In 2003, the Postal Service developed and implemented the following proactive strategies for the administration of a work climate that is free from inappropriate and unlawful behavior.

• Enhanced workforce management by training all diversity professionals on diversity's role in supporting sexual and workplace harassment policy.
• Ensured that training is delivered and tracked so that all employees can understand what constitutes sexual harassment, what are its repercussions and what they can do to prevent sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior.
• Partnered with the Federal Training Network in providing training opportunities to the field.
• Reviewed statistical data from all sources (VOE survey, EEO complaints, etc.) and provided follow-up in any areas requiring intervention and remedial training.
• Revised all pertinent policies and other directives to reflect up-to-date initiatives.
• Distributed new sexual harassment prevention training resources and posters nationwide.
• Prepared unifying messaging for the Postal Service workforce and customers and disseminated it through all available medians of communication.

     EAP/WEI staff members serve as internal consultants to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of WEI efforts nationwide. Also

EAP/WEI disseminates information about resources for addressing workplace environment issues, including local and national Postal Service initiatives and external sources. Finally, EAP/WEI will continue to deliver national messaging in 2004, to ensure that the business case for improving the workplace is recognized and accepted.

     Pursuant to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) negotiated with the American Postal Workers Union (APWU), AFL-CIO for the 1998-2000 National Agreement, the Postal Service and the APWU jointly selected a vendor to provide a dependent care resource and referral service to management and APWU-represented employees. The service allows employees to get assistance in locating dependent and elder care resources as well as a variety of options to help balance work and home life. The MOU remains in place through November 2005.

     Every three months, a quarter of the career employee population receives the Postal Service's Voice of the Employee (VOE) survey at their work locations. They complete the survey on the clock and return their results in sealed individual envelopes. A vendor develops reports based on quarterly results that help monitor perceptions and trends. Six survey questions form an index score that gauges the Postal Service's success to measure motivated, productive, and inclusive workforce indicators. WebEIS posts survey results each quarter.

     In 2003, the national VOE survey results rose 2.3 points from 58.8 in 2002 to 61.1. The overall response rate also increased 3.8 percent from 57.3 percent to 61.1 percent. Results reflect steady gains in employee perceptions of supervisors' ability to communicate, employee treatment, recognition, and accountability, as well as a significant reduction in perceptions of sexual harassment. Analyzing survey results helps identify organizational issues and plan improvement strategies.