Keep Moving Towards Results
Dear Colleagues,
When President Bush asked Federal agencies to focus on human capital as one of the Administration.s five management initiatives, he offered each of us a wonderful opportunity to become a strategic partner for our agencies. Federal agencies knew that there was a looming problem--our workforce was aging, and most had not taken critical steps to prepare for the future.
Today I am happy to report that we have moved beyond the planning stages and are seeing true human capital transformation. I would like to share with you some agency successes in the key areas that create the foundation for human capital transformation: workforce analysis (getting the talent you need to get the job done); succession planning (ensuring continuity of leadership and the successful transfer of knowledge and experience); and results-oriented performance management.
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Talent
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Who is a leader?
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
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What have they done?
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has developed an automated competency management system that provides program managers, supervisors, senior executives and employees throughout the agency with an understanding of the 137 workforce competencies that represent key agency capabilities linked to NASA's mission, vision, and business strategies. These competencies reflect the knowledge needed to achieve NASA mission objectives. This system enables NASA to: track, project, and analyze critical workforce competencies; identify current competency imbalances in the workforce relative to future needs (oversupply/undersupply of key skills); and assess the competency gaps for continuous improvement of human capital management. A preliminary analysis was completed late last year by linking the competency inventory to workforce information to forecast future competency availability using employee demographic and retirement eligibility data and turnover trends. This information was used to identify current recruiting priorities and to target various education programs to meet future workforce needs. The system is nimble enough so that when a mission or strategy in one of NASA's Centers is redefined, the workforce competencies can be evaluated for mission criticality as well as scenario planning for future needs. The model also assists NASA in creating their budget, putting together teams for programs and projects, training, and targeted hiring. For more information on this system, link to
http://nasapeople.nasa.gov/workforce/data/page18.htm
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Key to future success is ensuring that you have the necessary pipeline of leaders and systems in place to ensure that valuable knowledge and experience are not lost.
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Leadership and Knowledge Management
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Who is a leader?
Social Security Administration (SSA)
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What have they done?
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is an agency that has taken the leadership and knowledge management challenge seriously. SSA.s Retirement Wave Analysis revealed an eventual loss of employees in the leadership positions, necessitating a need for planning and action.
Now the agency that touches the lives of nearly every American has put plans into motion to focus on replacement hiring in advance of losses, using available flexibilities in order to allow experienced employees to train and mentor new employees before they retire.
SSA has developed and implemented several national, component and regional-level leadership development programs that have identified and prepared nearly 2,000 high potential employees to assume positions of greater responsibility.
Many of the components and regions offer multiple programs for employees at different levels. For example, New York administers four programs of varying lengths for employees in grades GS 11 - 13. And Philadelphia offers two year-long programs - the Regional Employee Development Program for employees in grades GS 5 - 11 and the Management Development Program for employees in grades GS 11 - 14. Right now, there are 679 employees participating in developmental programs SSA-wide. For additional information please contact Lew Kaiser at lew.kaiser@ssa.gov or (410) 965-5902.
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We must move beyond getting the quality technical experts and leaders we need for tomorrow--we must also keep and motivate star employees through performance management systems that emphasize success. Such efforts must start at the top.
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Performance Culture
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Who is a leader?
Department of Labor (DOL)
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What have they done?
The Department of Labor (DOL) has instituted a results-based performance management plan that provides clear, specific and understandable expectations for all levels of leadership at the Department. The system links individual and organizational goals with the Department.s priorities, including the President.s Management Agenda.
Last year, DOL Secretary Elaine Chao insisted that the performance system make meaningful distinctions, so she raised the bar for Senior Executive Service (SES) members. Only 49 percent of DOL.s SES members were rated .exemplary. this past year, compared to 61 percent previously.
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These are just a few of the human capital successes we are seeing.
I want to congratulate everyone on all you have achieved and ask you to keep up the good work. Our job is to keep moving towards results, and our work will continue until all agencies have effectively enabled their workforce to deliver timely and quality services for our citizens and to nimbly respond to change.
We at OPM continue our commitment to assist you in your important journey towards transforming your human resources systems into state-of-the-art management tools that get results.
Sincerely,
Kay Coles James
Director
U.S. Office of Personnel Management
The Five Initatives: