Key Findings:
Aspects of AcqDemo That Are Performing Well
- Salary levels, salary growth, and retention outcomes in AcqDemo were similar to those in the GS system, after controlling for an array of factors.
- The career outcomes of unionized employees in AcqDemo were similar to those of comparable unionized employees in the GS system. Within AcqDemo, unionized employees fared better than their nonunionized counterparts with respect to salary growth, promotion, and retention.
- Within AcqDemo, higher levels of contribution to the organizational mission were associated with higher salaries, more-rapid salary growth, more promotions, and a greater likelihood of retention.
- The majority of AcqDemo survey respondents expressed positive sentiments regarding their communication with their supervisors and the levels of trust and confidence between supervisors and subordinates.
Aspects of AcqDemo That Leave Room for Improvement
- AcqDemo employees earned higher starting salaries and were promoted less frequently relative to equivalent employees in the GS system.
- Less than half of AcqDemo survey respondents perceived a link between contribution to the organizational mission and compensation. Possible explanations include a perceived lack of transparency regarding how performance ratings are calculated and translated to pay; difficulty in measuring employee performance objectively and inclusively; and a narrowing spread in salaries resulting from pay caps and AcqDemo business practices.
- AcqDemo survey respondents expressed concerns about the transparency and fairness of various aspects of the appraisal and compensation system.
- Both subject-matter experts and AcqDemo survey respondents expressed concerns about the time, effort, and administrative burden associated with implementing AcqDemo’s appraisal flexibilities.