FatCratz

What can the federal government do to improve the image of federal workers and eliminate stereotypes that dog the workforce? II

What do you think? Send me your suggestions for how you can get rid of these stereotypes.

What can the federal government do to improve the image of federal workers and eliminate stereotypes that dog the workforce?

That was the question of the week on the Post's Fed Page. Top three responses (based on who was printed on page B3 in Friday's paper, which I can't find online), are as follows:

1. "The name of the game is publicity..." We need better departmental ceremonies, where the President himself hands out awards.

2. Better support of new presidential administrations, with fewer "harsh words" about federal employees.

3. Public Service Ads

Is one of the stereotypes lack of creativity?

But seriously, the problem with stereotypes is that sometimes they are grounded in truth. FatCratz is not anti-federal worker, but starts from the premise that the federal system is filled with so many bad incentives and wasteful practices that it swallows good workers whole. 

You will never improve the image of federal workers so long as you deny these fundamental problems in federal civil service. Of course the stereotypes don't apply to every bureaucrat--in that sense, they are over-broad and unfair--but that doesn't mean they are false as generalizations.

In short, you'll reduce these stereotypes when you undercut their foundation in fact.

Or, you do so by having federal workers themselves stop being universally defensive of the civil service and open and honest about its failings. In other words, they should send in their stories to FatCratz, so more sunlight can shine on the fraud, waste, and abuse the system encourages.  

Why are they called "Public Servants?"

Why are government employees called "Public Servants?" This question is part rhetorical, and part historical. I really want to know.

As for the rhetoric, it's not as though government employees serve any one, or at least they don't serve anyone any more than the private sector does. They don't work for free. They collect paychecks. And if some might claim they are "servants" because they work for less than their private sector equivalents, that has been proven to be false by the increasing wages of government employees relative to the private sector, and other benefits--job security, retirement, health benefits--that far exceed the private sector.

As to the history, if you know why let FatCratz@gmail.com know.

And back to the rhetoric, if you are a government employee and think you are a servant of the public, please let me know why.

And the 2009 winners are...

It's Public Service Recognition Week here in DC, which means public servants are renting tuxes and giving awards to each other. It's a lot like the Oscars, except there are no red carpets, no designer clothes, not everyone is beautiful, and the industry congratulating itself is not beloved by fans around the world. But other than that...

On Wednesday, the Service to America Medals were held (More on that later). Then last night, the "2009 Distinguished Executives and Professionals" of the Presidential Rank were honored. Senior Executives, whose pay ranges from $145,700 to $199,700, received bonuses as a result of the awards worth up to 35% of their salaries, or $29,140 to $69,895. Not bad for servants.

Bonuses are a useful way to incentivize performance, unless you work on Wall Street, in which case they are tantamount to theft. Seriously, though, there are some differences between bonuses in the public and private sector. One nice thing about government bonus programs is that once they are established, they can never go away. And, since the government isn't in the business of making money--just taking money--they can't by definition be tied to profitability. In other words, no matter what the economy does, no matter how much or how little the government is running a deficit, some government working is going to get some bonus every year. 

Unless it's 2009.

You see, last night was the ceremony for the 2009 awards. Apparently, the Office of Personnel Management was supposed to hold the ceremony in the fall, but inexplicably didn't get around to it.

It's somehow fitting that awards for excellence in government were handed out six months late.