Team co-chairs seek members to tackle survey focus areas

Action teams that will analyze the results of the employee survey, "Assessing the Workplace," and make recommendations to improve seven focus areas are being formed by the Survey Action Steering Committee.

Nominations for employees to serve on the action teams are now being accepted. Supervisors have been asked to nominate individuals to serve on these teams. In addition, interested employees may self nominate by using the nomination form available in this edition of Newsline. The nomination form will also be mailed to employees and posted on the Grapevine, at http:www-r.llnl.gov (click on "Employee Survey Results"). Nominations are due Oct. 12.

Earlier this week, the Survey Action Steering Committee chose the co-chairs for the various teams that will take on five Labwide issues, while two other groups will concentrate on focused areas.

The five site-wide issues, along with their co-chairs are:

• Salary/Compensation, co-chaired by ADs Hal Graboske and Dona Crawford.
• Training & Career Development, ADs Den Fisher and C.K. Chou.
• Performance Management, Deputy Director Jeff Wadsworth and AD Jan Tulk.
• Work/Life Balance, AD Wayne Shotts and Bruce Warner.
• Employee Empowerment, AD Bruce Goodwin, acting AD Bert Weinstein.

The two focused areas are:
• 800s/900s, AD Steve Hunt and Jens Mahler.
• Postdocs — AD Bill Goldstein and University Relations Director Laura Gilliom.

"It is important to get a good cross section of our workforce on these teams in order to assure the proposed actions respond to the broad spectrum of employee views and institutional needs." said Jan Tulk, AD for Administration and the co-chair of the Survey Action Steering Committee.

"The Survey Action Teams will determine how the Lab can best address the focus areas," Deputy Director Jeff Wadsworth said. "We are looking for people who will help find solutions to problems and help develop implementation plans."|

Each Survey Action Team is responsible for:
• Analyzing and interpreting the results of the recently conducted survey.
• Analyzing the Laboratory’s strengths and weaknesses.
• Identifying "best practices" as needed.
• Defining goals and objectives for survey follow-up actions.
• Flagging those items that could cross-cut another SAT’s focus area;
• Recommending to the SASC specific action options and priorities, and considering and identifying possible diversity, communication, and management implications of such actions;
• Recommending to the SASC proposals for monitoring and accountability.

In addition to actions that can be accomplished in the near future, teams may have recommendations for actions that are longer term.

Each Survey Action Team will consist of 10-12 members. Each team will also include support from Human Resources, Public Affairs, and other organizations where appropriate.
The team portion of the action planning process is slated for completion by early February 2002. Teams will schedule their own work, but in general, team members should plan on this assignment requiring up to 50 percent of their work time during this period, Tulk said. This effort will be charged to an institutional account that will be provided once the teams get under way. During this period each team will work with the Survey Action Steering Committee (SASC) to facilitate communications and monitor overlap among the teams.

Teams will be formed and begin analysis Oct. 15. Other key dates include:
Nov. 6 — Key issues and any team overlap identified.
Dec. 1 — Teams’ analyses and action recommendations delivered to SASC.
Jan. 2, 2002 — Working with teams, SASC integrates action options.
Jan. 23 — Recommended action options sent to the director and Senior Management Committee.
Feb. 6-8 — Action options presented at director’s SMC meeting; director approves path forward.
For more information about the focus areas, see the Website at http://www-r.llnl.gov/ (click on "Employee Survey Results").