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NSPS progresses at Shaw

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Holly MacDonald
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
Shaw is one step closer to total integration into the National Security Personnel System with the loading of employee objectives Feb. 21 into the Performance Appraisal Application on the Air Force Personnel Center Web site. 

NSPS is a pay-for-performance system, which evaluates non-bargaining civilian employee salaries based on satisfactory completion of objectives. There are currently 91 NSPS employees at Shaw.

NSPS employees and supervisors have been working on employee objectives since the initial transfer in January, said Ms. Pat Womack, 20th Mission Support Squadron Civilian Personnel chief. These objectives are used during evaluations, which means they affect the employee's rating and, consequently, their pay.

To produce objectives, the employee and supervisor first discuss what tasks need to be accomplished for the job. The objectives are measurable, specific to the employee's duties and linked to the organization's mission and goals, said NSPS employee Mr. Heyward Singleton, 20th Civil Engineer Squadron oversight element chief. 

After discussing the objectives, the supervisor then determines the final outcome. 

"There should be no questions about what you have to do to meet or exceed the objectives if the communication is there," Mr. Singleton said. 

Supervisors and employees can use the standard core personnel document, which includes the previous performance plan, as a starting point to compose the new objectives by exporting what is relevant and building from there, Ms. Womack said. 

"One of the main pillars I get out of NSPS is you're supposed to be able to control the outcome of your objectives," Mr. Singleton said. "It should not be based on what somebody else does." 

Creating the objectives together will allow flexibility for the supervisor and employee to determine what is satisfactory, he said. 

Job objectives are intended to be relevant throughout the rating period. If needed, employees and supervisors are permitted to make changes to the objectives throughout the year or during interim assessments, Mr. Singleton said. 

An annual evaluation of the employee's performance is required as part of NSPS. The first evaluation is due Sep. 30. At that time, a salary increase, bonus or a combination of both is considered based on the employee's performance, Ms. Womack said 

NSPS allows employees to gain experience and create more opportunities for growth and career diversity by excelling in their work and receiving recognition, Ms. Womack said. The system will increase management's flexibility for hiring and recruitment, by allowing competition with civilian companies through a comparable salary and a faster hiring process. 

"Everyone is new to the system right now," Mr. Singleton said. 

He recommends every one learn the system in detail to make the transfer successful and that both the employee and supervisor ensure the objectives are specific, measurable, aligned, realistic and timed.