Another classic theory, Abraham H. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, helped managers understand when to address employee survival concerns in times of real or anticipated cutbacks, and when to deal with fuller career aspirations in more secure times. A parade of scholars beginning with Douglas McGregor propounded theories about eliciting better performance by trusting, developing the potential of, and empowering workers. On a more popular level, management guru Tom Peters and others pointed the way to excellence by touting the methods of the most consistently successful organizations. Even more directly relevant to government executives and managers are surveys of the federal workforce. The Merit Systems Protection Board is now completing its triennial Merit Principles Survey, in which it asks nearly 20,000 employees their views of their work and work environment.
Results are to be released sometime next year.
Past MSPB reports have shed light on sources of dissatisfaction and on the credibility of management initiatives and actions, suggesting the need for more frequent communications and clearer explanations of why actions are taken. The National Partnership for Reinventing Government found in a 1999 survey that job satisfaction is higher in agencies that emphasize reinvention activities. The National Academy of Public Administration's Center for Human Resources Management has dealt extensively with both positive incentives and the treatment of poor performers. NAPA reports showed that burdensome paperwork discouraged supervisors from proposing employee awards and recipients' enthusiasm waned after long waits. So, the center urged the adoption of simplified, electronic-based processes.