For the first time since a controversial reorganization was launched five years ago, employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say they have improved respect for the agency's senior leaders, new federal survey results show.

The agency has been under scrutiny for much of that time, especially after five former CDC directors sent an unprecedented joint letter of concern about employee morale to CDC Director Julie Gerberding in December 2005. Members of Congress have investigated, worried that the agency's ability to protect the public was being harmed by the chaos.

Survey results released Monday show that although the percentage of employees who view the Atlanta-based agency positively remains low on some key indicators, their numbers grew during 2007. As in previous years, CDC employees reported generally liking their individual jobs and view the work they do as important.

"Overall, I'm pleased and encouraged by the progress, especially in the areas we targeted for improvement," Gerberding said in a written statement. "We certainly have more work to do, and this survey will help us focus those efforts."

In 2003, Gerberding launched a controversial reorganization of the CDC, creating turmoil within the agency, poor morale and an exodus of key scientific leaders. With the reorganization settling into place, top CDC officials last year said they believed morale was improving.

They also have contended that the reorganization was only one factor in poor CDC morale; others included budget cuts and federal rules beyond the CDC's control.

Before the reorganization, in 2002, nearly 91 percent of CDC employees said they knew how their work related to the agency's goals and priorities. That number plunged to below 76 percent in 2006. In the new 2007 survey, it rose to 82 percent.

Just 48 percent of CDC employees have a high level of respect for senior leaders, according to the new survey, up from 41 percent in 2006.

While just 37.5 percent felt the CDC's leaders generate high levels of motivation and commitment in the work force, that's 7 percentage points above 2006.

"Anytime there's some improvement, that's good news in any agency," said Jeffrey Levi, executive director of the Trust for America's Health, a public health watchdog group based in Washington. "I think the job satisfaction numbers that are related to leadership are still very disturbing."

The Human Capital Survey of the CDC's 8,908 federal employees was conducted in November and December; 44 percent responded. Among the survey's other findings:

• 87 percent believe the work they do is important — a response that has been high since 2004.

• More than 80 percent like the kind of work they do, believe the people they work with cooperate to get the job done and believe their supervisor supports balancing work and family issues. These scores have remained about the same since 2004.

• Fewer than 41 percent said they were satisfied with their involvement in decisions affecting their work, down from 50 percent in 2004. Just 39 percent felt that promotions were based on merit, up slightly from 2006.

"There's a lot at stake for the public in having the most effective CDC possible, so anything that can be done to improve and sustain employee morale is very important," U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley said Monday. Grassley (R-Iowa) has been monitoring CDC morale issues for years.

To reach writer Alison Young, call 404-526-7372.