POLICY GUIDE

Legislation Affects ESP Program

Effective July 1, 2005, an employee suggestion submitted to the Employee Suggestion Program (ESP) must be evaluated within 60 days from the time it was submitted. Program reports to the legislature and the Governor, also required by statute, will include information on suggestion evaluations that have not met that time limit.

COMPENSATION PERSPECTIVES

ESP: A Win-Win For Employees and Agencies

Agencies sometimes are concerned that monetary awards to employees whose suggestions have been implemented through the Employee Suggestion Program will negatively affect the agency's fiscal status. However, the award amount is derived from cost savings (or revenue increases) that the agency has realized from implementing the suggestion. Awards are based on measured actual improvements realized in the first year of implementation, not projections. While the employee may receive a cash award, the formula for determining the amount of that award assures that the greater benefit goes to the agency implementing the suggested change. The employee's award is not more than 25% of any quantified benefit the agency has received in that first year of implementation.

Agency management and individual employees share an interest in supporting the kind of improvements rewarded by the Employee Suggestion Program. Any questions concerning the Program should be directed to ESP@dhrm.virginia.gov .

Recognition Pays

Are you looking for proof that recognizing and rewarding excellence leads to better business outcomes? The attached white paper, based on data commissioned by O.C Tanner and conducted by The Jackson Organization, helps illustrate the real business results of employee recognition in the workplace.

Salary Survey Viewer

The Salary Survey application on DHRM's secure website has been revised. New reports have been added to display state employees' salaries sorted by Role and SOC codes. Previously, reports provided sorts by 1) Role, 2) SOC, and 3) SOC and Role, so there are now four reports for each pay area.

Scrolls have been added to these average salary reports, so the column and row headings are always displayed. This feature may slow the response time for the larger reports. One way to improve response time is to reduce the size of the display, so that more information is displayed on each page. You can do this by clicking "View" and then "Text Size" on your web browser and set it to "smallest." The fastest way to navigate on the report pages is to drag the scroll bar to the approximate location of the needed information.

If you have questions or problems with the Salary Survey reports, please contact Bob Weaver at bob.weaver@dhrm.virginia.gov

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