TSA Stripped Down: A TSA Case Study

Tanja Fedorenko, Megan Findakly, David Iselin, and John Spataro

“Provide the most effective transportation security in the most efficient way as a high performing counterterrorism organization.”

✈ TSA created because of 9/11 to preventsimilar attacks in the future.

✈ In 2004, TSA moved to the Department ofHomeland Security (‘DHS’).

✈ TSA protects:

Aviation 77%

Others23%

TSA Employees by Sectors

Background on TSA

Source: TSA

✈ TSA agents allowed contraband through detection in 67/70 of tests

✈ 95% Failure Rate

✈ New TSA Administrator Confirmed

✈ What happened?

Security Failures

“From my first day on the job, I have made it clear that we are first and foremost a security organization.” – TSA Administrator Neffenger

Source: www.davegranlund.com/cartoons

✈Goals based on performance quantity not quality “Efficiency”, “Most Effective”, “High Performing”

Leads to Goal Displacement

TSOs’ goals not aligned with TSA’s mission

✈Goals often change and conflict “...check everybody, even if the line is back up to the ticket counter”

Key Issues: Poor Goal Setting

“We have to get these people through the line”

“Efficiency and getting people through security lines cannot be our sole reason...”

Key Issues: Performance Pay Systems

✈ PASS – Performance Accountability and Standards Systems

relied heavily on certification test scores

✈ TOPS – Transportation Officers Performance System

TSOs performance based on supervisors’ observations

✈GS - General Schedule ?

position appropriate grade level/promotion over years

Key Issues: Performance Pay Systems

✈Goal setting will affect performance measures

✈Not enough focus on security

✈Emphasis on operating procedures & customer relations

✈ TSO is considered an entry-level position

✈ Average starting salary for TSOs ranges from $18.0 to $20

“Benefits Pay is decent for not for having a degree…”

(Former Employee - Lead Transportation Security Officer in Fort Myers, 2015).

“The pay and benefits are decent than most for an entry level position”

(Current Employee, 2014).

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$10

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$25

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Job Listings

Average Salary for TSOs

Minimum Wage Salary Average (per hour)

Source: www.USAJob.com

Key Issues: Compensation

✈ Poor links between performance and monetary incentive

Low risk and high reward

“…we are always short staffed and those that do work, go home tired and cranky everyday, others laze the day away pretending to work…”

(Current Employee, 2014)

Key Issues: Incentives

Source: http://tsanewsblog.com/14663/news/tsa-thousands-standing-around-really/

✈ Goal Setting:

Set one clear and consistent underlying goal

“Not on my watch”

✈ Performance Measures

Stay with TOPS/ No GS

Clear definition of measure with a focus on security over soft skills

✈ Incentives

Regular training/ motivation initiatives

Gainsharing System

Distributive Justice

Manager holds monthly meetings to recognize employees

Recommendations

Thank you

✈What are other incentives that would motivate TSOs?

✈What is a more important goal: security or movement?

Are these goals conflicting?

✈ Given those pressures, should TSA go private?

✈ Can you manage a message in this governmental industry?

Questions

Granlund, D. (2015, June 2) Report: TSA Ineffective. [Cartoon] Retrieved from www.davegranlund.com/cartoons

Department of Homeland Security. (n.d.). Retrieved September 9, 2015, from http://www.dhs.gov/

Transportation Security Administration. (n.d.). Retrieved September 9, 2015, from https://www.tsa.gov/

Thomas, P., Fishel, J., Levine, M., Date, J. (2015, June 1). EXCLUSIVE: Undercover DHS Tests Find Security Failures at US Airports. ABC News. Retrieved fromhttp://abcnews.go.com/US/exclusive-undercover-dhs-tests-find-widespread-security-failures/story?id=31434881

Testimony on TSA Security Gaps: Hearings before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, 114th Cong. (2015) (Testimony of Peter Neffenger).

Work Cited