RAF ALCONBURY, United Kingdom -- It can be tough giving feedback up the chain. Because of that, the Air Force looks for different ways to solicit feedback for leaders. One of those ways is the annual Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute’s Organizational Climate Survey (DEOCS). The survey gives every Pathfinder a chance to express their opinion and provide Air Force leadership with an overall assessment of the unit’s climate.
According to the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI), the DEOCS survey allows commanders to proactively assess organizational climate dimensions that could impact the overall health of their organization.
The survey is designed to anonymously assess perceptions of organizational effectiveness, equal opportunity, equal employment opportunity, fair treatment, and sexual assault prevention and response, according to DOD. The survey also includes factors including: hazing, discrimination, organizational processes, inclusion, engagement, trust in leadership, job satisfaction and group cohesion.
“From an EO standpoint, the DEOCS is a great tool that commanders can utilize to effectively get the pulse of their organization,” said Technical Sergeant David Jackson, 501st Equal Opportunity director. “It also allows members to anonymously talk to their leaders on how they view life in their unit.”
The voluntary survey does not collect or use personally identifiable information. Participants will be asked to provide their demographic information such as rank, grade, race, and sex; however, this information will be used for statistical analysis only. No attempt will be made to identify participants.
The results of the survey benefit units by giving everyone an equal chance to tell the commander what they think of the unit in regards to four major groupings, which are Organizational Effectiveness (OE), Equal Opportunity/Equal Employment Opportunity (EO/EEO)/Fair Treatment, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR), and Retaliation.
Members taking the survey are able to reenter the survey once starting it. If you have to exit the survey or lose Internet connection, you can reenter the survey by using the initial password provided to you. Members will be allowed to include comments which appear, unedited, in the final report. If a person chooses to identify him or herself in these comments, that information will stay; otherwise, comments are in no way matched to a person's other answers, comments, or demographics.
The passwords to access the survey are randomly generated by computer and not traceable back to the individual, according to DEOMI. This helps ensure anonymity. The survey contains approximately 56 questions, divided into the four primary areas, and participants should allow themselves approximately 25 to 30 minutes to complete it.
Up to 15 locally developed questions can also be included in the survey at the commander’s discretion, and provide the opportunity to include written comments.
The survey can be accessed from any device with an internet connection: government computer, personal computer, tablet, and public domain computers (library, internet café, etc.).
The survey, which is being rolled at different times throughout the wing, will run until the end of the year
For more information about the DEOCS, contact the 501st Combat Support Wing Equal Opportunity director at DSN 268-3829.
Related Sites:
DEOMI.org
DEOCS.net