Less than half of inspector generals and employees of the inspector generals’ offices think that working under an acting inspector general has a negative effect on staff morale, according to a GAO study.
The report examined the effects of inspector general vacancies; as of September 2017, 12 of the 64 active offices established by the Inspector General Act had vacancies.
Generally IGs, and the sample of employees surveyed, felt that this had little impact on the ability of the Offices of Inspector General to carry out their duties and responsibilities. However, there were some areas where a large minority of employees and IGs felt there could be some impact.
Staff morale was one: four of the nine acting IGs and about 36 percent of OIG employees responded that an acting IG position had a negative impact on employee morale. Approximately 16 percent of the OIG employees believed that an acting IG could lead to a negative impact on timely access to documentation. Between 8 and 24 percent of OIG employees also believed there was a negative effect on their ability to plan and conduct work.
