1996 NASA Agencywide Employee & Customer Satisfaction Survey Results

Source: NASA HQ
Posted Thursday, September 12, 1996

Total Response = 2,297

1) To your knowledge, does NASA have formal, integrated mission and goal statements?

Yes No

95.2

4.8

How Familiar are you with NASA's Mission and goal statements?

Very Familiar Familiar Not Very Familiar Not At All Familiar

12.3

57.8

27.9

2.0

2) To your knowledge, does your installation (or Headquarters single-letter code) have formal, integrated mission and goal statements?

Yes No

90.0

10.0

How Familiar are you with your installation's Mission and goal statements?

Very Familiar Familiar Not Very Familiar Not At All Familiar

20.0

54.3

22.7

3.0

3) To your knowledge, does your division/work unit have formal, integrated mission and goal statements?

Yes No

73.9

26.1

How Familiar are you with your division/work unit's mission and goal statements?

Very Familiar Familiar Not Very Familiar Not At All Familiar

49.6

39.6

9.8

1.0

4) How clear is it to you what your role is in achieving the goals of...

Organization Very Clear Pretty Clear Not Too Clear Not Clear At All

NASA	26.2	43.9	21.3	8.7
Your Installation (HQ Code)	32.3	43.5	16.9	7.2
Your Division/Work Unit	58.0	28.3	8.0	5.8

5) How familiar are you with the following documents?

I've read this
and I
understand
how it applies
to my work I've read this I've seen this I've heard of, but
haven't seen this I've never heard
of this

NASA Strategic Plan	23.1	40.8	25.5	9.2	1.4
Installation (HQ Code) Strategic Plan	19.8	24.3	16.0	19.7	20.2
NASA Customer Service Plan	3.3	6.0	7.2	19.4	64.1
Government Performance & Results Act	3.1	4.1	4.9	17.5	70.5

6) Do you believe NASA is implementing its programs in accordance with the Strategic Plan?

Yes No Not Sure/Don't Know

41.5

12.2

46.3

7) What would you say are the products and services that result from the work you do? Indicate the single most important product or service in column one and secondary or associated products or services in column two.

Primary
Product or
Service
(Mark
only one) Secondary/
Associated
Products/Services
(Mark all
that apply)

1. Aeronautical technology	15.9	19.0
2. Science technology	8.1	30.8
3. Technology transfer	1.9	37.9
4. Program management	9.6	29.8
5. Program/systems documentation	1.3	20.6
6. Shuttle launches	9.6	16.4
7. Facilitating research activities	9.7	31.3
8. Space probes and experiments	6.4	19.7
9. Publications/information for the public at large	0.5	17.9
10. Publications/information for the scientific and/or engineering communities	2.7	29.2
11. Publications/information for the educational community	0.2	16.3
12. Publications/information for the media	0.3	11.0
13. Managerial guidance/direction	9.8	30.7
14. Development of budgets	2.3	26.9
15. Financial data/management	4.7	17.0
16. Training products/programs	1.1	12.9
17. Internal reports/memoranda/directives	1.2	27.7
18. Congressional responses	0.2	11.6
19. Legal services	0.8	3.6
20. Quality assurance	2.5	13.4
21. Other	11.1	14.3

8) Who are your external customers? External customers are defined as individuals or groups outside of NASA who use or benefit from the services and products that you provide. While the American public is clearly NASA's primary external customer, we are asking that you be more specific in this case in identifying those who directly use or benefit from your services. Please mark your primary external customer in column one and all that apply in column two.

Customers Primary External
Customer
(Mark only one) All External
Customers
(Mark all that apply)

U. S. Industry & Business	45.3	43.3
Foreign Industry & Business	0.4	27.4
State and Local Government	0.5	24.5
Other Federal Agencies	9.8	56.3
Congress	7.2	26.0
Foreign Governments	1.2	19.1
Academia (Colleges & Universities)	8.3	58.5
Education Community (K - 12)	0.5	31.8
Science Community (non-academic)	16.6	38.0
Environmental Policymakers	0.7	16.2
Trade, Industry, & Professional Associations (e.g., Association for the Advancementof Science)	1.2	28.0
The Media	0.4	19.8
Individual Citizens	4.9	29.8
Other	3.0	8.6
I have no external customers		12.2

9) On average, what percentage of your time do you spend on work involving NASA's external customers?

0-25% 26-50% 51-75% 76-100%

52.3

23.2

15.2

9.3

10) On average, how frequently do you interact with external customers?

Daily Weekly Monthly Less than once a Month Never

21.8

26.1

15.7

22.1

14.4

11) Who are your internal customers? Internal customers are defined as individuals or groups within NASA (other than your immediate supervisor) who use or benefit from the services and products that you provide. Please mark your primary internal customer in column one and all that apply in column two.

Customers Primary
Internal
Customer
(Mark only one) All Internal Customers
(Mark all that apply)

Personnel in the installation (HQ Code) where I work	73.3	38.5
Personnel in other NASA Installations (HQ Codes)	10.4	75.4
Headquarters programs/functions	12.8	58.0
Other	3.5	16.7
I have no internal customers		1.2

12) On average, what percentage of your time do you spend on work involving NASA's internal customers?

0-25% 26-50% 51-75% 76-100%

11.4

25.2

25.7

37.8

13) On average, how frequently do you interact with internal customers?

Daily Weekly Monthly Less than once a Month Never

76.9

16.7

3.4

2.2

0.8

14) Does your division/work unit set customer service standards?

Yes No Don't Know

51.9

33.1

15.0

If yes, does your division/work unit measure output against the established customer service standards?

Yes No Don't Know

75.1

12.2

12.7

15) Does your division/work unit collect customer satisfaction data?

Yes No (Skip to question 17) Don't Know (Skip to question 17)

53.8

31.5

14.7

If yes, what methods does your division/work unit use to gather these data from its customers? (Mark all that apply.)

Informal phone calls/visits	75.9
Formal meetings	54.6
Written surveys/questionnaires	59.8
Phone surveys	10.5
Focus groups	16.6
Advisory groups/subcommittees	28.4
Customer response cards	14.4
Integrated product work teams	29.0
Other	10.4
Don't know	0.9

16) Are the customer satisfaction data collected by your division/work unit used to improve its products/services?

Yes No Don't Know Does not Apply

89.3

2.6

8.1

0.0

17) How confident are you that your division/work unit is fully satisfying its customers?

Very Confident Confident Not very confident Not at all confident Don't Know

22.6

55.8

12.9

3.2

5.6

18) Are there NASA employees or activities who deliver products or services to you for use in your work (i.e., you are their customer)?

Yes No

96.0

4.0

If yes, how satisfied are you with the services and products you receive as a customer? Mark Not Applicable for those services you do not receive, and indicate your satisfaction with those you do receive.

Not Applicable
Do not Receive Very Satisfied Somewhat Satisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied

Financial data/management	28.4	48.3	16.0	7.3
Training products/programs	37.8	48.8	10.0	3.4
Legal assistance	38.9	41.1	14.7	5.3
Basic supplies/services	35.4	50.1	11.2	3.4
Personnel administration services	35.2	45.7	13.1	6.0
Payroll administration services	59.5	34.7	3.7	2.2
Computer software/hardware support services	32.5	41.8	17.3	8.4
Procurement support	25.3	41.5	22.6	10.7
Public affairs support	33.7	45.4	14.1	6.8
Security services	39.0	47.4	9.8	3.8
Technical support services	38.4	50.8	7.9	3.0

19) Have you been asked to provide feedback to your work unit's suppliers concerning your satisfaction with the services/products they supply you?

No Yes, but only rarely Yes, occasionally Yes, frequently Yes, too often

32.5

27.8

32.4

6.8

0.5

20) Listed below are potential barriers that may prevent your work unit from providing the best in customer service. For each item, indicate how much of a problem this is for your work unit in performing its job.

Not a problem A Minor
Problem A Major
Problem

Lack of skilled personnel	48.8	33.5	17.6
Lack of financial resources	21.9	43.8	34.4
Lack of physical resources (e.g., computers, space)	45.2	41.1	13.6
Inflexible management practices	41.3	38.8	19.9
Inconsistent management practices	32.2	38.3	29.5
Lack of staff involvement in decision making	46.5	34.8	18.8
Unreasonable customer demands	53.7	36.9	9.4
Lack of day-to-day employee recognition	51.0	36.2	12.8
Overly bureaucratic laws, systems, and practices	15.4	38.0	46.6
Lack of information from management officials	31.5	46.2	22.3
Over dependence on contractors	44.9	33.8	21.3
Lack of teamwork within organizational units	51.8	34.5	13.6
Lack of teamwork among organizational units	33.7	45.2	21.1
Lack of control over suppliers	50.0	38.1	11.9
Limited opportunities for education & training	67.2	26.1	6.7
Inability to market programs and/or services	65.0	25.9	9.1
Organizational instability	24.5	36.9	38.6
Lack of customer satisfaction data	59.9	33.2	6.9
Lack of customer service standards	59.2	33.1	7.7
Lack of time	26.9	45.7	27.4

Questions 21 and 22 are concerned with your current work environment; these follow-up on previous internal surveys.

21) How satisfied are you with the following aspects of your current work environment?

Very Satisfied Somewhat
Satisfied Neither Satisfied
Nor Dissatisfied Somewhat
Dissatisfied Very Dissatisfied

Amount of paperwork	8.2	16.1	29.5	32.7	13.4
Opportunities for advancement	9.5	20.2	17.4	28.2	24.8
Job fulfillment/challenge	35.9	31.8	9.4	14.8	8.1
Recognition	20.4	31.7	17.0	19.3	11.6
Use of your skills on the job	33.5	35.1	10.2	13.5	7.7
Amount of independence	46.7	33.4	9.1	6.9	3.9
Fairness of evaluation/ promotion system	16.0	24.3	15.6	22.3	21.8
Feedback on your work	20.2	35.0	20.8	17.0	7.0
Physical work environment	38.3	34.5	13.9	9.3	4.0
Coworkers	49.0	34.2	9.6	5.9	1.2
Morale	10.5	23.8	14.6	28.9	22.2
Salary	21.6	35.6	15.5	20.5	6.8
Benefits (e.g., health, retirement)	27.6	36.8	14.8	16.5	4.3
Focus on customers	20.6	32.6	34.9	8.9	2.9
Your direct supervisor	38.5	30.8	12.2	11.5	7.0
Installation management	13.2	27.9	23.5	23.1	12.3
Communications within work unit	27.5	36.6	15.4	15.0	5.5
Communications within the Agency	6.8	23.0	27.0	27.6	15.5

22) Please indicate the extent to which you agree with the following statements.

Agree completely Agree somewhat Neither Agree
Nor Disagree Disagree Somewhat Disagree Completely

The members of my division/work unit have sufficient clarity about what is expected of them	31.8	39.0	9.0	15.8	4.4
My managers actively seek innovative ideas	27.0	34.4	14.1	16.0	8.4
Recognition and awards are nice, but the real reward is the work itself	24.8	39.4	15.5	16.1	4.1
NASA employees are treated fairly and equitably	10.7	31.4	17.9	26.3	13.7
Supervisors and managers take time to discuss career planning with their people	9.0	27.0	16.8	25.8	21.5
I am proud to work for NASA	63.7	24.3	7.1	3.7	1.3
People outside NASA have an accurate view of what the Agency is all about	1.6	12.5	12.0	43.4	30.4
NASA management communicates a consistent and clear strategic direction	4.0	17.9	17.0	34.4	26.6
The members of my division/work unit understsnd how their efforts fit into the Agency's cascading Strategic Plan	8.7	26.5	23.4	26.8	14.6

23) Of which occupational group are you a member?

Engineering: includes professional engineering positions engaged in aerospace research, technical program management, development, operations, professional engineering support, mathematics support, computer science and related work.	52.3
Scientific: includes professional scientific positions engaged in aerospace research, technical program management, development and operations, including professional physical science and mathematics support and related work.	7.1
Life Science Support: includes life science professional positions such as medical officers and other positions performing professional work in psychology, the biological sciences, and professions that support the science of medicine such as nursing and medical technology.	0.4
Technical Support: includes scientific and engineering aides, technicians, photographers, illustrators, quality assurance specialists, etc.	9.1
Secretarial/Clerical/Non-professional Administrative: includes secretarial, clerical and administrative support positions.	6.3
Professional Administrative: includes professional/management positions in areas such as financial management, procurement, personnel, security, administration, law, public affairs, etc.	23.6
Wage System: includes trade, craft, and general labor positions.	1.3

24) In column one, please indicate the NASA strategic enterprise or strategic function with which your work is most associated (check only one). In column two, mark all of those enterprises or functions with which your work is associated (mark all that apply).

This is the
enterprise/
function with
which my
work is... ...most
associated ...also
associated

Aeronautics Enterprise	25.9	29.5
Space Technology Enterprise	14.1	57.5
Scientific Research Enterprise	10.5	57.5
Human Exploration & Development of Space Enterprise	21.8	33.1
Mission to Planet Earth Enterprise	7.2	38.1
Space Communications Function	2.9	25.0
Human Resources Function	6.4	14.0
Physical Resources Function	4.5	13.4
I don't know	6.7	5.5

25) Do you directly supervise other employees?

Yes No

40.3

59.7

26) Please indicate your age range.

Less than 25 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65 or older

2.5

18.3

29.3

31.8

17.0

1.1

27) What is your highest level of education?

Less than high school	0.0
High school diploma	2.1
Some college, no degree	10.4
Associates (2-year) degree	7.5
Bachelor's (4-year) degree	19.6
Post-Bachelor's courses, no graduate degree	20.2
Master's degree	29.7
Doctorate	10.5

28) How long have you worked for NASA?

Less than 1 year	1.6
1-5 years	15.3
6-10 years	24.4
11-15 years	16.0
16-20 years	10.2
21-25 years	7.0
26-30 years	10.2
More than 30 years	15.4

29) At which center or installation do you work?

Ames Research Center	9.1
Dryden Flight Research Center	4.9
Goddard Space Flight Center	12.8
Headquarters	9.4
Johnson Space Center	12.8
KennedySpace Center	11.8
Langley Research Center	11.2
Lewis Research Center	11.5
Marshall Space Flight Center	12.5
Stennis Space Center	4.0

30) Please indicate your current grade level.

GS1 - GS4	0.4
GS5 - GS8	7.2
GS9 - GS12	19.8
GS13 - GS15	66.8
SES or equivalent	5.7

31) Are you a graduate of any of the following programs?
(Check all that you have completed.)

MEP/MIP	19.3
SEP	4.0
PM/APM	5.5
PDP	4.7
Center sponsored administrative/clerical training	8.4
Center sponsored management training	34.8
Continual improvement training	35.9
Customer Service Training	8.1

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