Study: Despite Pay Freeze, Nearly 40 Percent of Government Managers Expect Salary Increase in 2011

Research also reveals that a third of federal managers will consider leaving the government

WASHINGTON, Dec. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Government Business Council (GBC), the research division of Government Executive Media Group, today released findings from a recent survey of federal managers regarding the Obama administration's intention to implement a federal pay freeze. Among the survey findings, nearly 40 percent of government employees expect a pay increase in 2011 despite the likelihood that a federal salary freeze will pass this week. Many of these managers expect to gain promotions to higher job grade levels – a process not affected in the proposed freeze.

Conducted last week, GBC's study captures the perspectives of more than 1,500 government managers from civilian and defense agencies on the potential pay freeze. A report on the study is available at http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=46712.

Additional findings from this study include:

• more than a third of federal employees who are eligible to retire will consider doing so sooner than originally planned;
• of those not eligible to retire, 32 percent said they will look to the private sector for career opportunities;
• over 75 percent of responding federal managers feel that the proposed freeze is unfair;
• almost 90 percent of those surveyed believe that the pay freeze will decrease employee morale.

"This study is the first of its kind to produce real insight into how the pay freeze will affect the federal workforce," said Bryan Klopack, Director of Research for GBC. "Overall, they are frustrated and fear direct consequences in achieving their agency's mission; the survey sheds light on the potential loss of senior executives as a result."

Government Business Council executed this online survey in December 2010. A total of 1,527 Government Executive magazine subscribers, randomly-chosen from civilian and defense agencies, responded to the survey, with a margin of error of 2.6%. Of that total, 70 percent are GS/GM grade 13 or above and 64 percent manage at least one direct report.

For more information on the report, read the full story on GovExec.com. To stay updated on government pay news, sign up for the federal pay and benefits newsletter.

About Government Business Council (GBC)

As Government Executive Media Group's research intelligence division, Government Business Council is dedicated to advancing the business of government through analysis, insight and analytical independence. As an extension of Government Executive's 40 years of exemplary editorial standards and a commitment to the highest ethical values, GBC studies influential decision-makers from across the federal government to produce intelligence-based research and analysis.

SOURCE Government Business Council