SES members are ranked annually based on performance using a scale of 1 to 5 (1 being the lowest and 5 the highest). Roughly 96% are ranked a 4 or 5. Starting in 2026, OPM will end this practice and require that no more than 30% of SES receive a grade of 4 or 5 going forward. This group should receive at least 60% of the annual bonus/other reward, aligning performance and accountability with a matching set of compensation incentives.
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This seems like a bit of a double edged sword. On the one hand, it is high time that some accountability be introduced into this system– military officers have had to deal with such a system for years.
On the other hand, seniors in real positions of responsibilities are often underpaid relative to their counterparts in the private sector, especially contractors that often work side-by-side with government employees. Now there are certainly a number of seniors who have drifted out of leadership roles and organizations have to find (and sometimes create) positions for them. Maybe they will get the 3’s and a smaller share of the bonus pool.
Yes, I agree. This same system of limiting outstanding performance ratings for the federal workforce in general has been in place for decades. As a senior manager within the FAA for many years, the number of outstanding performance awards and QWIs were limited to a small percentage of those I supervised. The problem with the system is that awards are not a separate budget item and agencies use the funds saved by not filling positions within the year to pay for awards and special projects. Thanks for the feedback.