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Managing the Changing Face of the Organization

Many factors impact our employees, from operations-related changes to the challenges of managing multiple generations in the workplace. As our employee population transforms, we’ll continue to implement employee-centered Human Resources programs that focus on address our changing workforce environment.

Shifts in the ratios of career to non-career employees reflect our efforts to contain costs and respond to the growing need for on-demand shipping, which requires a more flexible workforce. In FY2015, the Postal Service hired more than 117,000 non-career employees in all flexible workforce categories, including postal support employee (PSE), city carrier assistant (CCA), mail handler assistant (MHA), rural carrier associate (RCA), casual and Postmaster relief (PMR).

In order to recruit candidates for these critical positions, during FY2015 the Postal Service had a presence at 125 career fairs. The diversity at these events was broad yet strategic and included, among others, African Americans, persons with disabilities, Hispanic, LGBT, veterans and women. We also participated in career events to recruit for targeted positions where there’s a major hiring need, such as operations industrial engineers (OIEs), CCAs, PSEs and MHAs. In addition to attending targeted career fairs, materials and videos were created focusing on the roles of CCAs, RCAs and OIEs and featured on USPS communication channels. We also launched innovative strategies to develop and retain our workforce, including a monthly lunch and learn series, exploring diversity and inclusion themes through film, and designing awareness training to address diversity of thought, culture and background.

The Postal Service career workforce has an average tenure of about 18 years of service and an average age of 51. Currently 33 percent of employees are eligible to retire. As our average age continues to rise, identifying successors will be critical to filling voids created by retiring employees. Furthermore, an aging workforce will increase the need for knowledge management and alternative career paths. To address these needs in FY2015, we redesigned several management and leadership development programs, included non-career employees in employee engagement surveys, and continued to fine-tune communications to obtain vital feedback and input from employees.

Diversity — During FY2015, the Diversity and Inclusion program achieved heightened prominence at the Postal Service. Although diversity and inclusion have always been a shared value across the organization, strengthening support for an inclusive workplace is a focal point for the organization. To advance these efforts, Diversity and Inclusion implemented several initiatives during the year:

Equal Employment Opportunity — The Postal Service is committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all employees. This is a critical component in Postal Service efforts to recruit, develop and retain a diverse workforce. The Postal Service does not tolerate harassment of any type and holds managers responsible for preventing it.

The Postal Service provides high-quality and timely complaint processing in accordance with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regulations. As of Aug. 31, 2015, a total of 11,538 informal complaints were filed, 83 fewer than the same period last year. For the same time period, 3,545 formal complaints were filed, 192 fewer than the same period last year.

In support of our commitment to work to prevent complaints and provide a work environment free of harassment, Publication 553, Employee’s Guide to Understanding, Preventing, and Reporting Harassment, was updated in March 2015. In July 2015, the publication was mailed to every employee to reinforce managers’ and supervisors’ responsibilities to promptly respond to harassment complaints. In addition, an eight-hour course, Addressing Workplace Harassment, was developed and conducted in the field for three areas. More than 100 participants received the training, including Human Resources and Labor Relations managers. The content focused on Publication 552, Manager’s Guide to Understanding, Investigating, and Preventing Harassment, the initial management inquiry process and report writing. An eight-hour train-the-trainer course also was provided, enabling the training to be delivered strategically within those areas.

Disability Program — The Disability Program provides support for managers, supervisors and employees in understanding the reasonable accommodation process, and it promotes disability employment awareness and inclusion. The program is managed at Postal Service Headquarters and includes disability specialists domiciled at each area office. Team members provide direction, education and consultative services to key reasonable accommodation decision makers, as well as Human Resources, Law Department and other postal functions.

Disability Program staff also serve as subject matter expert contributors to policy guidance and service talks, as well as classroom and Web-based training materials covering various disability-related topics. During FY2015, they developed a service talk, Our Responsibilities to Serve Customers under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was published in March. The revised 16-week training program for newly-promoted operations supervisors contains a Reasonable Accommodation module based on content from a course developed by the Disability team and Law Department, titled Reasonable Accommodation Awareness. This course contains information on compliance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended) as well as guidance on disability-employment etiquette and understanding.

In a continuing effort to ensure Postal Service’s compliance with reasonable accommodation law and policy, Disability Program team members work closely with 75 Reasonable Accommodation Committees across the country, providing technical assistance and support. In FY2015, program reviews were conducted to ensure consistency in application of reasonable accommodation law, policies and procedures.

To best equip employees and enhance the work experience for individuals with disabilities, the Disability Program staff provides guidance to USPS management and employees on assistive and adaptive technology solutions. The Disability Program also funds and oversees all sign language interpreting services for employees who are deaf or hard of hearing. This includes deploying and ensuring the best use of video remote interpreting equipment in facilities across the country.

Compensation and Benefits — In FY2015, non-bargaining employees, including officers and executives, received pay and⁄or bonuses under the Pay for Performance program, which is designed to provide financial incentives for meeting specific performance targets. Postal Service management has multiple systems in place to monitor employee performance. Employees set goals annually and individual performance is reviewed at mid-fiscal year and end of fiscal year. The Postal Service continues to actively monitor and control compensation and benefits expenditures, including health care costs for employees and retirees.

Executive Compensation: Total Compensation in Excess of Federal Executive Level 1 Compensation ($201,700 in last full Calendar Year 2014):

 

Executive name

CY2014 amount in excess of Level 1
of the Executive Schedule

Drew T. Aliperto

$14,060

Megan J. Brennan

$55,379

Robert Cintron

$1,910

James P. Cochrane

$32,856

Joshua D. Colin

$9,060

Joseph Corbett

$39,414

Patrick R. Donahoe

$77,475

Jo Ann Feindt

$4,060

Rosemarie Fernandez

$25

Dean J. Granholm

$4,060

Nagisa M. Manabe

$60,423

Thomas J. Marshall

$30,335

Shaun E. Mossman

$4,699

William C. Rucker III

$1,954

Kristin A. Seaver

$1,560

Jacqueline K. Strako

$9,318

Ronald A. Stroman

$45,467

Richard P. Uluski

$4,060

David C. Williams*

$60,008

David E. Williams Jr.

$2,963

Jeffrey C. Williamson

$32,856

*Includes annuity paid by the Office of Personnel Management.

Note: Provided in compliance with Title 39, Section 3686(d) which requires compensation in last full calendar year.



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