Early in 2017, every Active Duty member, Reserve member and Civilian employee received an individual invitation from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to complete the CG-OAS. Final results have been published and indicate that the Coast Guard continues to improve in all major areas. The most favorable results occur in the area of Diversity and Inclusion and the least favorable remain in the categories of Innovation and Readiness to Reshape the Workforce.
The attached graphs and tables (link below) provide overall total results as well as results broken out for Active Duty, SELRES and Civil Servants. Logon information for units to view results using OPM tools was sent in October 2017 to all unit level CG-OAS points of contact. In addition, stand by for a comprehensive report of results from OPM which are expected in March 2018.
OPM results can be viewed by a number of demographic variables such as unit type, rating, race/ethnicity and gender. These tools allow unit programs, ratings and specialty managers to use CG-OAS results to support decisions surrounding pay/compensation (e.g. Critical Rating Work Group), work-life programs, leadership, safety, recruiting/retention, diversity and inclusion and community specific policies. The CG-OAS also provides valuable information to support chartered groups (e.g. Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission). Programs, community managers and chartered workgroups will leverage CG-OAS data to support modification of policies and processes as necessary.
Despite multiple engagement and reminders from OPM & CG ALCOAST 017-17, I am concerned with overall response rates. Although the CG stands very tall against other Service responses, our response rate dropped from 44% to 29%, Active Duty members from 46% to 30%, Reserve members from 24% to 12% and Civilian employees from 48% to 40%. Research conducted by the U.S. Navy on personnel who do not complete surveys shows the main reason is that they do not see the results or they do not see how the results are used to improve their workplace. It is imperative that we employ CG-OAS results at the unit level and we communicate with our people and engage them in the process to capitalize on the information provided in the OAS. People are our number one resource and I ask that you use this information to continue to grow, develop and support our workforce in keeping with the guidance provided in the Coast Guard’s Human Capital Strategy.
Questions regarding CG-OAS should be directed to the Human Resources Strategy and Capability COMDT (CG-1B) Staff, CG-1B, Mr. Paul Redmond.
RDML William G. Kelly
RDML WILLIAM G. KELLY
Assistant Commandant for Human Resources
Enclosures: OAS Graphs and Tables
Issue date: 11/6/17