Public Service

[SPA_Moderator]

Are you appreciated as a public servant. Vote today.

[no one]

The only time we get recognized is if something is wrong. If we make a mistake, miss something, or don't do something properly, we sure hear about it. However, the other 95% of our work that is correct, goes unnoticed. Happy workers = more production/better service. Does this really make us happy??? NOOOOOOOOOOO

[Underestimated]

What employers fail to realize is that employee appreciation equals better work production. When a worker does not have that sense of appreciation he/she produces poorly in the work. Its like pulling candy from a baby.
Some workers understand that often they can not be awarded monetary however if given positive acknowledge one might take pride in their work.
We have these early morning meetings and there is never nothing positive in these meetings. These meetings are lead with all negatives and no positives. Management fails to realize how it feels to be a line or staff employee. At times it feels we are probationers instead of probation officers.
Its sadden to work for a large organization and not feel apart of the company. I feel like a fallen leaf off a tree, or someone hanging on by thin thread. The work environment is horrible. Management spend more time worrying about the smallest things instead of worrying how to make the work environment filled with harmony and serenity. Do anyone realize we spend more time woth co-workers than our own families. Therefore, why not make the work environment pleasant.
Maybe when we have meetings start off saying something positive or strengthens of the employees and then follow with the negative or the weakness.
Just saying Good Job will be sufficient. Just sending out an appreciation memo will be satisfying. However our mailboxes gets cluttered with foolish things.
Is there a way to fill up the mailbox so I do not get anymore messages.
I think its Management way to bring down the employees self esteem. But it will not work on me.
As long as I know within my heart that I'm doing my job thats all that is important to me.
My attitude is I will do what I have to do within my work hours, whatever don't get done there is always anotha day. Hey.. a good task or work accomplished goes unnoticed anyway.

[no one]

no Underestimated gets an AMEN!!!! Better said than me, but same feelings.

[bigblue]

My reconnition is to have my place of work close down and stand in the unemployment lines and possibly lose everything I have.

[Pilgrim]

I feel more appreciated when I receive raises and promotions, that's my preferred method of appreciation.

[old hand]

Both the DOT in particular and public service in general are badly and unfairly perceived by the public in Georgia. I attribute this to the decades-long clamor on the part of Georgia's politicians for privatizing government and reducing taxes. This has promoted the false and unrealistic impression that nearly everything done in the public sector can be done better and more cheaply by consultants and contractors. The worst aspect of this idea is that heavy-handed staff and pay reductions and outsourcing of routine functions will gradually degrade public service, so that the propaganda is in that respect self-fulfilling. As the DOT has been drawn down to roughly half its former size, we have lost a wealth of experience and do not have the numbers or the expertise to supervise projects as well as we once did. This will show up in future years in reduced service life of our highways, while uncompetitive pay scales, reduced health insurance coverage, and drastically reduced retirement benefits will make the DOT an employer of last resort for well-qualified engineers and other specialists. Worst of all, the Department has been publically blamed and defamed in recent years by the very politicians responsible for its budgeting woes and lack of direction. I will feel appreciated when a more honest picture of our department is presented to the public.

[Working for nothing, Taking Furlough Days, while the Governor goes to Iraq!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]

If Georgia is really strapped for Money I wish someone would tell Governor Perdue. Did he REALLY need to spend this money for a tour of Iraq? There were 48th Guard units coming home that weekend he could have welcomed home, rather than visiting the Toops in Iraq!!!!!!!

[leaving state job ASAP]

Georgia state employees are some of the lowest paid in the nation, and yet on top of that, now we're taking furlough days and are expected to do twice the work with fewer staff members. This is particularly upsetting for us correctional officers, where our coworkers are our lifeline. At my prison we can barely cover posts; what happens when a major event occurs? I feel that those in upper management at ATL don't care anything about our safety, much less our happiness. When I started 12 years ago, it was a decent job with good salary and benefits. However, over the years, things have gone downhill drastically, to the point that the pay isn't worth it. GDC has:
1.)Cut staff to a bare minimum and packed more inmates into dorms to save $$$, which gives inmates the upper hand, yet we still are expected to deal with them as effectively as before.
2.)Given us only sporadic pay raises while insurance premiums skyrocket.
3.)Not alerted the media when staff are attacked by inmates, but allowed media to form a witch hunt when staff are accused of wrongdoing.
4.)Too many more to list
Add to all that the fact that the public doesn't know what we do, doesn't understand that we are LEOs, thinks prison is like what's on t.v. and all we do is go around beating up inmates...no. We are not appreciated at all. I can't wait to finish school...

[1/4horses4me]

"Old Hand" has summed it up quite nicely for me. I'm personally weary of all the politics and good ole boyism -- however, I was raised with a certain work ethic that I seem to be unable to escape and therefore will continue to do my job to the best of my ability and not based on what goes on around me. Thank you to all my fellow State Employees who do their jobs everyday and because they do, they make MY life as a Citizen a little better.

[no one]

no

Are you appreciated as a public servant. Vote today.

Let me see, I have not received a raise in who knows how long, nor will I receive a raise anytime soon. Couple this with furlough days. No, I can't say that I am appreciated. Now the State is facing further budgetary reductions. This will not only trickle down to State employees, but also to the customer's we serve. They are being affected to an even greater degree by the economic conditions but now must content with less access to the services Georgia provides. My question is, what is the State doing to increase revenues?

Now ask me what I think about lottery employees receiving incentive pay and the lottery director receiving a $204,000 bonus? Ask me what I think about the cuts made to the Hope grant?

[bigblue]

Well next year I hear there won't be any furloughs.They are planning to cut your pay 5% across the board.Yea we are so appreciated.

[Guest]

Do I feel appreciated as a state employee? Hell no!! As bad as it is to be furloughed I find that most correctional officers are exempt. I have the same bills and obligations! If there must be furloughs EVERYONE should furlough or none.It should also be the same with pay raises and cola's.
EVERY state employee eligable for a pay increase should recieve the same MERIT based raise.
I see that some retirees are getting a cola(legislative,teachers) but not the rest? Patently unfair and biased.Call your Congressman or State Rep for change!!

[cali]

Well next year I hear there won't be any furloughs.They are planning to cut your pay 5% across the board.Yea we are so appreciated.

Do us all a favor and keep your rumors to yourself.

[Barbwire]

Three things mentioned are the highest on my list. The first is the ever present negative feedback and abusive supervision. I am told that our supervisor does not have time to send out an acknowledgement of all the great things we are doing. However, the average day is a barrage of emails and calls filled with assumptions regarding some aspect of the position that the supervisor has already made up her mind you have mishandled or failed to address. You are constantly thrust into a defensive position. (2) Since we have caseloads twice the size we were told we would have at hiring and have managed to meet 97% of the required duties and activities of our position, I believe that we are doing an extraordinary job. But, like the person who stated they work in a very negative and demoralizing environment, we too are treated as though we are something stuck to the bottom of our leadership's shoe. Taking it to the supervisor's supervisor only makes you a target and provides no relief. In our region, they eat their young. (3) Am I looking for the doorway that will take me out of this situation? You better believe it. And good employees will continue to bail when they are treated badly, paid poorly and feel unappreciated. I came to state employment with enthusiasum and energy for the work and role I would fulfill. What I have learned is that those are not qualities that are wanted in the environments we work in. During my first year, we even had a joke about whether this was some grand research experiment to see how quickly initiative, motivation and enthusiasum could be extinguished in a human being.

[Guest]

I agree with an earlier post. The best way I know to summarize working for the state would but "A compliment might get you an email but a complaint will get you a phone call"

[2nd opinion]

I am a supervisor (middle management) and I agree with earlier posts that this is one of the worst possible work environments I've ever encountered. Hard, honest work is not appreciated, people who are politically connected are rewarded with positions (and benefits!) they're not qualified for or even capable of doing, while employees at the bottom of the rung are ignored, abused, or treated as expendable, regardless of their performance level. Upper management refuses to consider any proposal that varies from "the way we've always done it," even if that proposal would save the state money AND improve morale. We have some divisions that are so understaffed they can barely function and others that are overstaffed with people begging for more work to do to ease their boredom... and yet we can't move people around or adjust workloads, because "that's the way we've always done it." On a 1-10 scale, my frustration is a 10. Over 50% of the people who work under me are actively and openly looking for other jobs and I have just submitted my own resignation. In fact, I don't even know why I'm writing this, because I seriously doubt anyone in a position of power is paying attention.

[disgruntled officer]

Do I feel appreciated as a state employee? Hell no!! As bad as it is to be furloughed I find that most correctional officers are exempt. I have the same bills and obligations! If there must be furloughs EVERYONE should furlough or none.It should also be the same with pay raises and cola's.
EVERY state employee eligable for a pay increase should recieve the same MERIT based raise.
I see that some retirees are getting a cola(legislative,teachers) but not the rest? Patently unfair and biased.Call your Congressman or State Rep for change!!

Yes, you have the same bills and obligations, but we already run short most days, and when we furloughed earlier this year, we ran dangerously short, as in people could get hurt or killed short. That is why we aren't furloughing again right now. Saving a little money isn't worth risking our lives.

[sickofthis2]

Public service---the people of this state don't appreciate anything, they think that the govt is suppose to do everything for them. They think that they can speak or treat the employees of the state anyway they want to, they cuss at us, disrespect us and they are allowed to do this because no one in management cares. People are always calling saying --What am I suppose to do? What are you going to do to fix my "problem"?---The people of this state don't know how to think for themselves or even to try to fix their own problems...... Appreciated--that is a joke.

[Guest]

As I said before, everyone should furlough or no one.If correctional officers are "short" due to others laying out and calling in sick. the sick day should become the furlough day. I could see your point if no days were missed but that is obviously not the situation.

[still disgruntled]

As I said before, everyone should furlough or no one.If correctional officers are "short" due to others laying out and calling in sick. the sick day should become the furlough day. I could see your point if no days were missed but that is obviously not the situation.

They did use the sick day as the furlough day, but we were still having to let three people be off per day to fulfill the furlough's time limits. Considering the people who call in, whether with a legitimate reason or no, we had a really bad month trying to cover posts. Those of us who come to work faithfully get punished because we have to do the extra work and can't use annual leave during that time. I know people who don't work inside a prison such as yourself don't care if we get hurt or killed, but I very much do.

[Guest]

Poor management of personnel is not a legitiment excuse for furloughing some employees and not others.All state employees should bear the same cost. If that were to require better planning so be it.But I don't think planning got us where we are now!

[Guest]

Well, at any rate, it's not our fault. The state is going to do what it wants to do, and we will continue to be their puppets.