Strengthening and Empowering the Federal Workforce
Progress
Cross-agency teams are advancing the PMA Workforce Priority across the identified Strategies and Goals, with cross-functional representatives from many agencies participating. These teams have been scoping the activities to support their goal statements, working to understand challenges, and exploring a broad range of solutions. Milestones included in this update represent initial foundational work to implement this Workforce Priority.
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Conduct stakeholder engagement sessions (FY22 Q4) -
Identify promising practices that could be scaled Government-wide across the goal areas (FY22 Q4)
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Determine additional activities or deliverables to support progress toward goals (FY22 Q4)
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Develop priority-level metrics (FY22 Q4)
More detail
- Attract and hire the most qualified employees, who reflect the diversity of our country, in the right roles across the Federal Government
- Make every Federal job a good job, where all employees are engaged, supported, heard, and empowered, with opportunities to learn, grow, join a union and have an effective voice in their workplaces through their union, and thrive throughout their careers
- Reimagine and build a roadmap to the future of Federal work informed by lessons from the pandemic and nationwide workforce and workplace trends
- Build the personnel system and support required to sustain the Federal Government as a model employer able to effectively deliver on a broad range of agency missions
PRIORITY AREA LEADERS
Kiran Ahuja
Director
Office of Personnel Management
Dr. Kathleen Hicks
Deputy Secretary
U.S. Department of Defense
Julie Su
Deputy Secretary
U.S. Department of Labor
Overview
Challenge
More than 4 million Americans—including more than 2.1 million Federal civilian employees—work for our Federal Government, both at home and overseas. To be a Government for all Americans, we need to focus on those who keep our Government running and deliver services each day. Given the changing nature of work, new technology, and the evolving skills needed to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow, we must invest in our public servants who are the backbone of our Government.
Opportunity
Federal agencies must attract, hire, develop, and empower talented individuals who are well suited and well prepared to face the challenges the Government faces, both in the near and long term. Agencies must also use what they have learned about the resilience and adaptability of the Federal workforce to make the Federal Government an ideal, modern, and forward-thinking employer. As Federal agencies continue to chart a path forward together on the future of Federal work, they will engage with public servants as well as stakeholders within and outside of Government to make every Federal job a good job and give our workforce what they need to succeed.
Priority-level success metrics
Create a more equitable employee engagement experience across the Federal workforce, including across employee groups and organizational units within agencies
- Increase agency Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) Employee Engagement Index (EEI) scores by narrowing agency-identified gaps in EEI by employee group or organizational unit by 20%.
- Agencies will select an EEI subfactor (Supervisor, Leaders Lead, Intrinsic Work Experience) or a minimum of three FEVS questions as topics to target for action and quantifiably improve results on these factors/questions. Subfactor/questions should be chosen due to overall low score, gaps across employee groups and organizational unit, or some other mission- or performance-driven factor.
Improve the Federal hiring process to efficiently hire the best talent
- Increase the percentage of hiring manager satisfaction with the hiring process.
- This survey currently is going through improvements to improve data collection and availability. A baseline and target will be assessed later this year once those improvements have time to go into effect.
Attract the right talent for the right roles
- Increase the percentage of agencies meeting projected mission-critical occupation (MCO) hiring and staffing targets.1
- Agencies will be asked to create robust projections for selected MCOs and report progress towards filling those goals in order to highlight areas of needed support to compete for talent.
Promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) strategies and practices across all human capital activities
- FEVS DEIA Measures.2
- Agencies will use their 2022 FEVS results, in addition to other DEIA agency assessments, to make progress towards the objectives of their agency DEIA strategic plans.
1 A new measure is being developed for Government-wide collection.
2 FEVS DEIA measures are being reviewed and finalized.
Strategies
1
Attract and hire the most qualified employees, who reflect the diversity of our country, in the right roles across the Federal Government.
Goal 1.1
Agencies will efficiently and inclusively attract and hire quality candidates and reduce any systemic barriers by improving the hiring process for all applicants, hiring managers, and human resources (HR) specialists.
Success metrics
- All agencies will review applicant flow data -- identifying barriers to diversity in the hiring process and exploring possible connections to policies, procedures, and practices -- and develop plans to address identified barriers promoting equitable and consistent representation throughout the hiring process, as provided in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) Management Directive 715.
- Increase the number of positions that are enrolled in full, continuous vetting to reduce the burden associated with initial employee background investigations.
- Increase the percentage of hiring actions using alternative assessments to replace or augment a self-reported occupational questionnaire.
- Increase the percentage of job announcements for which applicants receive notification of their status in the hiring process.
Goal 1.2
Agencies will build equitable pathways into the Federal Government for early career positions, particularly from underrepresented and underserved communities.
Success metrics
- Increase the number of positions agencies make available for early career hires.
- Increase the number of eligible interns that are converted into full-time employees.
- Increase the number of paid internships.
Goal 1.1
Agencies will efficiently and inclusively attract and hire quality candidates and reduce any systemic barriers by improving the hiring process for all applicants, hiring managers, and human resources (HR) specialists.
Update
This goal is focused on improving the Federal hiring process and experience for HR specialists, hiring managers, and applicants. Agencies are exploring the applicant experience, from early career through senior level, including the perspective of applicants with critical skills and from underserved and underrepresented communities. Recruitment is another area being explored, particularly opportunities for strategic partnerships with organizations that represent, support, and engage underserved communities. Agencies are also aligning these efforts with ongoing initiatives like implementation of Executive Order 14035 on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce, the National Security Memorandum on Revitalizing America’s Foreign Policy and National Security Workforce, Institutions, and Partnerships, Executive Order 13932 on Modernizing and Reforming the Assessment and Hiring of Federal Job Candidates, and Trusted Workforce 2.0.
INITIAL MILESTONES
Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Agency Hiring Social Toolkit (FY22 Q3)
OPM issued a multi-agency hiring action for Human Resource professionals and grants management specialists as part of the hiring efforts related to implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (FY22 Q2)
OPM and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) issued Federal Personnel Vetting Investigative Standards to prepare agencies for Continuous Vetting across the Executive Branch (FY22 Q3)
OPM issued Skills-Based Hiring Guidance (FY22 Q3)
Agencies to continue to stand up talent teams to expand and enhance recruitment and hiring of top talent (FY23 Q1)
Agencies to continue implementing Skills-Based Hiring Guidance (FY23 Q1)
Goal 1.2
Agencies will build equitable pathways into the Federal Government for early career positions, particularly from underrepresented and underserved communities.
Update
This goal is focused on early career hires and internships. Areas of exploration are support for students to access information about internship opportunities and how to apply, tools for hiring managers to consider interns eligible for conversion that they can hire quickly, and opportunities for networking and training opportunities for internship and early career programs. Agencies are exchanging experiences and the business case for investing in interns and early career talent, including the value that internships and early career hiring can provide to candidates and agencies. Agencies are working to surface leading practices with paid internships and early career hires, including efforts to include and support underserved and underrepresented communities.
INITIAL MILESTONES
OPM and OMB to issue guidance on internships and similar programs, including guidance to increase the availability of paid internships, and reduce the practice of hiring interns, fellows, and apprentices who are unpaid in accordance with EO 14035 (FY22 Q4)
OPM to publish proposed regulations to update Pathways Programs (FY22 Q4)
LEADERSHIP
Colleen Heller-Stein
Director, Office of Human Resources and Acting Chief Human Capital Officer
Department of the Treasury
Tracey Therit
Chief Human Capital Officer
Department of Veterans Affairs
2
Make every Federal job a good job, where all employees are engaged, supported, heard, and empowered, with opportunities to learn, grow, join a union and have an effective voice in their workplaces through their union, and thrive throughout their careers.
Goal 2.1
Agencies will engage and empower all employees to create a more inclusive and equitable work environment.
Success metrics
- Increase the percentage of Senior Executive Service (SES)/Leadership employees with DEIA outcomes in their individual performance goals.
- Increase the percentage of agencies that implement Federal sector worker empowerment strategies, which remove barriers and obstacles to worker organizing in the Federal workplace and advance positive and productive labor-management relations.
Goal 2.2
Agencies will develop equitable, transparent, and transferrable career development pathways that promote career growth and agency mission delivery.
Success metrics
- Increase opportunities for skill development and flexible pathways as measured by an increase in the percentage of employees who agree to the FEVS question: I am given a real opportunity to improve my skills in my organization.
- All agencies will conduct barrier analyses on both the senior leadership pipeline and employee retention rate with respect to institutional/structural, attitudinal, and physical barriers, and act on findings of those analyses, to the extent they have not done so already, as provided in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) Management Directive 715.
Goal 2.3
Agencies will promote awareness of employee well-being and support initiatives that extend beyond the workplace.
Success metrics
- Increase the percentage of employees who are aware of available mental well-being support and services.3
3This is a new measure to be explored and assessed against current practices for potential Government-wide collection.
Goal 2.4
Agencies will use the full suite of available tools, including pay and benefits, to encourage public service and retain dedicated employees.
Success metrics
- Increase the utilization of administrative retention incentives and pay flexibilities for top agency mission-critical occupations.
- Create greater pay equity by reducing inquiries into past salary history when setting pay.
- Increase the number of paid internships (see also Strategy 1 above).
Goal 2.1
Agencies will engage and empower all employees to create a more inclusive and equitable work environment.
Update
The goal is focused on supporting agencies in identifying Federal employee groups who are under-engaged based on the most recent FEVS 2021 results and developing targeted engagement strategies. One example is frontline or shift workers. Another area of focus is providing managers and leaders tools based on existing agency best practices on recognition and engagement to more quickly take action on employee feedback. Agencies are also aligning these efforts with implementation of Executive Orders 14003 on Protecting the Federal Workforce and 14025 on Worker Organizing and Empowerment.
INITIAL MILESTONES
Agencies developed draft diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) Strategic Plans (FY22 Q2)
Agencies developed Equity Plans (FY22 Q3)
OPM hosted inaugural Employee Resource Group Summit (FY22 Q3)
OPM launched updated FEVS for 2022 with DEIA questions (FY22 Q3)
OPM to launch a Chief Diversity Officer Executive Council (FY22 Q4)
Eligible agencies to invite unions to conduct at least one new employee orientation session in the majority of their bargaining units, where benefits of union membership are discussed (FY22 Q4)
Goal 2.2
Agencies will develop equitable, transparent, and transferrable career development pathways that promote career growth and agency mission delivery.
Update
Agencies are exploring opportunities to address challenges with career development and cultivate a Senior Executive Service (SES) that reflects the diversity of our country. Agencies are exchanging promising practices relating to career paths across Government. Agencies are also exploring ways to make the process of applying for the SES easier to navigate. Lessons learned from implementation of Executive Order 13714 on Strengthening the Senior Executive Service are informing this effort.
INITIAL MILESTONES
OPM reviews Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and identifies potential areas for improvement to meet future SES needs (FY23 Q2)
OPM analyzes outcomes of Candidate Development Programs (CDPs) to identify promising practices across Government (FY23 Q3)
Goal 2.3
Agencies will promote awareness of employee well-being and support initiatives that extend beyond the workplace.
Update
Like workers nationwide, Federal employees across agencies have historically – and more acutely during the COVID-19 pandemic – dealt with a spectrum of challenges related to well-being. Some agencies have led the way in developing evidence-based support services and tools for employees and creating an inclusive, supportive culture. These efforts serve to both support Federal employees and help ensure agency mission delivery. Agencies are identifying promising and scalable efforts across Government and exploring how to foster cultures within agencies that support mental health and well-being, as well as potential benchmarks or measures to monitor progress.
INITIAL MILESTONES
OPM issued a Mental Health Awareness Memo; Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy released a handout with mental health resources (FY22 Q3)
OPM to lead an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) revitalization effort that includes evaluating current programs, identifying best practices, developing and enhancing training, and proposing changes modeled after successful efforts and promising practices at agencies (FY23 Q2)
Goal 2.4
Agencies will use the full suite of available tools, including pay and benefits, to encourage public service and retain dedicated employees.
Update
Agencies are exploring opportunities to attract and retain mission-critical roles through pay and benefits while fostering greater pay equity.
INITIAL MILESTONES
OPM issues proposed regulation on use of prior salary history in accordance with Executive Order 14035: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce (FY22 Q4)
LEADERSHIP
Roland Edwards
Chief Human Capital Officer
Department of Homeland Security
Kristin McNally
Branch Chief of Employee Engagement, Division of Worklife and Engagement in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management
Department of Labor
Nancy A. Speight
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Civilian Personnel Policy
Department of Defense
3
Reimagine and build a roadmap to the future of Federal work informed by lessons from the pandemic and nationwide workforce and workplace trends.
Goal 3.1
The Federal Government will be better equipped to achieve agency missions and serve the American people by investing in its people, technology, and space.
Success metrics
- Mission: Improve customer experiences and service delivery to the public to effectively deliver on mission priorities as evidenced by customer service survey feedback for High Impact Service Providers.
- People: Bridge the gap with the private sector to increase the number of employees who are satisfied with their involvement in decisions that affect their work, as measured by FEVS.
- Technology: Increase the use of emerging technologies that can automate tasks, allowing employees to prioritize the agency’s highest value work.
- Space: Use space planning tools to modernize the Federal workplace and workspace supporting mission delivery and employee success.
Goal 3.1
The Federal Government will be better equipped to achieve agency missions and serve the American people by investing in its people, technology, and space.
Update
Agencies are working together to be prepared for the future by identifying new skills needed for mission needs, integrating technology, and modernizing and optimizing their workspaces.
INITIAL MILESTONES
OPM developed and released FEVS remote work and telework questions to allow agencies to better understand the impact of telework, remote, and other work arrangements on employee engagement and satisfaction (FY22 Q3)
OPM added a new USAJOBS remote location feature to allow agencies to advertise remote positions and enhance applicant search experience (FY22 Q3)
OPM to continue development of telework and remote work data collection and analysis (FY23 Q1)
General Services Administration (GSA) to release an updated menu of contracts and solutions to support planning for hybrid work (FY23 Q2)
GSA to work with 24 CFO Act agencies to complete national portfolio plans (FY23 Q4)
Agencies to facilitate use of IT and other cloud-based collaboration tools that support interoperability (FY 22 Q4)
Agencies to work together to adopt multi-agency document collaboration and sharing platforms (FY23 Q1)
LEADERSHIP
Jason Barke
Deputy Associate Director, Strategic Workforce Planning
Office of Personnel Management
Dustin Brown
Deputy Assistant Director for Management
Office of Management and Budget
Wonzie Gardner
Office Head and Chief Human Capital Officer, Office of Information and Resource Management
National Science Foundation
Zoe Garmendia
Senior Advisor to the Administrator
General Services Administration
4
Build the personnel system and support required to sustain the Federal Government as a model employer able to effectively deliver on a broad range of agency missions.
Goal 4.1
Transform the Office of Personnel Management’s organizational capacity and capability to better serve as the leader in Federal human capital management.
Success metrics
- By fiscal year (FY) 2026, increase OPM's Leaders Lead FEVS index score by three points.
- By FY 2026, increase to 50 percent the percentage of CHCO survey respondents who strongly agree that OPM treats them as a strategic partner.
- By FY 2026, increase OPM’s customer satisfaction index score for targeted services to 4.3 out of 5.
Goal 4.2
Build out tools to support Government-wide and agency data-driven workforce decisions related to employee engagement, inclusion, and organizational performance.
Success metrics
- By FY 2026, increase by 20 points the percentage of CHCO survey respondents who agree that OPM provides agencies with high-quality workforce data and information to be used in decision-making.
Goal 4.3
Build a modernized Federal HR workforce able to provide credible, effective support to agencies.
Success metrics
- By FY 2026, increase the Overall Satisfaction Score for Human Capital from 4.75 to 5 on the General Services Administration Mission Support Customer Satisfaction Survey.
Goal 4.1
Transform the Office of Personnel Management’s organizational capacity and capability to better serve as the leader in Federal human capital management.
Update
This goal reflects efforts underway to build OPM’s organizational capacity and capability to better serve as the leader in Federal human capital management and help agencies meet their missions. These efforts correlate closely with work underway through OPM’s Strategic Plan. One focus area is to build the skills of the OPM workforce and attract skilled talent through strategic workforce planning that addresses critical skill and staffing needs. Another workstream plans to strengthen OPM’s connections to customers by enhancing the agency’s stakeholder engagement model including the approach to partnerships with Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCOs) through the CHCO Council. Additional workstreams address areas including resource management, IT infrastructure, cross-organizational culture and employee engagement.
INITIAL MILESTONE
OPM created and filled a Chief Transformation Officer position (FY22 Q2)
Goal 4.2
Build out tools to support Government-wide and agency data-driven workforce decisions related to employee engagement, inclusion, and organizational performance.
Update
This goal aims to improve the ability to make Government-wide and agency-based data-driven decisions through enhanced data quality, services and tools. Agency leaders and staff often lack the integrated data and visualization tools to support more rapid and intuitive access to insights on critical workforce issues like hiring, barriers to DEIA, and employee engagement. Several workstreams are underway to improve how agencies can access critical workforce data, including the development of dashboards focused on DEIA insights and other visualization tools. This workstream also includes the development of an HR Quality Services Management Office (HR QSMO), which connects agency customers to a marketplace for qualified human resources services.
INITIAL MILESTONES
OPM received pre-designation by OMB as the Human Resources Quality Service Management Office (FY22 Q2)
OPM and the Chief Human Capital Officers Council launched a Human Capital Data Working Group (FY22 Q3)
Goal 4.3
Build a modernized Federal HR workforce able to provide credible, effective support to agencies.
Update
This goal supports the development of the Federal HR workforce in order to improve human resources performance and customer service across the Government. To support the performance of Federal agencies, the HR workforce needs technical, consultative, and analytical skills to implement talent management strategies that improve mission outcomes. Building on OPM’s research data on the current state of the Federal HR profession, there are opportunities for agencies with their Chief Human Capital Officers and Chief Learning Officers to support HR workforce development across all career stages. This work includes efforts to look at the HR workforce from both an agency perspective to identify successful workforce management practices and an enterprise perspective to leverage shared resources and approaches.
INITIAL MILESTONE
OPM and the Chief Human Capital Officers Council launched an Elevating HR Working Group (FY22 Q3)
LEADERSHIP
John Gill
Assistant Director of Center For Leadership Development
Office of Personnel Management
Veronica Hinton
Principal Deputy Associate Director for Employee Services
Office of Personnel Management
David Padrino
Executive Director, Office of Human Capital Data Management and Modernization
Office of Personnel Management
Featured insights
INSIGHT
Employee engagement at Federal agencies increased during the pandemic
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic transformed the world of work. Results from the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey—a Government-wide survey of Federal employees—suggest the conditions that contribute to engagement improved across the board. The Federal workforce at all levels responded to the crisis by showing their resilience and motivation to ensure that public services continued to be provided to the American people.
Federal employees were more likely to agree in 2020, compared to prior years, that their leadership was effective, there was meaning in their work, and they had the opportunity to learn and grow on the job. The Government-wide score for employee engagement increased from 68 in 2019 to 72 in 2020 (out of 100), for example. The range in agencies’ individual scores narrowed dramatically.
The President's Management Agenda seeks to maintain momentum and achieve even higher levels of engagement across the Federal workforce.
Some agencies scored above the Government-wide score, suggesting opportunities for agencies to learn from one another.
INSIGHT
The Federal workforce seeks to draw from all age groups
As the country’s largest employer, the Federal Government has an extensive and complex hiring process, which can hamper efforts to recruit and onboard needed talent. One result: comparatively low representation of young people across the Federal Government. With the growing need for new skill sets across agencies, recruiting the next generation of Federal civil servants is essential to the mission-effectiveness and long-term health of Federal agencies.
