Everything's Wonderful!
Peachy-keen rainbow donut sprinkles!
This is a consequence of the five-star proficiency rating system used almost universally in federal service, including the military. The system has been dysfunctional for at least three decades. When I was a squad leader, I had to rate all of my squad members and turn my ratings into the platoon commander. I was "allowed" to give each squad member a four-star rating in ONE category -- out of ten. Everything else had to be five stars. If I gave two four-star ratings -- or God forbid a three-star -- I'd be called on the carpet to explain myself. If I could not immediately justify it to the satisfaction of the 23 year-old twat passing himself off as an officer, I'd be reprimanded and he'd change all the ratings to what he wanted anyway.
Note that I put "allowed" in quotes. That's because it should read "required." You see, there was a specific target number handed down by HQMC, which undoubtedly came down from DoD. In order to hit that number, 90% of employees must score 90% proficiency ratings. Not perfect, but almost. I would also be called on the carpet if I gave someone all five-star ratings.
In short, the entire game is rigged and has been for years. Efficiency and proficiency ratings of federal employees and service members are thus entirely and utterly meaningless.
Years later while I was working for Soulless Megacorp (i.e., APi Group, Inc), they tried to implement the same system, but with an added twist of corporate stupidity: I was expected to rate myself as well as those I supervised. I then had to justify to my supervisor the marks I gave to myself. The entire process was so monumentally idiotic I simply took to giving myself three-star ratings in all categories. When interrogated about this, I told my supervisor if he didn't like it, by all means change it, because I don't give a cock-stuffed flying fuck about the moronic self-rating system. I used those precise words, too. I trust you can see why I no longer work for that boondoggle clusterfuck of a company.
I now work for a company where I'm "rated" in the only way that matters: profitability. If I'm making the company money -- and that is surprisingly easy to determine; even MBAs could probably learn it with a minimum number of beatings -- I'm left alone and paid well. If I'm a slacker, I'm fired. It's how you're supposed to run a business... or a government, for that matter.
In the ranks of the federal government, 99 percent are really good at their jobs — and almost two-thirds exceed expectations or do outstanding work.
That’s the conclusion of a new report by the Government Accountability Office, which also found that 78 percent of high-level civil servants — those in GS grades 13 through 15 — were given top performance scores of outstanding or fully successful. Senior executives were not covered in this data.
This is a consequence of the five-star proficiency rating system used almost universally in federal service, including the military. The system has been dysfunctional for at least three decades. When I was a squad leader, I had to rate all of my squad members and turn my ratings into the platoon commander. I was "allowed" to give each squad member a four-star rating in ONE category -- out of ten. Everything else had to be five stars. If I gave two four-star ratings -- or God forbid a three-star -- I'd be called on the carpet to explain myself. If I could not immediately justify it to the satisfaction of the 23 year-old twat passing himself off as an officer, I'd be reprimanded and he'd change all the ratings to what he wanted anyway.
Note that I put "allowed" in quotes. That's because it should read "required." You see, there was a specific target number handed down by HQMC, which undoubtedly came down from DoD. In order to hit that number, 90% of employees must score 90% proficiency ratings. Not perfect, but almost. I would also be called on the carpet if I gave someone all five-star ratings.
In short, the entire game is rigged and has been for years. Efficiency and proficiency ratings of federal employees and service members are thus entirely and utterly meaningless.
Years later while I was working for Soulless Megacorp (i.e., APi Group, Inc), they tried to implement the same system, but with an added twist of corporate stupidity: I was expected to rate myself as well as those I supervised. I then had to justify to my supervisor the marks I gave to myself. The entire process was so monumentally idiotic I simply took to giving myself three-star ratings in all categories. When interrogated about this, I told my supervisor if he didn't like it, by all means change it, because I don't give a cock-stuffed flying fuck about the moronic self-rating system. I used those precise words, too. I trust you can see why I no longer work for that boondoggle clusterfuck of a company.
I now work for a company where I'm "rated" in the only way that matters: profitability. If I'm making the company money -- and that is surprisingly easy to determine; even MBAs could probably learn it with a minimum number of beatings -- I'm left alone and paid well. If I'm a slacker, I'm fired. It's how you're supposed to run a business... or a government, for that matter.
posted by Jar(egg)head at 08:23
4 Comments:
It is no different on the local government level either. Just the math alone is confusing. How can more than half the population be above average? It is possible, however, that expectations for government employees are extremely low so even a chimpanzee can perform spectacularly.
I've always found self-rating systems amusing. I had a manager try that with me once. I simply gave myself 10's across the board. When questioned, I just shrugged and said, "If you don't like the way I rate myself, why don't YOU do YOUR job instead of pawning it off on me?"
Government ratings are an even bigger joke, for obvious reasons.
"No matter how lavishly overpaid, civil servants everywhere are convinced that they are horribly underpaid- but all public employees have larceny in their hearts or they wouldn't be feeding at the public trough." - R.A. Heinlein
curmudgeon: "It is possible, however, that expectations for government employees are extremely low so even a chimpanzee can perform spectacularly."
You may be onto something there. If the expectation for an average rating is "show up alive," it's a pretty simple matter to be a model of efficiency. Based upon my interaction with workers at various municipal code enforcement offices over the course of my career, however, I'm not sure even that standard is being upheld.
I've had similar experience with the self rating system at a private company. I refused to participate and was said to have a bad attitude. fortunately my particular kill set outweighed that and I was pretty much excused from participation. However, during 9 years in Govt service (USAF) earlier in life, I experienced the grossly inflated rating system you describe, It was almost as bad as everyone getting a participation trophy. Since everyone always got outstanding ratings, you could only rely on the actual written tests required for promotion to set you apart.
Post a Comment
<< Home