeng- ing, and meaningful they have been DDS: O/S vs. Headquarters On the relatively few matters on which differences between Head- quarters and O/S Support personnel were found, the O/S group tended to express the more favorable or positive views Proportionately more O/S employees favorably regarded management's efforts in the areas of communication and coordination Most free response comments were expressions of discontent and con- cerned personnel management and career development in the Agency. Specific sources of concern in these areas included: Inadequate or total lack of career planning Questionable bases on which promotions are made Limited recognition accorded exceptional performances Retention of non-productive employees Lack of truly objective system of performace evaluation Inefficient utilization of Support CTs Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08 14 : CI R DE 8T B00269R000900090003-0 INTRODUCTION This report describes some job-related attitudes of a group of Support Services careerists serving both at Headquarters and overseas locations. For reference purposes, comparative attitude data on a group of careerists from the other Agency Directorates are also provided. Both the DDS and the comparison samples consisted of employees who had entered on duty approximately five or ten years ago in professional-level jobs. A complete description of the samples appears below. The source of the data for this report was a questionnaire attitude survey conducted under the auspices of the Office of the Inspector General in Fall 1969, and involving over 550 Agency officers. The questionnaire was designed to develop information concerning employees' attitudes and views about the careers, their immediate jobs and work environment, their training and supervision, and the Agency in general. .r A Psychological Services Staff report dated January 1970 ("A Survey of Job-Related Attitudes of Five- and Ten-Year Agency Offi- cers") describes in detail the survey results for the overall .,. Agency sample. The present report deals more or less exclusively with the attitudes of the DDSers within this larger Agency sample. Included are: 1) discussions in absolute terms of the job attitudes and satisfactions of DDSers as expressed on both objective and -1- S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/1C E : RCI E RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 open-end questionnaire items; 2) comparisons in relative terms of the stated job satisfaction of DDSers and other Agency pro- Ifessionals; and 3) comparisons of job views of Support Officers serving at: Headquarters and overseas. Sample Description The Support sample consisted of 133 professional officers 98% male, 2% female -- all of whom carried DDS ("S") career service esignations. The comparison or non-DDS sample totaled 415. Most of the DDS careerists were between 30 and 40 years of gE: at the time of completing the questionnaire survey; all were tinder age 30 when hired. Sixty percent of the group were college raduates, with 11% claiming advanced degrees. Nearly all. of the ion-college graduates in the DDS sample EOD'd 10 years ago and were mployed in communications specialities. With few exceptions, the IDS respondents reported EOD grades between GS-05 and GS-08, with grades 6 and 7 being most frequently cited. Slightly under one- uarter of the group indicated they had been through either the OT or CT Programs. DDS employees with EOD dates in 1963-64 made up 43% of the ample; the remaining 57% reported EOD dates in 1958-59. A little ove-r-- half of the DDSers were serving at Headquarters at the time of the survey. Appendix A contains a breakdown of the DDS sample and the nIon?-DDS comparison sample on the above and other background factors. S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006L08114C: CIA--RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 An exact breakdown of the DDS sample by career service designation is not available as this information was not requested. However, the number in each Support career service to whom question- naires were sent is available and allows us to estimate the above breakdown. This is done by assuming that the proportion of all returned questionnaires from a given service parallels the pro- portion of the total number of questionnaires that was initially sent out to that service. The resulting estimates are displayed below: SERVICE DESIGNATION (by office) ESTIMATED % OF SAMPLE OC 51 OS 16 OL 5 OP O/DDS OF CTP 4 OTR 1 OMS 1 Assigned to CS 10 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 S E C R E T Questionnaire and Administration A full description of the attitude questionnaire and the details of its administration both at Headquarters and at overseas locations; are contained in the PSS Report dated January .1970 referenced above. It suffices to indicate in-the present context that the questionnaire was to be completed anonymously and returned directly to the Office of the Inspector General. Self-addressed envelopes, were provided for that purpose. Of a, total of 186 questionnaires distributed to personnel with Support ("S").career service designations, 133 were returned and included in the analyses. This represents a return rate of 72%, one which is somewhat smaller than the rate of 80% obtained for the non-DDS group. S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 S E C R E T Basic Job-'Dimensions -- Degree of Satisfaction on Present Job This section is concerned with the question of how satis- fied the surveyed DDSers were with various basic dimensions of their jobs. Responses of the sample to 15 global questionnaire items are the bases for the remarks that follow: Although the distribution of responses to these items does not tell the complete story (inasmuch as 99 additional items explore more specific job views and opinions) they do provide a good overview and introduction to sources of job satisfaction/dissatisfaction among Support Services officers. Figure 1 shows the percentage of the DDS sample responding "Satisfied" and "Dissatisfied" to each of the 15 job dimensions. Generally speaking, these dimensions seem to fall into three clusters or groups corresponding roughly to three degrees of overall satisfaction/dissatisfaction. At one extreme are dimensions 'an which about 75% or more of the group expressed satisfaction. Lead- ing the list are satisfaction with the Agency's goals and with one's co-workers. Only slightly smaller proportions found their work interesting and meaningful, their supervisors competent and fair, Agency rules and regulations reasonable, their personal work accomplishments gratifying, and the impression their jobs made on others satisfactory. On none of the above job aspects did the per- cent expressing clear dissatisfaction exceed 10%. -5- S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 S E C R E T PERCENT OF DDS SAMPLE EXPRESSING SATISFACTION AND DISSATISFACTION WITH VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THEIR JOBS O2 ASPECT TIm ortance of P,g ncy goals PERCENT DISSATISFIED:' 30 20 10 _0 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 1004M C o-.workers i Work itself---interesting- nels and meaningfulness Pefsonal work accomplishments 'Ircatment by su ervisor AgIncy rules an regulations Co petence of supervisor Ge eral job satisfaction Impression job makes on others Physical surroundings/ working conditions Pay; Rocbgnition re- coiled for work CLaosroom and on- t:ze'-job training I Way' Agency i3 hurt Opp rt:unities for advancement I 33 PERCENT SATISFIED _ 818 86 8.i 8 r 12 1~3 Dots not include percent responding "About as ~4 79 75 6'? 512 4 ^ Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: ECIA---RE PT6B00269R000900090003-0 Moderate-sized percentages of DDSers, ranging from about 60 to 70% of the sample, expressed satisfaction on three additional job aspects: work environment; salary; and recognition received for work. Typically, only between 10 and 20% of the respondents expressed clear dissatisfaction on these matters. Job aspects on which a low to moderate-sized proportion of the Support group voiced satisfaction included classroom and on- the-job training, the way the Agency is run, and opportunities for advancement. The most prominent exception to the picture of general and widespread satisfaction delineated earlier concerned the last of these job aspects: one-third of the DDSers were dis- satisfied with their promotional opportunities. On an overall job attitude index, fully three-quarters of the DDS sample indicated that they were satisfied with their jobs as a whole, and only about 10% claimed dissatisfaction. The remainder claimed they were "about as satisfied as dissatisfied". S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 20 06/08/14 : CI -RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 JOB-RELATED ATTITUDES OF THE DDS CAREERISTS Comparisons with Other Agency Professionals The preceding remarks were intended to provide an overview of the job satisfaction expressed by DDS professionals toward various aspects of their jobs. What follows are more detailed descriptions of the specific job-related attitudes, views, and opinions of these same careerists. These descriptions are organ- ized around 18 dimensions or clusters of items into which the questionnaire was organized to facilitate exposition. Comparisons between the DDS and non-DDS Agency comparison sample are also included within each dimension. Noteworthy differences between the samples are highlighted.1 A complete listing of all the sur- vey items organized by job dimension and the distribution of responses of the DDS sample to these items is provided in Appendix B. Background Characteristics As noted earlier, both the DDS and the Agency comparison sample consisted of employees who had EOD'd approximately five or ten years ago in professional-level. jobs and who were under age 30 when hired. The Directorate most heavily represented in the non-DDS sample was the Directorate for Intelligence with 46% of the total; next came the Clandestine Service with 45%; then the Directorate for Science and Technology with 9%; and finally, the Office of the 1Statistically significant differences were found on a total of 26 of the 114 items. The DDS sample expressed, on the average, more favorable attitudes than the non-DDSers on 18 of the 26 items where reliable differences were found. -8-- S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006T8/14: CIA-R E DP86B00269R000900090003-0 E Director with 1%. A total of 415 officers were in the Agency comparison sample. Nearly all the respondents were male. Significant difference between the DDS and non-DDS groups were found on a number of background factors. These are described below. Comparison of EOD dates of the groups indicated that a greater percentage of the DDSers have been in the Agency for ten years (57 vs. 30%). Far more of the non-DDSers than DDSers were college graduates (96 vs. 60%); advanced degrees were claimed by one-third of the non-DDSers, but by only 10% of the Support group. The Agency comparison sample enjoyed higher current grades, on the average, than the Support group. To illustrate, fully 60% of the non-DDSers but only 44% of the DDSers reported current grades of GS-11 or higher. Also noted was the fact that entry- level grades tended to be lower among the DDSers surveyed. A final difference noted was that proportionately twice as many non-DDSers as DDSers had been through the CT Program (48 vs. 24%). Job-Related Attitudes The Work Itself Most of the DDSers surveyed felt satisfied, overall, with the work they have done, although as many as one-quarter reported that they do not get challenging, important assignments. A small -9- S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 S E C R E T` minority, roughly between 15 and 20%, claimed that their 'work bores them or that they have not been given an opportunity to fully use their abilities and creative talents in their work. Hardly ever did a respondent serving in a support capacity feel that the Agency expects too much from him, or that he finds some aspect of his job too difficult. Some did say, however, that their jobs were usually so easy they weren't interesting and some did claim having too much pressure on them -- averaging about 18% in both cases. As has been found to be the case elsewhere in the Agency, a large minority (37%) of DDS officers claim they spend too much ,time doing clerical tasks. An even larger percentage reported that they have had trouble getting enough clerical help. Overall, it may be concluded that very few DDS professionals were dissatisfied with the intrinsic aspects of.their work. But, some, perhaps around 20% of the present sample, seem to be question- ing whether their time and talents were being used in ways allowing them to make their maximum contribution to the Agency. By and large, non-DDSers responded much like DDSers on the variety of items concerned with intrinsic aspects of their work and the demands placed upon them. Two minor exceptions to this pattern were noted. A slightly larger percentage of the Support S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14C CIA- DP86B00269R000900090003-0 group reported they are satisfied with the work they have done, while a slightly larger percentage of the others thought that their jobs require them to be creative (81 vs. 69%). Personal Work Accomplishments Having a strong sense of personal work accomplishment, of making a real contribution through one's efforts, was particularly characteristic of DDSers. Many felt they are performing in jobs which really count toward the overall Agency mission and relatively few (about 1 in 5) seem to think that their jobs sometimes matter very little in the scheme of things. Consistently, a slightly larger proportion of DDSers than non-DDSers expressed positive regard for their particular work accomplishments and contribution to the Agency. In absolute terms, the level of satisfaction voiced on this job aspect by both groups was fairly high. Opportunities for Advancement For a sizeable number of DDSers, promotional opportunites were viewed with disfavor; for slightly less than one-half of the sample they were regarded with clear satisfaction. Typically, one-third or more of the DDS group asserted that promotional opportunities are unfair, that their personal chances for promotion are not good, and that they would advance more quickly in private -11- S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 20Q61E08114 : CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 R E T !industry. More than one-third of this group intimated that their ;rate of advancement in the Agency would be slower than they ire led to believe. It would be informative to learn the bases from which these employees' expectancies regarding promotion had arisen. Was there a failure in communication or did the expectancies which were subsequently disconfirmed really represent wishful thinking or rationalization? Another clue to some of the discontent referenced above may be found in the fact that 36% of the DDSers thought that rewards and recognition in the Agency are based primarily on actual accomplishments while nearly one-third disagreed. The response of this latter minority is probably indicative of an unfavorable lattitude toward the bases on which rewards are made. Typically, employees would like to see rewards made contingent upon demonstrated erformance. Within the DDS sample, as many thought that demonstrated erformance was not the basis for getting ahead as did. "Getting known by the right people" and "seniority" were the most frequently cited alternatives to demonstrated performance. * * * * * In no significant ways did the pattern of attitudes of the two Agency groups differ toward opportunities for advancement. lassroom and On-The-Job Training Attitudes of the DDSers toward their training experiences ere at best only moderately favorable. Slightly over ones-half S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08 14 : CIA--E DP86B00269R000900090003-0 T of the respondents expressed clear satisfaction with the quality and relevance of the training they had received, while nearly 30% claimed they were "about as satisfied as dissatisfied". More positive was the finding that about 2 out of 3 respondents felt satisfied with the quality of Agency training instructors -- 1 in 6 did not. Although the majority of Support officers could agree that a well-planned program for people in their positions does not exist, relatively few (less than 20%) claimed that the Agency has provided them with inadequate training. It is possible that this apparent discrepancy arose from the feeling of many that a well-planned training program cannot (or need not) be designed for their positions. Nearly two-thirds of the DDS sample indicated that they have taken academic courses related to their jobs since joining the Agency. For most this extramural training has been financed entirely or in part by the Agency. Except for the finding that satisfaction with Agency training instructors was more widespread among DDSers than the others (66 vs. 52% satisfied) the overall attitudes of these two groups toward the quality and relevance of their training were remarkably similar. P and Benefits Across the DDS sample satisfaction with salary may be character- ized as moderate. It does not appear to be one of the more salient Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 S E C :fit E T sources of job satisfaction cited by DDSers. About 1.in 5 felt dissatisfied with his present salary, while well over one:-third claim they are underpaid and getting less than they would outside of the Government. Understanding of, and satisfaction with, the program of benefits ;provided to employees was widespread in the DDS sample. About three-quarters of all Support officers expressed positive views in this area, less than 20% did not. * * * * Although the overall degree of satisfaction/dissatisfaction ,expressed toward pay and benefits across the two groups was much the same, a larger proportion of thenon-DDSers (54 vs. 38%) were of the opinion that they would be better off salary-wise outside of Government. The fact that this latter differential was not repeated in the degree of satisfaction noted by the groups toward their pay is somewhat unexpected. Satisfaction with one's pay is thought to be conditioned, at least to some degree, by expectation of what one might receive in alternative jobs. Co-Workers As noted earlier, some of the most positive views and opinions expressed anywhere on the questionnaire concerned one's co-workers. Nearly all respondents claimed that they both got along well with and enjoyed the cooperation of their co-workers. * * * * * S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 200%t0W1 ~ : ill R,pP86B00269R000900090003-0 Virtually identical high regard was expressed by the DDS and non-DDS groups toward their co-workers. Recognition Received for Work About 3 out of 5 DDS respondents claimed they were satisfied with the amount and kind of recognition -- both praise and criti- cism -- they have received for their work. A little over 10% of the sample indicated clear dissatisfaction on this job dimension. Unfair criticism of one's work was hardly ever cited. On the other hand, nearly one-third of those surveyed noted they do not usually receive praise for a job well done. DDSers and non-DDSers differed in attitudes toward the recog- nition received for their work only in that the latter group was more likely to acknowledge that they usually receive praise for a job well done (74 vs. 61%). Supervision: Treatment by Supervisor and Competence of Supervisor The great majority of DDSers regarded with considerable satisfaction and favor the quality of the supervision they receive. Consistently, between 80 and 90% of the sample claimed that they can trust their supervisor, that he listens to their suggestions, and that he allows them to make their own decisions. On a slightly less positive note, it was observed that 70% of the DDSers said they know what their supervisors think of them and their work. Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 200S/E8/1 :SCE TDP86B00269R000900090003-0 On the average, about 4 out of 5 DDSers thought that. their supervisors were well-qualified technically and made sound decisions about 1 in 10 felt otherwise. Overall, it would appear that the immediate supervision of the DDS employees surveyed is a particularly well-regarded job aspect. * * * * In almost every aspect of the supervisory process that they were asked to comment upon, DDSers and non-DDSers responded in a highly similar manner. As noted above, satisfaction with super- visors was a source of much favorable comment. Physical Surroundings/Working Conditions Generally speaking, attitudes of DDSers toward various aspects of their work environment presented a rather mixed picture and hence cannot be simply characterized. On such practical matters as adequacy of parking, availability of office supplies, starting and quitting times, and access to transportation to and from work,, favorable attitudes were the rule. More than 80% of the sample responded positively. Significantly less favorable attitudes were expressed toward the adequacy of eating facilities nearly one-third were dissatisfied. Also on a negative note was the fact that on the average, one-quarter of the Support respondents described their office areas as "depressing" and offering "too little r_Lvacy". 11 S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 200%01(1~: ~IP-RgP86B00269R000900090003-0 On an overall index designed to assess satisfaction with physical surroundings and working conditions, a slightly larger percentage of DDSers than the others responded favorably, Although sizeable minorities of both Agency groups felt that their office space affords them too little privacy, this feeling was relatively more prevalent among non-DDSers (43 vs. 27%). By a reliable margin, non-DDSers were also more likely to comment that eating facilities were inadequate. Impression Job Makes on others The great majority of DDSers are satisfied with the impression their job makes on family and friends. Only about 5% were clearly discontent with this aspect of Agency employment, although far more (nearly one-third) did acknowledge that generally "the public looks down on Government employees". It is speculated that some employees see their jobs as taking on special status by virtue of their work being done in this and-not some other Government agency. * * *1 * *.. No reliable group differences were found on any item falling in this job dimension. Agency Rules and Regulations Only about 2% of the total DDS sample felt dissatisfied with Agency rules and regulations and indicated that they are unnecessarily strict or rigid. -17- S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2009/001104: l~-VP86B00269R000900090003-0 The accepting attitudes of DDSers toward Agency rules and regulations were also found to the same high degree among the non-DDSers surveyed. The Way the Agency is Run: Adequacy of Communication and Career Development Personnel Management A large number of attitude items have been grouped, in what will no doubt sometimes appear an arbitrary manner, unde:c the rubric given above. It was felt that these items inquired, one way or another, into the administration of the Agency. In all three areas, evidence of discontent or concern was found to signi- ficant degrees. As mentioned earlier, on an overall index which assessed satisfaction with the way the Agency is run, slightly more than one-half of the DDS sample responded clearly favorably, whereas slightly less than one-fifth did not; a sizeable minority (31%) reported they are "about as satisfied as dissatisfied" with the way the Agency is run. On a more positive note, fully three-quarters of all those surveyed expressed the opinion that the Agency is run by people who have good judgment - less than 10% felt otherwise. In spite of this expression-of confidence in the judgment of Agency managers, relatively few respondents (37%) felt that management sees to it that there is cooperation between offices. Adequacy of Communication. About as many DDSers felt that management explains adequately to employees the reasons for its -18- S E CI2 E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/28/4C CJA 1q)86B00269R000900090003-0 actions as did not (42 vs. 47%). In a closely parallel manner, more than 40% of the sample asserted that there is a communication gap between management and employees, while more than 40% did not perceive such a gap. There is no simple explanation for this polarization of view, although there is a clue in the fact that Support personnel at Headquarters are more likely than those overseas to cite communications as a problem area. In light of the communication deficit noted by so many it was somewhat surprising to find that most DDSers felt they can make their ideas and complaints known to management. Evidently, many DDSers are not satisfied with the response that their inputs are eliciting from people above them. Career Development/Personnel Management. With very few exceptions, DDSers claimed they have experienced a definite growth in skills in their present jobs. But this acknowledged growth in skills does not seem to be associated in the minds of many DDSers with an altogether satisfactory system for personnel management and career development. To illustrate, more than one-third of the Support group felt that decisions affecting their assignments and careers are made with little regard for their own preferences and fully two-thirds agreed they are rarely asked to participate in the planning 66 their careers. Only one-half of the group could claim that their supervisor has shown an interest in their career development, while even less than one-half could agree unequivocally Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2005/088/14 :RCIAA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 that the personnel office in the Agency tries to be helpful -- nearly one-quarter felt to the contrary. Part of this negative attitude may be attributable to the feeling among a sizeable minority that they are not kept informed of personnel policies and procedures. Another problem area cited by a number of DDSers is the fitness reporting system. Nearly two-thirds agreed that it left a lot to be desired. Some indication of the more global. attitudes of the Support sample toward personnel. management is present in the finding that better than 1 out of every 3 respondents felt that the Agency has grown more depersonalized in its relations with its employees. This response is. complemented by the assertion made by more than one-half of the sample that the Agency should take more interest in each employee as a person than it presently does. * * * * Generally speaking, the views of DDSers regarding the way the Agency is run, as detailed above, differed only minimally from the views of the Agency comparison sample. An exception to this conclusion was the finding that more non-DDSers than DDSers (38 vs. 23%) considered the personnel program of the Agency a hindrance. In a similar vein, reliably larger percentages of non-DDSers agreed with the statement that, "The personnel. office -20- S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/g81i4cCkA- O 86B00269R000900090003-0 in the Agency tries to be helpful". The fact that DDS officers are more likely to acknowledge that they are kept informed of personnel policies and procedures may partially account for this group difference in attitude. Caliber of New Prof sional_s Among DDSers, the belief that young professionals now-entering the Agency are as capable as those who entered when they did (five or ten years ago) was fairly widespread (more than 3 in 4 thought so). However, fewer of these experienced Support officers (only 44%) MW thought that these young professionals are as motivated, that is, committed to their work, as they themselves were at the outset of their careers. Perhaps the most relevant and striking finding on this topic is that only one-quarter of the DDSers felt that the Agency is doing a good job of managing its young, recently-hired professionals. More than one-third of the Support sample expressed the opinion that the Agency is not doing a good job in this area of personnel manage- ment. A greater percentage of non-DDSers than DDSers hold favorable views of the caliber of new professionals. While the clear majority of both groups considered the new professionals as capable as they, themselves, were when they started their careers, proportionately more of the non-DDSers made this claim. Much more striking was -21- S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 S E C R E T the group difference in opinion on the matter of the motivation of the new professionals. A significantly greater percentage of the non-DDSers than DDSers (60 vs. 44%) thought that the new professionals are as committed to their work as they, themselves, were. And finally, while relatively few of either group thought that the Agency is doing a good job of managing young professionals, this concern was slightly more common among the non-DDSers. Importance of Agency Goals The DDSers were close to being unanimous in agreeing that the goals of the Agency are "worthwhile" and "important". Non-DDSers shared the same high regard as the DDSers for the goals of the Agency. oramitment to Agency Career A variety of more or less related job and career concerns I.re grouped under this heading. To begin with, it was noted that about 7 in. 10 DDS respondents said that they really feel part of he Agency and that the longer they work here the stronger. becomes that sense of belongingness. On the average, less than 20% of i he Support group claimed they feel neither of these sentiments Toward the Agency. On one particularly revealing and informative item, 69% of the DDSers claimed that if they had it to do over .gain, they would still come here to work; 17%T were uncertain as -22-- S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/g81~4CC&- ZE 86B00269ROO0900090003-0 to what they would do, and only 14% stated that they would probably not come to work here if given the choice once again. About 3 of every 4 DDS professionals surveyed claimed that their long-range career plans were to remain with the Agency. As might be anticipated, fewer employees plan to remain in their present jobs (35%) than plan to remain in the Agency. Going into general management or administration or getting into some specialty within their field are the most frequently preferred alternatives to remaining in one's present job -- cited by 40 and 19% respectively. Reliable group differences in attitudes toward career commit- ment were found on only two questionnaire items. Whereas slightly more than three=quarters of the DDSers indicated they plan to remain with the Agency, two-thirds of the non-DDSers expressed this intention. A second difference was that a slightly larger percentage of the DDSers asserted that the longer they work for the Agency, the more they feel they belong. It is somewhat sur- prising that this group difference did not obtain on the item which inquired about feelings of being part of the Agency. About 70% of both groups commented that they "really feel part of the Agency", about 20% disagreed. General Job Satisfaction As noted in a previous section, the proportion of DDSers expressing clear satisfaction with their jobs as a whole was fairly -23- S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 S E C R E T high (75%); less than 10% of the sample indicated they were dissatisfied. In what appears to be a contradiction to this overall picture, nearly one-fourth of the DDSers noted that they were "discouraged" in their present jobs. It may be that this last item taps more superficial or transitory aspects of one's work situation. * * * * * No overall difference in levels of expressed job satisfaction was found between the DDS and Agency comparison sample. Reactions to Questionnaire Two items in the questionnaire were designed to elicit opinions about the value of conducting attitude surveys. The majority of DDSers (71%) felt that "filling in a questionnaire like this is a good way to let management know what employees think" -- 11% disagreed. A slightly smaller majority -(61%) thought that "some good may come out of filling in a questionnaire like this" -- 16'% disagreed. Thus, for most DDS respondents, the attitude survey was viewed as a worthwhile endeavor from which real benefit may derive. Favorable views toward the attitude survey were more wide- spread among DDSers than among the non-DDSers. Especially note- orthy is the.fact that a far larger percentage of the DDSers than the others believed that benefit would derive from conducting this purvey. S E C R P T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2005 /E81~4 CbA-~DP86B00269R000900090003-0 Differential Job Attitudes of Headquarters And Overseas-Assigned Support Careerists In planning the data analyses for this survey, it was felt that the distinction between Headquarters and Overseas (0/S) Support personnel would be a meaningful one to make. An O/S DDSer was defined as one who had :served overseas for at least one-half of the year immediately preceding the survey. Presum- ably, his attitudes would reflect at least in part any influence that overseas service might have on general job outlook. It is recognized that this distinction between Headquarters and O/S employees is an approximate one and that closer analyses would reveal considerable overlap of experience and orientation between these groups. The focus in this section will be primarily on those survey items on which responses of the two DDS groups differed to both a statistically reliable, and, in our judgment, a noteworthy degree. Only 12 of the 114 questionnaire items were responded to in a sufficiently different manner by the O/S and Headquarters samples to warrant comment. On each of these 12 items it was the O/S sample which expressed, on the average, more favorable or positive attitudes. Unless 'specifically mentioned below, it may be assumed that the O/S and Headquarters Support careerists share to the same degree the attitudes detailed in the preceding section giving the results for the overall DDS sample. -25- S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/1 4: CI -RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Background Characteristics The O/S sample consisted of 61 DDSers while the Headquarters group number 72. Minimal differences were found between the groups on the variables;_of age, sex, EOD dates, and the percent indi- cating they had been CTs. The groups did differ considerably in education and grade level. The majority of O/S personnel reported that their highest level of education is less than a bachelor's degree. By comparison, slightly under one-quarter of the Head- quarters sample possess less than a B.A.; 61% have their B.A.'s while another 15% claim advanced degrees. This differential in educational level attained was also reflected in EOD and current grades of the two groups. To illustrate, the most frequently cited entry-level of the Headquarters Support officers were GS-07 and 8 and for the O/S respondents, GS-05 and 6. Current grade level for 60% of the Headquarters employees fell at GS-1J. or above. Less than one-fourth of the O/S groups claimed current grades at. or above this level. A final point concerning background char acteristics is that a slightly larger percentage of the O/S than the Headquarters group (85 vs. 70%) indicated that their long-range career plans are to stay with the Agency. Job-Related Attitudes Although no reliable group differences in expressed satisfaction toward classroom and on-the-job training were found, significant. S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006ig81~4-C Z9 86B00269R000900090003-0 differences did emerge on two more circumscribed aspects of the training dimension. Whereas more than 1 in 4 of the Headquarters group were of the opinion that the training they had received for their job was inadequate, only slightly over 5% of the O/S group shared this view. On a related training item proportionately more O/S than Headquarters Support officers expressed the belief that the Agency had a well-planned training program for people in their positions. It should be recalled that'in absolute terms only modest numbers in either group acknowledged the existence of well-planned training programs for them. Generally speaking, both DDS groups expressed the same high degree of satisfaction on an item dealing with the impression that their jobs made on their family and friends. The groups did differ in response, and rather strikingly, on a related item which read, "The public looks down an Government employees". Forty- three percent of the Headquarters sample,':?but only 17% of those overseas, agreed with this statement. Roughly equal proportions of the two groups (averaging about one-third) felt that they were getting paid as much as they would outside the Federal Government. However, a reliably larger pro- portion of the Headquarters group asserted that their salaries would be better outside of Government. The area of communications and coordination was one in which consistent differences between the DDS groups were found. For example, more of the O/S employees felt that management both S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 S E C R E T jsees to it. that there is interoffice cooperation and explains adequately to employees the reasons for its actions. In a similar vein, proportionately more O/S employees reported that they feel free to take complaints up the line. Interestingly,,-fewer of the O/S group thought that there was too much "red tape" in the Govern- ment. The above set of differences is perhaps best summarized ,and reflected in the finding that O/S officers were much less likely than those at Headquarters to indicate that a communication gap existed between management and employees. Two final group differences concern personnel-type cDnsidera- tions. it was noted that fewer O/S than Headquarters DDSers agreed with the statements, "The personnel program of this Agency is s hindrance" (15 vs. 31%) and "The people who hired me misrepresented my job" (9 vs. 25%). Summary of Attitudinal Differences Between New anff-TelaTively Experienced Support Careerists Up'-to this point, the job-related attitudes and views of experienced Support officers have been discussed. To gain perspective on the thinking of these careerists (and'-how it may have changed over time) selected comparisons are made in this section between their item responses and those of a group of relatively new DDS professional-level employees. This latter group ,of employees, numbering 35, completed an attitude survey, nearly identical to the one described in this report, approximately one S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14 :R CIE A-RDP86BOO269ROO0900090003-0 year after joining the Agency. They were surveyed in Fall 1968 "(along with 265 young professionals in other Directorates) as part of the Agency's participation in President Johnson's Program for Talented Youth in the Federal Service. Included in this DDS group, referred to below as the 1-year DDSers, were employees who: 1) EOD'd between July 1967 and June 1968; 2) were under age 30 when hired; and 3) whose entry-level positions required the equivalent of a bachelor's degree. In view of the small size of the 1-year group, the conclusions drawn below must remain tentative. The levels of job satisfaction registered by the 1-year and the experienced DDS groups toward most extrinsic aspects of their jobs did not differ. Thus, about the same proportions of the .00 two samples said they were satisfied with such job aspects as ilia quality of supervision, training, co-workers, pay and work environ- ment..An extrinsic aspect on which differences did emerge concerned opportunities for advancement. Where fully one-third of the experien,c,e.d.DDS careerists indicated clear dissatisfaction with the opportunities for promotion provided by the Agency, only one individual in the 1-year sample voiced a similar complaint. Significant group differences were found on several attitude items concerned with intrinsic aspects of one's job. For example, larger percentages of the experienced group expressed satisfaction S E C R E T .MO Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14 :RCCIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 with the work they've been doing, including its interestingness and meaningfulness (85 vs. 60% satisfied). On two related items -- not inquiring about satisfaction per se -- it was found that the experienced...DDSers were more likely to acknowledge that they got "challenginq,:*importarxt assignments" and to assert that their work did not bore them. Evidently, over time the average level of satisfaction of on-board DDSers toward the intrinsic aspects of their work is increased to a measurable degree. It was noted earlier that 77% of the combined five- and ten-year group indicated that their long-range career plans are to remain with they Agency. For the 1-year DDSers, the percent planning to make a career here is nearly as high at 74%. The fact that the differential in percent currently satisfied with their work is not reflected in the percent planning to stay may at first glance appear sur- prising. However, it may result simply from a feeling among new DDSers that their work will become increasingly involving and significant as time goes on. Another consideration is that job factors on which group differences were not found, as for example, identification with the Agency's goal and mission, may play a particularly significant role in employees' career planning. The two DDS groups differed only modestly in their experiences and views regarding the handling of their career development; percentage-wise, slightly more in the 1-year group appear satisfied. S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 S E C R E T To illustrate, more agreed that their supervisors had shown an interest in their career development and more pointed out that they had been asked to participate in the planning of their careers. A final point of difference noted was that a larger percentage of experienced DDSers (46%) than relatively new ones (24%) felt that a communication gap existed between management and employees. Discussion of Comments Made in Response To An Open-End Atti:tdde Surve Question- The last section of the attitude survey contained a single question designed to give the respondents an opportunity to express more fully in writing reasons for job satisfaction/ dissatisfaction not covered elsewhere in the questionnaire and to offer specific suggestions for change. Seventy of the 133 DDsers included in the survey made one or more comments on the open-end question. The overwhelming majority of their comments contained some element of dissatisfaction, either plainly stated or strongly implied. This is not an unusual finding for an attitude question formated this way, and it does not cast doubts on the validity of the information (frequently favorable) developed from the other sections of the questionnaire. lMrs. assisted in the preparation of this section. 25X1 She was a so responsible for the computer analyses on which this report was based. Clerical aration of this report was provided by Miss 25x1 -31- S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 S E C .R E T Typically, people restrict their comments to sources of dissatisfaction 0 and negative concern, leaving unmentioned those areas in which they are either satisfied or toward which they feel indifferent. There- fore, to achieve proper perspective and a balanced view of what .employees are thinking, the results from the open-end question should not be considered independently of the results from the multiple-choice items presented earlier in this report. In preparing this section, emphasis was given to narrative material which either enlarged and clarified information developed from other parts of the questionnaire or which introduced novel (concerns of respondents. Relatively few of the proposals for change offered by DDSers can be considered new or unique, and they are therefore not given special treatment in what follows. Far and away the greatest number of comments made by DDSers dealt with personnel management in general and the provisions or lack thereof for career development in particular. Included nder these broad headings were expressions of concern with what as perceived as the 1) inadequate or total lack of career planning; questionable bases on which promotions are made; 3) inappropri- ate educational requirements placed on certain positions; 4) limited recognition accorded exceptional performances; 3) retention of bon-productive employees; and 6) lack of an objective system of performance evaluation. S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006SQ8 14C: CIAERlP86B00269RO00900090003-0 A small number of respondents, evidently feeling that the smultiple-choice format did not allow them to really tell what they thought of their jobs, used the open-end question for that purpose. Another topic eliciting a handful of comments from Support officers dealt with their sometimes not so harmonious relations with operations people in the field. A final topic of more than passing concern to several DDSers (apparently former CTs) concerned what they perceived to be the inefficient utilization of Career Trainees in the Support Services. (Although,lin one sense, a topic subsum- able under career development/personnel management, it will be separately discussed because of the especial current interest in M" Career Trainees.) Career Development/Personnel Management Or "How about some career planning?" was the way one DDSer began his remarks about what he and many others felt was the out- standing problem facing professionals in the Agency. Another ao complained that his "present assignment bears no relationship to past training, education, or interests". Still another pointedly .W commented, "...it is difficult to maintain the proper attitude toward my job when there is little interest shown in my future". MO For many, what career planning they were familiar with was vari- ously described as hit or miss, non-professional, impersonal, or as a matter of expediency and luck. Some illustrative quotes follow: "Too often this office and the Agency in general look upon a person ?r S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2005 / 08/1CI RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 as a body to fill a specific requirement rather than as an indi-- vidual." Another noted that young officers are assigned "on the basis of expediency with little or no apparent concern for career development and/or advancement". Another wanted to see "more emphasis placed on career guidance with individuals on a personal and a more timely basis". Not every comment on career development/personnel management took the Agency to task. Several among the DDSers thought that this Agency tries, perhaps more than any other Government agency, to apply "good personnel management", but recognized that this is difficult, if not impossible, in large bureaucracies. A cause of concern to several DDSers was the handling of promotions within the Agency. These individuals stressed that promotions should be based more on merit and less on seniority or politics than they presently are.,. One respondent noted that the,. present policy which does not maximize the relationship between the performance and reward systems "tends to take away motivation from the younger professionals". On a somewhat related theme, four Support officers commented unfavorably on what they perceived to be the disproportionate weight given to academic degrees in decisions affecting personnel placement and promotion. These ffic:ers wanted such deci6ions~to reflect to a greater decree iow well the man can handle his present job and assume increased ?esponsibility. As one put it, "Some of the things we do are not taught in the hallowed halls of higher learning." S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 S E C R E T The inadequacy of the present fitness reporting system, noted by many on a multiple-choice attitude item, was a concern repeated by a few individuals in their narrative comments. About the only positive suggestion made was to require supervisors (one suggested a "career counselor") to periodically meet with super- visees, review their work, and discuss goals. Five DDSers suggested that more be done by supervisors and the Agency in general by way of recognizing and voicing appreciation for outstanding work accomplishments. A couple of respondents remarked that non-productive employees are still too frequently found "...retired 'in place' for years". Overall Job Satisfaction As noted earlier, overall job satisfaction, as indexed by several multiple-choice attitude items, appeared fairly widespread through the Support sample. This same impression is gained from the remarks of those few DDSers, about ten in number, whose narra- tives mentioned job satisfaction. A couple of representative comments follow: "My job is not perfect, but it'is as close as I have a right to expect. It provides me with interesting, challeng- ing work with fair pay. Private industry has offered more money, but not a better job." Another said, "In summing up my personal attitude toward this Agency, I feel that I can accept its short- comings and, balanced with its advantages, maintain a productive association for many years." S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 S E C R E T 'Relations Between Support and Operations Elements Four DDSers identified as a source of frustration and iscouragement their relations with operations officers, especially d I in the field. One DDSer expressed general dissatisfaction with he lack of "respect and cooperation" he received in the field. Inother's dissatisfaction arose from the "definite inability of DADS careerists to overrule operations people in support matters -- slpecifically as they affect personnel assignments, etc." Career Trainees in the Support Services I Several DDSers, apparently all former Junior Officer or areer Trainees, made the point that all too often Support CTs -- fter finishing the course in a state of "motivational hi-gear" -- are shunted aside into make-work jobs of a non-professional variety. One particularly verbal Support Services CT captured this and many Of the other themes developed in this narrative so well that his arrative comment is reproduced below, nearly in its entirety. "...I am presently at the point where I must make a major decision to stay with or leave the Agency. Up to this point in my career, I have had no complaints as far as training, promotions, and future prospects. How- ever, since leaving the auspices of the JOT program, I have become increasingly disenchanted with the Agency. I now feel as though I am an expendable item. Lack of career planning, slowness of promotions (always excused by personnel ceilings, lack of 'headroom', etc.) and, in general, a feeling that even if you do an outstanding job, you will not be either recognized or rewarded, has led to this feeling of disenchantment. At this stage of career development, I believe it is very important for I management to offer challenging and rewarding jobs to S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2005/08 /1C4 RCIE - TDP86B00269R000900090003-0 those who have put most of their training behind them. Most of my fellow JOT classmates are tired of training and are ready to fill exacting and responsible positions. I consider myself very fortunate to be in my present position, but I will be the first to admit that knowing the right people helped me get it. In other words, my demonstrated abilities were not enough. Also, I had to seek out the job, it wasn't offered through normal per- sonnel procedures. It is things such as this that cause many of the younger Agency employees to feel that estab- lished personnel procedures have to be circumvented if they are to obtain the kind of position they desire." Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 200 i0fi11~ :RCI~-F P86B00269R000900090003-0 SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DDS AND NON-DDS SAMPLES -38- S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 S E C R E T SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DDS AND NON-DDS SAMPLES DDS SAMPLE NON-DDS SAMPLE ,r Distribution of Sample by Career Service: Executive Service (DCI) -- 01 Clandestine Service (DDP) -- 45 Intelligence Service (DDI) -- 46 Research Service (DDS&T) -- 09 Support Service (DDS) 100 -- 1958 3..1 16 19'59 26 14 1963 27 50 1964 16 20 .r Have you been through the Career Training Program (CTP or JOT)? Yes 24 48 No 75 52 During the past year did you spend six or more months overseas (PCS)? Yes 46 35 No 54 65 How old are you? 25-29 11 19 30-34 52 50 35-39 35 28 40 and above 02 04 What is your sex? Male 98 90 Female 02 10 -39- S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 S E C R E T DDS SAMPLE NON-DDS SAMPLE What is your highest degree of education? Less than a bachelor's degree 40 04 Bachelor's degree 29 30 Bachelor's degree with some some graduate work 20 32 ..r Master's degree, L.L.B., J.D., or equivalent 09 31 Ph.D., M.D., or equivalent 02 03 ^. What was your grade when you entered on duty with the Agency? (Do not consider summer jobs.) GS-5 or GS-6 41 18 GS-7 or GS-8 44 62 GS-9 or GS-10 13 13 GS-11 01 04 GS-12 -- 02 GS-13 01 -- GS-14 01 -- What is your present grade? GS-9 or GS-10 23 07 GS-11 35 27 GS-12 28 36 GS-13 08 22 GS-14 05 06 GS-15 02 02 GS-16 and above 01 -- -40- S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 200WO J/18 : jl -l pP86B00269R000900090003-0 DISTRIBUTION OF RESPONSE PERCENTAGES TO AGENCY JOB ATTITUDE QUESTIONNAIRE: DDS SAMPLE ONLY -41- S E C R E T Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 I a I I I [ E I n E4 ! t. t t t t l DISTRIBUTION OF RESPONSE PERCENTAGES TO AGENCY JOB ATTITUDE QUESTIONNAIRE: DDS SAMPLE ONLY RESPONSE JUDGED FAVORABLE I. THE. WORK ITSELF--INTERESTINGNESS AND MEANINGFULNESS 18.* How do you feel about the work you have aQ Ja ~Q~~ done? (This would include how interesting 1 5 9 47 38 31. and meaningful it has been.) My job requires me to be creative. A 6 12 13 40 29 39. Some aspects of my job are too difficult 0 2 3 32 63 49 for me . I have to look outside my work for things D . to make life worthwhile and interesting. D 8 23 10 37 21 59 I often come home angry or irritable because . of something that has happened at work. D 6 18 7 54 15 D 4 10 3 33 50 69. My work bores me. 80. I spend too much time doing clerical tasks. D 15 22 9 44 10 84. I have enough work assigned to keep me'-busy. A 2 10 0 30 58 1For items marked A, "Agree Completely"r=and "Tend to Agree" were considered favorable responses. For items marked B, "Disagree Completely" and "Tend to Disagree" were considered favorable response *These items, which cover basic dimensions of job satisfaction, were answered on a five-point scale ranging from Very Satisfied to Very Dissatisfied. Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 t 1. 1 t r 1 S R I >1 1 I i t RESPONSE JUDGED FAVORABLE a~4~ ~Qm 88. I get challenging, important assignments. A -8 17 8 48 18 99. My job is usually-so easy it isn't interesting. D 5 14 3 43 35 105. There is too much pressure on my job. D 109. I have little opportunity to use my abilities in the-Agency. D 4 14 8 54 20 123. The Agency expects too much from me. D 1 2 7 46 45 II. PERSONAL WORK ACCOMPLISHMENTS 15.* How do you feel about your personal work accomplishments? (This would include such .things as whether or not you have success- fully completed your work assignments or to what degree you feel you have been able to make a real contribution.) 40. I rarely see the results of my work. 64. I successfully complete a job or some aspect of it every week. 75. At the end of the day I wonder what I have accomplished. 118. Sometimes I feel that my job'counts for very little in the Agency 27.* How do you feel about the opportunities for promotion provided by the Agency? S E C R E T D 4 18 5 44 37 D 4 11 5 47 33 D 5 16 8 52 20 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 I i l I I St 2 11 T I I t I l 38. Opportunities for advancement are excellent in my occupation. 57. I would probably advance more quickly in private industry than in the Federal Government. 73. My chances for promotion in the Agency are good. 100. My rate of advancement will be slower than I was led to believe. 113. Promotional opportunities are fair. RESPONSE JUDGED @~ v FAVORABLE o v ~~0 J~ Jai Q,o IV. CLASSROOM AND ON-THE-JOB TRAINING 16.* How do you feel about the classroom and on-the-job training you have received in and for your present position? (This would include such things as the quality of the training and its relevance to the job.) 44. During the first part of my Agency employ- ment, I would rather have spent more time on the job and less in classroom training. 53. The Agency has provided inadequate training for my job. 79. I am satisfied with the quality of Agency training instructors. 94. The Agency has a well-planned training program for people in my position. A A D A 15 12 4 12 8 28 22 30 25 27 14 46 17 19 18 34 20 39 30 40 9 0 11 14 8 5 12 28 41 14 D 3 15 11 39 32 D 5 13 10 49 23 A 4 13 18 52 14 A 16 39 15 25 5 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 I I I t I I ( S L : R1_ 2 1 l 1 1 l 1 $ RESPONSE JUDGED FAVORABLE V. ' P'AY' AND, BENEFITS 25.* How do you feel about the salary you receive? 34. I am getting paid as much as I would outside the Federal Government. A 77. For the work I do I am-underpaid. D 103. I'm satisfied with employee benefits. A 112. I understand what the Agency benefit program provides for employees. A VI. CO-WORKERS 17.* How do you feel about your co-workers? (This would include how well you get along with them and how much cooperation they give you.) 1 ss coo oration 32. My co-workers give me r, than they should. D 50. I get along well with my co-workers. A 68. In terms of interests and attitudes, I th m fellow wi y nave a lot in common workers. A 83. One or more of my co-workers has dis- criminated against me because of my age. D V Q~v O~ e av V W ~mv 2 17 20 53 9 14` 24 28 27 6 9 28 14 34 15 2 14 7 55 22 3 15 9 53 20 0 1 13 45 41 3 5 3 56 33 0 1 1 50 48 1 14 10 59 17 3 6 2 18 71 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 C I L S(' C _- T ~. l t t RESPONSE JUDGED FAVORABLE VII. RECOGNITION RECEIVED FOR WORK 21.* How do you feel about the recognition you have received for your work? (This would include such things as any praise or criti- cism you might have received for your work.) 85. My work is unfairly criticized. D 89. In this Agency, rewards and recognition are based primarily upon actual accomp- v 1 12 26 44 17 lishments. A 5 25 15 51 5 1; 102. I usually receive praise for my work when I have done a good job. VIII. TREATMENT BY SUPERVISOR 20.* How do you feel about the way your 33. supervisor has treated you? My supervisor watches me too closely. D 1 5 3 37 54 43. My supervisor listens to my suggestions. A 1 8 8 51 33 52. There are too many people telling me what to do. D 1 14 4 53 29 56. I can trust my supervisor. A 3 8 7 42 39 65. My supervisor gets along well with: his boss. A 2 6 16 53 23 67. I know what my supervisor thinks of me and my work. A 2 14 14 52 17 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 I I I I A- C i- T! 4 l ( 1 1 RESPONSE JUDGED FAVORABLE 74. My supervisor gives me inadequate time for breaks and lunch. D 78. I feel ill at ease in the presence of my supervisor. D 82. My supervisor allows me to make my own decisions.on how I do my work. A 95. My supervisor has little influence on the people above him. D 121. My supervisor is too interested in his own success to care about the: needs of his employees. D IX. COMPETENCE OF SUPERVISOR 19.* How do you feel about your supervisor's ability to understand the nature of your work? 36. My supervisor gives confusing instructions. D 48. My supervisor makes too many technical mistakes. D 60. My supervisor makes sound decisions. A 90. My supervisor fails to provide me with the materials, information, or assistance I need to do my best work. D 98. My supervisor is well-qualified technically. A IV ngt ~Qd QO oWV Qv ~o 14 8 1 22 55 1 4 2 30 64 3 5 2 49 41 5 14 25 40 17 2 12 13 49 24 2 10 5 42 41 1 3 8 48 39 0 8 11 67 13 2 12 2 45 39 3 9 11 48 29 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 t ( [ r I I. S. C 1. T I t t l RESPONSE JUDGED FAVORABLE X. PHYSICAL SURROUNDINGS/WORKING CONDITIONS 24.* How do you feel about your physical sur- roundings and working conditions? (This would include such things as the appearance of your office and whether you have adequate lighting or quiet.) 29. I can get whatever office supplies I need. 35. I have access to inexpensive or free parking near where I work. I 47. I am satisfied with the starting and U) quitting times. 1 54. My-office space gives me too little privacy. 61. I have adequate transportation available to and from work. 72. I have had trouble getting enough clerical help. 81. Eating facilities in this building and the neighborhood are inadequate. 92. My office area is depressing. XI_. IMPRESSION JOB MAKES ON OTHERS 23.* How do you feel about the impression your job makes on your family or friends? Sao J~?~ ~Q 3 10 20 "47 20 A 1 4 0 23 72 A 11 3 2 14 69 A 5 9 2 a2 41 D 10 17 6 41 26 A 5 7 3 36 48 D 14 30 11 31 14 D 15 17 3 36 29 D 7 15 5 44 29 1 5 20 59 14 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 C I I t 1 l "i r C I r T I 1. r l RESPONSE w JUDGED FAVORABLE 42. My family and friends think my present job is a good one. A 2 5 15 51 27 62. The public looks down on Government employees. XII. AGENCY RULES AND REGULATIONS 28.* How do you feel about the Agency's rules and regulations? 1 d ulations are e D 4 27 15 39 14 37. The Agency s ru es an r g 0 2 11 49 38 unnecessarily strict or rigid. D XIII. WAY AGENCY IS RUN 22.* How do you feel about the way the Agency is run? 58. The Agency is run by people who have good judgment. 1 2 19 59 20 1 17 31 47 5 1 8 17 67 63. The Agency is unwilling to act on new ideas that I think have merit. D 3 14 19 49. 15 71. The Agency has progressive programs. 111. Management here sees to it that there is cooperation between offices. A 2 17 33 41 7 A 5 32 26 30 7 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 t I t t S , RrT T I t t I t t t RESPONSE JUDGED FAVORABLE XIII. (A) ADEQUACY OF COMMUNICATION 41. Management fails to explain adequately to employees the reasons for its actions. D 51. There is too much "red tape" in the Government. D 76. I can make my ideas known to management. A 91. Management makes an effort to solicit my ideas outside the formal suggestion system. A 97. There is a communication gap between management and employees. D 104. I know how my job fits in with other work in the Agency. A XIII. (B) CAREER DEVELOPMENT/PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT 30. I have experienced a definite growth in skills since taking my present job. A 45. The personnel program of this Agency is a hindrance. D 66. I am rarely asked to participate in the planning of my career development. D My supervisor has shown interest in my career development. A 96. The people who hired me misrepresented my job. D qj Q o Ja av ~~ o~~ YP 12 35 11 37 5 21 52 10 15 2 4 6 8 54 28 12 25 18 32 13 16 30 14 31 10 2 3 1 50 44 2 6 0 31 61 5 18 34 33 9 43 24 3 25 5 8 23 18 33 17 6 11 7 44 32 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 t r 1 [ " E , ' i It RESPONSE JUDGED FAVORABLE 101. The personnel office in the Agency tries to be helpful. 106. Decisions affecting my assignments and career are made with little regard to my own preferences. 107. The Agency should take more interest in each employee as a person than it presently does. 114. Since I've been here, the Agency has grown more depersonalized in its relations with its employees. 115. The fitness reporting system leaves much to be desired. 116. Complaints are-handled poorly in the Agency. 117. The Agency is doing a good job of managing the young professionals who have recently entered on duty. 119. I am kept informed of personnel policies and procedures. 122. If I have a complaint to make, I feel free to talk to someone up the line. XIV. CALIBER OF NEW PROFESSIONALS 124. Overall, young professionals entering the Agency today are as capable as those who entered when I did. w 2P0? 00 0~ o 4e W" a~ A 4 19 32 38 8 D 16 21 20 29 14 D 20 32 22 23 5 D 8 27 30 29 6 D 33 32 13 20 2 D 8 23 44 20 5 A 8 28 39 21 5 A 6 26 5 50 14 A 3 19 4 46 29 A 1 10 13 44 32 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 I E. 1. l ~ICIzT- r l r 1 1 1 RESPONSE JUDGED FAVORABLE 125. Overall, young professionals entering the Agency today are as motivated (i.e., committed to their work) as those who entered when I did. 26.* How do you feel about the importance of the Agency's goals? 86. The goals of the Agency are worthwhile. L XVI. COMMITMENT TO AGENCY CAREER N 46. I would turn down a chance to change my present job for one of equal pay, security, and status. 87. My present job is in the area of work (not necessarily the same job) I wish to remain in permanently. 108. The longer I work for the Agency, the more I feel I belong. 110. If I had it to do over again, I would probably not come to work here. 120. I really feel part of the Agency. XVII. GENERAL JOB SATISFACTION 14.* How do you feel about your job as a whole? V 2 36 17 32 12 A A A 11 10 10 36 34 A 1 14 18 49 18 D 5 9 17 36 33 A 1 8 17 53 22 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 --- Approved For Release 2006/08/14 : CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 1, t t t t t I i S I C It , T t ! t. t RESPONSE JUDGED FAVORABLE 55. My job is as good as I thought it would be when I was hired. I I I A 8 15 12 45 20 93. I am discouraged in my present job. D XVIII. REACTIONS-TO QUESTIONNAIRE 126. Filling in a questionnaire like this is a good way to let management know what employees think. 7 17 11 28 38 4 7 18 50 21 127. I think some good may come out of filling in a questionnaire like this. A 2 14 24 47 14 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0 Q Approved For Release 2006/08/14: CIA-RDP86B00269R000900090003-0