SBA Shows Improvement as Agency

By Chris Crum - Mon, 01/12/2009 - 2:12pm.

According to Employee Survey

According go results from the 2008 Federal Human Capital Survey, conducted last fall, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) showed the largest amount of overall improvement among government agencies in both the Leadership and Knowledge Management, and Talent Management categories.

This is a huge step forward from when the agency was ranked dead last among federal agencies in the 2006 "Best places to work" survey.

“I’m tremendously gratified by these results,” said HUD Secretary Steve Preston, who served as SBA Administrator from 2006 to 2008. “They demonstrate government can be made to work better, smarter and leaner, and be a more positive environment for employees. Real change is possible in a very short time frame. SBA’s operations are more impactful, they reach underserved markets more effectively, and they provide better service to customers and partners. I'm proud of the SBA staff for their hard work.”

Other findings of the survey include:

- Employees have a better sense of the agency’s goals. Over 80 percent said they know how their work relates to agency goals and priorities. Over 60 percent agreed that managers communicate the organization’s goals and priorities.

- Employees felt positive about their personal work experiences. Over 80 percent enjoyed their work and agreed their co-workers cooperated to get the job done. Over 70 percent said their work gives them a feeling of personal accomplishment.

- Employees as a whole were satisfied with their work. Nearly 90 percent said they feel the work they do is important.

Hopefully the satisfaction displayed by employees of the SBA will translate into satisfaction among small businesses in general. Folks impacted by storms in Illinois will have their say in that as SBA disaster assistance tops $21 million.

News Tags: Small Business Administration, SBA, governement

About the author:
Chris is a content coordinator and staff writer for SmallBusinessNewz and the iEntry Network. Subscribe to SmallBusinessNewz RSS Feeds.

Comments

By Prof. Samuel D. Bornstein (SBN reader) - Tue, 01/13/2009 - 3:41pm.

TARP, 2nd 'Tsunami" Wave of Foreclosures, and Job Loss

Rep. Barney Frank is passionate about setting aside $50 Billion for Foreclosure Relief. I would like to alert Rep. Frank that Congress should focus on a group who is especially vulnerable to Foreclosure and whose failure will result not only in loss of home, but also result in millions of lost jobs. I am referring to the millions of Self-Employed Small Business owners who are at-risk of default, foreclosure, and business failure. A recent national survey determined the extent of involvement of this segment of the small business community in the risky “Toxic” mortgages that are expected to “reset” in 2009, thereby resulting in the 2nd “Tsunami” Wave of Foreclosures that will dwarf the Subprime Mortgage Crisis. On December 14, 2008, CBS’s “60 Minutes” had a segment on the 2nd Wave of Foreclosures. CBS indicated that experts were expecting another wave of mortgage defaults on ALT-A and Option ARMs mortgages which will dwarf the Subprime Mortgage Crisis. CBS MISSED A VERY IMPORTANT FACT! Many fail to realize that there are millions of self-employed smaller businesses that are holding these “toxic” mortgages that are going to reset in 2009 through 2012. These borrowers are Prime and Near-Prime borrowers who hold ALT-A, Option ARMs, Interest-Only mortgages. There are $1 Trillion ALT-As, and $500-600 Billion Option ARMs. So, here we have a major problem. Not only will these small business owners lose their homes, but there will be the resulting JOB LOSSES on their business failure. Although President-Elect Obama is stressing the need to create 3 million new jobs, we must understand that JOB RETENTION IS AS IMPORTANT AS JOB CREATION. I authored a survey which was conducted by the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) to its national membership. The NASE survey is at http://advocacy.nase.org/research.asp See the NASE News for the Survey on Toxic Mortgages. Please read my Commentary. According to this survey, it is estimated that 3,709,800 small business owners hold Alt-A and other “toxic” mortgages. Of this number, 3 million are “very worried” about their ability to make the monthly payment due at “reset” , and 1,279,800 are already delinquent as they have missed one to three or more monthly mortgage payments at mid-November, before the expected Resets that are scheduled to begin in 4th Quarter 2008 through 2012. The solution lies in the hands of Congress as they meet in January to structure an Economic Stimulus package. Congress should take note of this survey and be “proactive” in addressing the situation, rather than “reactive” as the case has been in the Subprime Mortgage Crisis. It is a tragedy when an individual borrower defaults on the mortgage and loses his/her home. The tragedy is magnified when the borrower is a small business owner, employing from 1 to 10 employees. The loss of jobs related to mortgage defaults and the resulting business failures will further weaken our economy and prolong the recession. We can’t afford another shock to our economic system at this time. This 2nd Wave of Foreclosures which will be caused by the ALT-A and Option ARMs will not only result in Foreclosures, but also Job Loss. I would appreciate if you would bring this info to light in Washington. Thank you, Samuel D. Bornstein Professor of Accounting & Taxation Kean University, School of Business, Union, NJ Tel: (732) 493 - 4799 Email: bornsteinsong@aol.com

By displays for trade shows (SBN reader) - Thu, 01/15/2009 - 10:58am.

displays for trade shows

hi Chris, It's great to hear that the SBA is improving, but from what I read the improvement is that the employees like working there better and they understand their goal better. That said, there is a difference between understanding the goal and meeting the goal (provide better service to customers, ie small businesses). That is what measures their true performance. One should not assume that just because employees are happy that customers are happy. It needs to be verified. :) ~ Steve

By Chris Crum - Thu, 01/15/2009 - 11:23am.

RE: displays for trade shows

Very true.

By Joyce Brister (SBN reader) - Sat, 01/17/2009 - 12:04pm.

SBA Ratings From Customers

Good point, Steve

I would like to know feedback from a client's perspective. As a professional business coach, I sometimes recommend clients seek out the SBA to help them with everything from the writing of a business plan to applying for grants and loans for business expansion. In the past, I have heard positive feedback however this is coming from my local area.

Another question or concern, is knowing if their budget for funding of grants and loans to small businesses will continue or face cuts under the OBama administration. I guess time will soon tell.

Regards,

Joyce

By net (SBN reader) - Sun, 04/05/2009 - 1:58am.

I authored a survey which

I authored a survey which was conducted by the National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE) to its national membership. The NASE survey is at http://advocacy.nase.org/research.asp See the NASE News for the Survey on Toxic Mortgages.

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