Sep
18

How are we doing?

You should already have received an invitation to participate in the 2009 Smithsonian Employee Perspective Survey.  I know that we are all busy, but I encourage you to fill out the survey and let us know your opinions.  This is one of the primary ways we get information from you that can help us improve.

For example, the results of the 2008 survey told us we needed to do a better job of communication.  We took a number of steps in response to your comments, including moving The Torch from a monthly paper publication to a multimedia, interactive online version, updated weekly; redesigning Prism for easier use; and webcasting our quarterly all-staff meetings.  We also invited all staff to participate in our strategic planning process.

Now we need to hear if you feel these improvements were effective.  Communications is just one area where you can use the survey to give us feedback.

All responses to the survey are confidential; every employee will have a different Web link so that your opinions can be uniquely represented.

Your participation in the survey is voluntary, but the greater the number of respondents, the better the information.  We will post the results on Prism and the Office of Policy and Analysis Web site.  The deadline for completing the survey is Wednesday, September 30. 

If you have any questions about the survey, or how your answers may be used, please contact Marty Emory in the Office of Human Resources ( 202) 633-6303 or David Karns in the Office of Policy and Analysis (202) 633-5591.

I hope that working together we can qualify the Smithsonian as one of the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government.  But I know we have to earn it.  With the information from the survey, we can move quickly to address areas where we need to improve.

Thanks for participating and helping us make the Smithsonian a better place to work. Click  to begin the survey.


Posted: 18 September 2009
About the Author:

Wayne Clough served as the 12th Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution from 2008 to 2013. He oversaw several major openings at the Smithsonian, including the Sant Ocean Hall at the Museum of Natural History and the reopening of the American History Museum.