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The company conducted a survey at all NASA locations, including the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. Only NASA employees, not contract workers, took part. The two lowest-scoring categories were "Perceived Organizational Support" and "Upward Communication." On more than one occasion, workers hung back at the end of a group interview session and only then expressed their views, privately, about communication barriers, BST said.

This would be hysterically funny if it didn't involve life-and-death occupations. Here's a tip: if your organization identifies "Upward communication" and "perceieved org support" as areas that need improvement, public surveys will probably not point you in the right direction.

They probably need to put in some sort of employee hotline, administered by a third party, which can be called to report certain issues.

18 - "On more than one occasion, workers hung back at the end of a group interview session and only then expressed their views, privately, about communication barriers, BST said. "

Things haven't changed since I was there 10 years ago. No discussion of any 'real' problems is tolerated during these sessions, though you might find one or two who may discuss some in private after the 'official' session.

Only NASA employees, not contract workers, took part.

The need to interview the contractors, too. They're a HUGE part of the NASA culture, and view it in ways that the guvvies don't.