Federal workers value bosses who listen

WASHINGTON, May 20 (UPI) -- A boss who listens is better than higher pay, U.S. federal workers indicated in a study.

A new comprehensive survey of the federal workforce performed by the Partnership for Public Service, described as a non-partisan group devoted to improving public service, indicated strong leadership and straight answers from bosses are the biggest keys to a successful U.S. government workplace, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.

The study found government workers were happiest at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, with the Government Accountability Office, NASA, the intelligence community and the State Department also scoring high on the list.

The staff at the NRC "are the real human resources managers," Jim McDermott, director of human resources for the commission, told the Post. "I lead a lazy life."

Meanwhile, the agencies with the least satisfied workers include the Transportation Department, the National Archives and Records Administration, the Homeland Security Department and the Education Department, the newspaper reported.