Federal News Network Executive Survey: Human Capital Management in Federal Government
Overview
The Federal News Network conducted a survey on human capital management (HCM) in federal government agencies in partnership with Workday. The survey aimed to understand the current state and challenges in HCM practices across various agencies.
Key Findings
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Challenges in HCM
- Top Challenges:
- Staff Recruitment (55%): Despite attracting qualified candidates, the slow and broken HR processes lead to high turnover.
- Staff Turnover (50%): Many employees leave before receiving job offers.
- Employee Morale or Burnout (43%): Issues with employee morale and burnout are prevalent.
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Only 3% of respondents cited this as a challenge, suggesting either existing efforts or more fundamental issues.
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Current Systems and Structures
- HR Structure: Most agencies rely on a centralized HR structure, but many still use fragmented systems.
- Integrated Systems: Only 11% of agencies use integrated HR systems, with 37% partially integrated and 39% fragmented.
- Dashboards: Dashboards are often created separately due to different systems capturing different parts of the process.
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Defined Strategies
- Strategy Definition: Only 29% of agencies have formal plans with well-known goals, objectives, and targets. A majority (51%) have somewhat defined plans, and 20% have no defined strategies.
- Accountability and Measures: While 29% have formal plans, the methodologies and specific measures are lacking or not established.
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Measurement and Reporting
- Employee Satisfaction: Measurement is periodic and often feels like a "sample behind the curtain" mentality.
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Tracking and reporting are limited, with only 3% of agencies actively measuring these metrics.
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Technology and Analytics
- Ease of Data Access: 35% find it difficult to maintain and access HR data.
- Analytics Capabilities: While some agencies have excellent analytics, many struggle with ease of access and customization.
- Standard Reporting: Customizable reporting is widely used, but standard reporting remains a challenge for many.
Perspectives
- Modernization Opportunities: The adoption of cloud and software-as-a-service solutions could significantly improve HCM practices. The Office of Management and Budget estimates potential cost savings of 5-10% by moving to a cloud-based shared services model.
- Cloud Benefits: Cloud-based systems offer flexibility, continuous updates, and subscription models that allow agencies to evolve their capabilities without large upfront investments.
Conclusion
Despite the challenges, there is a growing recognition of the need for modernization in HCM. Agencies are beginning to adopt integrated systems and cloud technologies to streamline processes, enhance data analytics, and improve overall efficiency. However, significant work remains to fully define and implement comprehensive HCM strategies across the federal government.
