OPM Announces 2020 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey to Begin in July

In a memo to agency leaders, OPM Acting Director Michael Rigas announced the 2020 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (OPM FEVS) will begin on July 13, 2020. The survey rollout was delayed earlier in the spring as agencies were focusing on mission critical work during the coronavirus response. Rigas also announced several changes to the survey.

In the agency memo, Rigas announced that the survey has “streamlined” the core set of standard questions in response to agency requests to ease the administrative burden of the survey. Also new this year, the survey will include a section addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, which will request employees answer questions that identify ways in which employees continued to “achieve mission in the face of an unprecedented pandemic.”

“The OPM FEVS continues to be one of the most powerful platforms for Federal employees to share their opinions and perceptions regarding work experiences influencing productivity.  With the addition of the COVID-19 pandemic section, the survey also provides employees an opportunity to participate in data collection with the potential to shape future policies and interagency learning regarding human capital management in the face of an emergency,” the memo explained.

Rigas also highlighted how the OPM FEVS data is used to support and determine policy goals.

“Specifically, by providing the data necessary to support active management of employee engagement and performance, the data is used to assess progress on Cross-Agency Priority Goal 3. Moreover, by enabling leadership to identify improvements necessary to realize greater workplace effectiveness and efficiencies, survey results support and drive service, mission achievement, and stewardship across the Federal Government,” Rigas explained.

The survey will be released in two waves, with the first beginning on the week of July 13. Each agency’s survey will be open for six weeks. While the survey was delayed this year due to COVID-19, Rigas has pledged that results rollout to agencies will still begin in October, about when rollout occurred last year.

Finally, Rigas encouraged managers to encourage that staff to fill out the survey.

“When employees hear from leadership that their feedback is valued and used to make a difference in their agencies, they are more likely to provide feedback,” Rigas noted. “The quality of the information your leadership team receives is improved when you support employee participation in the survey.”