District Digest News Stories

Nashville District recognized for employee viewpoints in 2016 survey

Nashville District Public Affairs
Published Sept. 11, 2017
Maj. Christopher Burkhart, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District deputy commander, shows off the "Best Place to Work in USACE" Award at the district's staff meeting Sept. 11, 2017 in Nashville, Tenn.  The award was in the medium size agency category based on employee responses in the 2016 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey.  Nine awards were presented by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters to organizations in this category.

Maj. Christopher Burkhart, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District deputy commander, shows off the "Best Place to Work in USACE" Award at the district's staff meeting Sept. 11, 2017 in Nashville, Tenn. The award was in the medium size agency category based on employee responses in the 2016 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey. Nine awards were presented by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters to organizations in this category.

Maj. Christopher Burkhart, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District deputy commander, shows off the "Best Place to Work in USACE" Award at the district's staff meeting Sept. 11, 2017 in Nashville, Tenn.  The award was in the medium size agency category based on employee responses in the 2016 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey.  Nine awards were presented by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters to organizations in this category.

Maj. Christopher Burkhart, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District deputy commander, shows off the "Best Place to Work in USACE" Award at the district's staff meeting Sept. 11, 2017 in Nashville, Tenn. The award was in the medium size agency category based on employee responses in the 2016 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey. Nine awards were presented by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters to organizations in this category.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Sept. 11, 2017) – Nashville District personnel who responded to the 2016 Federal Employee Survey found out today that their high marks for job and organizational satisfaction resulted in a “Best Place to Work in USACE Award” from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters.

Maj. Christopher Burkhart, Nashville District deputy commander, showed off the award certificate during a staff meeting at the Nashville District Headquarters and lauded everyone who took the time to participate in the survey that enhances a culture of engagement and two-way feedback.

“So we have one of the best places to work in the Corps of Engineers based on the FEVS survey back in 2016,” Burkhart said. “I want to congratulate your responses.  We responded well because of all the great things we are doing here, and we want to continue to do that.”

Employee engagement, as measured through the FEVS Survey, is contained in the USACE Campaign Plan through employee engagement, diversity, and innovation.  USACE organizations rated highly by their employees surpassing an identified standard of 70 percent were selected as USACE Best Places to Work.

Utilizing the methodology employed by the Partnership for Public Service, USACE ranked its organizations to create its Best Places to Work initiative with employee responses from the FEVS. Awards were presented in three categories: small (300 employees), medium (300-750 employees), and large (greater than 750 employees).

The Nashville District is one of nine organizations recognized in the medium category. The Memphis District in the Mississippi Valley Division and Detroit District in the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division were also recognized in the medium category.

Other districts recognized in the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division were the Chicago and Buffalo districts in the small category and Huntington and Louisville districts in the large category.

This survey provides valuable metrics for leadership to measure how organizations are making sure employees are successful and have the tools they need to support important missions such as planning and project management, construction, engineering services, flood risk reduction, hydropower, navigation, environmental restoration, water management and conservation, recreation and disaster assistance.

Brig. Gen. Mark Toy, Great Lakes and Ohio River Division commander, oversees 4,200 personnel in seven districts.  His command philosophy “BUILDING STRONG and Taking Care of People!” is a priority at every level. 

“This recognition ultimately demonstrates how our districts deliver the program by looking out for the needs of the workforce,” Toy said.  “The districts are fully equipped and capable of supporting the nation's civil works, military, and interagency & international support priorities, across  17 states in America’s heartland, all while taking care of people.”

Some best practices from the top-performing organizations include recurring senior-leader outreach to the workforce, dedicated succession planning and workload/workforce planning, continuous communication on FEVS actions to improve employee engagement, and utilization of workforce growth opportunities such as developmental assignments.

(The public can obtain news, updates and information from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District on the district’s website at www.lrn.usace.army.mil, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/nashvillecorps and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nashvillecorps.)