Manager Resources
Resources that Managers can use to support a healthy and happy workplace.
We need these leader-doers to help make organizational culture better. For anyone who desires change but doesn’t see themself as a "natural leader", this guide contains practical tips that anyone can use to amplify their voice during a time when our organizational cultures need it most.
A new guide from Interact.
NOAA OHCS guidance for Managers. Also check out the Managers Page.
As a manager, you take on many different roles and responsibilities. You’re a leader to your teammates and you work hard on projects that drive our mission forward, all while developing our workforce. We understand that being a manager comes with both opportunities and challenges — that’s where the Manager Resource Guide comes in. Here, you’ll find quick and easy access to information that you might need in your management role. Explore this go-to resource for practical advice, guidance, and support on a wide range of topics related to your position.
Culture Resources
This guide includes onboarding tips for new managers, organizational culture best practices, a guide to hiring, and more. It was developed by NWS managers as part of a NOAA Rotational Assignment Program (NRAP) part-time assignment with the NWS Office of Organizational Excellence to focus on organizational health and culture in the NWS.
This document is meant to serve as a resource that managers can refer to, both when they are new in their supervisory role as well as when they encounter challenges along the way. It was developed by NWS managers as part of an NRAP part-time assignment with the NWS Office of Organizational Excellence.
The goal of this document is to assist in finding the right addition to your office by providing interview questions that gauge an applicant’s level of attention to an office’s or organization’s culture. It was developed by NWS managers as part of an NRAP part-time assignment with the NWS Office of Organizational Excellence.
Trying to fulfill your DEIA Performance Requirement?
Check out the Culture Best Practices for Managers, Blueprint Best Practices and DEIA Best Practices to see ways you and your office can incorporate cultural/DEIA practices into your daily routine that will help support a healthier environment for all!
Here are Culture Discussion Guidelines to help set expectations for employee engagements.
[Final] Organizational Culture Best Practices.pdf[Final] Blueprint Focus Area Best Practices.pdf
The purpose of this guidance is to support NWS managers in meeting the requirements for creating diverse hiring panels and to clarify guidance for National Weather Service (NWS) offices that have already instituted a similar practice.
The purpose of this guidance is to support NWS managers in meeting requirements for using questions for job interviews that will improve assessment of candidate qualifications and understanding of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA).
In FY22, NOAA provided language to be included in all supervisors performance plans. This required language is now in all NWS supervisor performance plans. (see #3)
NWS DEIA element in Employee Performance Plans
NOAA All Hands Message sent Oct 13, 2022 announcing the "NWS DEIA Performance Element Guidance for FY23" outlining the process to update employee performance plans to include standards of behavior.
Cultivating a Diverse and Inclusive Safe Environment
Prominently post DOC, NOAA and NWS EEODI Policy
Bookmark and review NWS Supervisor’s EEO Checklist for Harassment Complaints
Share Harassment Prevention and Awareness NWS Employee Checklist with staff
Knowing your own biases, how do you do that?
Serve as an example to those you lead by exploring what you know about diversity and inclusion.
CLC’s Overcoming Unconscious Bias in the Workplace (required)
Invest in training to build your awareness
CLC’s NOAA’s Workplace Violence SASH Federal Employee Module 1.0 (required)
CLC’s NOAA Preventing Harassment and Discrimination for Supervisors (required)
CLC’s NWS EEO Compliance Training for Managers and Supervisors (required)
CLC’s Preventing Harassment and Discrimination - for NOAA Supervisors
CLC’s Harassment Prevention for Managers - Higher Education Edition
DEIA Resources
Invest in EEODI Training Related to the Hiring Process
CLC’s Access Ability: Hiring Individuals with Disabilities (required)
CLC’s Veterans Employment Training (required)
Establish goals to build relationships and services to diverse communities
Weather Safety Information for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities
Create social media graphics with accessibility features (Twitter, Facebook, Web)
Whether you are a new manager or you have a new employee, a great way to get to know your staff (apart from a "Stay Interview" as outlined above) is to have one-on-one time within the first month . This link is a template questionnaire to help start the conversation.
Accountability
"How often do you hear yourself or someone else complain that this person or that person isn’t “being held accountable?” Or find yourself mustering up the gumption to “hold that person accountable?” It’s really a fool’s errand. At the end of the day, personal accountability is the only real accountability. So that means you can’t really hold other people accountable.
Are we just supposed to sit back and let people drop the ball and pick up the pieces for them? The unequivocal answer to that is no. Instead, tackle the issue vs. the person by following these tips."
Also, see the Workplace Issues section of the Toolkit to ensure you and your staff are properly documenting any issues within the workplace and determine if discriminary action is appropriate.
Employee Development Resources
Encouraging developmental opportunities such as:
NWSTC Field Operations Management (GS 13, bargaining unit),
NWSTC Management & Supervision (GS 13-15, non-bargaining unit)
DOC Aspiring Leaders Development Program (GS 7-12),
DOC Executive Leadership Development Program (GS 13-14)
DOC & NWS Mentoring (GS 5-14)
Leave Guidance & Accommodations
Paid Parental Leave Guidance
As a manager, you play an important role in approving the employee’s request for Paid Parental Leave and collecting completed forms to process their leave request. For each employee requesting paid parental leave, you will be responsible for collecting the completed forms listed below:
Employees are required to fill out and sign this form to invoke their FMLA and receive paid parental leave.
For additional information on Family Support,
Employees are required to enter into a written service agreement to work for the agency (i.e., the agency employing the employee at the time paid parental leave concludes) for 12 weeks after the day on which paid parental leave concludes.
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) is a federal law that, starting June 27, 2023. This information sheet for Managers and Supervisors should provide guidance for reasonable accommodations.
Religious Observances Leave Guidance
The procedures to earn and use Compensatory Time Off for Religious Observances can be found here.
Performance Assessment
Note, if an office has or plans to conduct an Office Culture Survey this assessment will qualify given the "Upward Assessment” questions are incorporated; doing so will avoid survey fatigue and redundancy.
To ensure we work toward achieving these goals and address this workforce-led recommendation in a consistent manner across the organization, NWS managers and supervisors are now required to conduct a formal or informal upward review every three years with their office and share the results upward two levels in their supervisory chain.
POCs: Lisa.Schmit@noaa.gov, Lisa.Love@noaa.gov, Katie.Collins.Garrett@noaa.gov
Retention & Recruitment Tools
These interviews are utilized in organizations across the US as a means to better understand the employee experience and respond to workforce needs. These interviews are conducted between the supervisor and employee with a focus on the workplace environment and job satisfaction. An employee or supervisor can request a Stay Interview. The end goal is to build trust, foster engagement, improve morale, allow the workforce to feel heard and valued, and ultimately help retain employees.
Exit Interviews
It is your responsibility as a manager/supervisor to offer every employee that departs from your office an opportunity to provide input on their experience through one of the following:
[For employees leaving the NWS/NOAA] – this standardized NOAA Exit Survey
[For employees leaving your office but staying within NOAA/NWS] – this standardized NWS Exit Survey for internal position moves
Information from these surveys will allow both NOAA and NWS to gather valuable information on why employees leave and how to improve working conditions for future retention.
NWS employees serve in a variety of careers across the country. We hire meteorologists, hydrologists, physical scientists, computer programmers, electronics engineers and technicians, information technology specialists, budget analysts, management and program analysts, program managers, and many more! To learn more visit weather.gov/careers/.
Also, check out the BIPOC Recruitment Brochure.
The above Checklist can assist leaders with providing meaningful employee recognition for personal victories, big wins, extra effort, career achievements, healthy habits, and mission contributions. Note: It's important to reinforce the reason for the recognition, why it matters.
Goal: Identify and implement ideas to increase the health and well-being of NWS
shift-working employees. For more information on the Shiftwork Flexibility Team priority, check out the Team Charter.
How Managers Can Help - Shiftwork Flexibility
Encourage and not restrict! Does it meet agency mission and better for employee(s)?
Empathy- understand what we are asking and the toll being taken.
Interpret in favor of flexibility and not opposite.
Retention matters! We are losing some folks as it is, and the ‘newer’ generations are less willing to tolerate the ‘old school’ culture.
Learn preferences- Find your night owls and early birds! Consider this in covering leave or making schedules.
Empower employees to help with solutions/schedules!
We have 24/7 mission, but we can be more flexible!
Need a How we can attitude versus Why we can’t!
“Location negotiable” vacancy announcements provide flexibility desired by the workforce and bolster the mission. For more information, check out this FAQ.
Helpful links to access telework policies, the application to establish a telework agreement, and the form to request VPN access.
Above is an MOU between NWSEO and Management announcing new opportunities for increased mobility for employees.
The NWS point of contact for the program is Flanisha Barrett. Please feel free to reach out to her if you have any questions. For more information, please reference the instructions for this program.
This program will put a structure in place for a consistent approach to job share across the NWS.
Here is an FAQs document to help you become familiar with this initiative.
Reasonable Accommodation provides information for employees with disabilities.
Workplace Issues
IMPORTANT
If you witnessed an incident as a result of discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, retaliation, sexual orientation, or sexual assault/harassment, you (as the manager) are obligated to report it!
If you have any uncertainty with regards to the steps needed upon witnessing or hearing of an incident, please reach out to the NWS DEIA Office for further confidential counsel. Patricia.Brown@noaa.gov
Are you wondering how to navigate a problematic behavior within your office? Check out this list of materials to help guide you under the arena of toxicity, bully/harassment, incivility/rudeness, unprofessional behavior, and the schedule.
NWSReportingOptions_Final.pdfSupervisorReportingChecklist_EEO_Hostile WorkEnvironment.pdf
EEOComplaintProcessDunbar.pdfAntiBullying.jpgEEO Opportunity 8b.pdfThe OHCS Employee/Labor Relations Branch provides consultative and support services to Supervisors and Managers in NOAA’s Line and Staff Offices as needed for matters related to employee misconduct, poor performance and union related matters. Find your designated ELR Specialist here.
You Have Confidential Support!
NWS Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) Unit
Whether you have experienced or are currently experiencing a hostile/toxic work environment through bullying, harassments, sexual assault or discrimination, if you are unsure of what action to take or have questions please contact Pat Brown (Patricia.Brown@noaa.gov), Bali White (Bali.White@noaa.gov), Sabrina Johnson (Sabrina.Johnson@noaa.gov), and/or Mary Dunbar (Mary.Dunbar@noaa.gov) to receive confidential counsel.
NOAA Office of Inclusion and Civil Rights
If you feel that you have been the victim of Sexual Harassment and wish to file an equal employment opportunity (EEO) complaint, please contact the NOAA Office of Inclusion and Civil Rights at: 1-800-452-6728 or (301) 713-0500. For more information on Sexual Harassment and the EEO Complaint process we also encourage you to visit the Office of Inclusion and Civil Rights website.
NOAA Workplace Violence Prevention and Response (WVPR) Office
Members of the NOAA workforce and NOAA affiliates who have been impacted by sexual harassment or sexual assault can contact the WVPR office for confidential consultation. A WVPR staff member can provide information regarding sexual assault and sexual harassment reporting options, victim advocacy services, and available resources. For more information, visit the WVPR website or to contact a WVPR Regional Coordinator, send an inquiry to noaa.victimservices@noaa.gov.
Office/Staff Trauma
If your office and/or a staff member is dealing with a major trauma (i.e. death, medical diagnosis, etc.), please consider reaching out to your respective Culture Lead/Representative as well as CDR Cooper for support.
Here is an additional resources to help communicate resources in support of the staff through this difficult time.
Additional Resources
Check out the above Awards and Recognition page for resources and best practices when trying to expand opportunities to recognize your staff.
Check out the above Conflict Management page for resources and best practices when trying to manage conflict in your office.
Check out the above Change Management website to see the best ways to communicate change within your office.
POC: Adria.Schneck@noaa.gov
