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Federal officials told House lawmakers this week that stepped-up recruiting efforts will mitigate the effects of an anticipated wave of employee retirements.

As droves of civil service baby boomers near retirement, the government has become increasingly concerned about replacing the core of its workforce, especially in the face of competition from the private sector. The most pessimistic reports say that as much as 70 percent of the federal workforce will be eligible to retire by 2010.

But Office of Personnel Management Director Kay Coles James and Reginald Wells, chief human capital officer for the Social Security Administration, said at a House hearing that the creation of agency human capital officer positions last year, and efforts to step up recruitment programs with quicker hiring, more benefits and better pay are helping address recruiting problems.

In response to concerns raised by Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., James touted agencies' success in attracting applicants. She cited the 15,000 attendees at an April federal job fair in New York City as proof that the civil service remains an attractive option for job hunters. Norton, however, questioned whether this outlook would be so bright in a better job market. "You're going to get people, [because] there is unemployment," the lawmaker said.

In response to Norton's skepticism, James told the House Government Reform Subcommittee on Civil Service and Agency Organization that OPM is studying the quality of its applicant pool and plans to relay its findings to the subcommittee when they are complete.

James described a target federal employee job applicant as someone with outstanding academic achievement, leadership ability and who has participated in service to the community. A commitment to public service and "making a difference," James said, was particularly important because it enabled the government to compete with the allure of higher salaries and benefits from the private sector.

In addition, James emphasized that agencies should send only people with hiring authority to job fairs: "Do not send hostesses to hiring fairs - people to hand out key chains and brochures," she said. James noted that applicants often wait in line for hours and are there for jobs, not agency propaganda. On-the-spot hiring would help the government combat the ability of private companies to hire qualified applicants first, she said.

According to Wells, baby-boomer retirements have already begun and, so far, Social Security has filled those and other vacancies with little trouble. "Knock on wood, but we've been very successful," he said.

While Wells and James did not address the issue of recruiting mid-career private-sector employees, the subcommittee made amendments to the Federal Workforce Flexibility Act later Tuesday. The revisions allow managers and employees more flexibility and are designed to attract higher-quality government workers. The amendments included allowing agencies to award bonuses more easily, giving employees time off for traveling during off-duty hours and added vacation benefits to employees who join the civil service mid-career, among other provisions. The ability of the government to recruit mid-career employees has been an ongoing concern.

COMMENTS

• I had a total of 16 years experience in the Federal govt. I received my last promotion to GS-11 in 1993. I was sure that I worked in the only place where people looked forward to retiring because they hit a brick wall while still in their 30's - but I found by reading the other comments that this is true in alot a federal workplaces. Whenever myself or someone else I knew tried to get reclassified in another job series, we were told to move down to the grades typically taken by the newbies - as if to say our experience in the government wasn't worth anything. I guess they know what they are talking about. Let them open up the floodgates for people like us and replace us with lackeys, relatives and new, Stepford federal workers that don't know anything and don't complain!! They obviously don't care if the work gets done anyway. EX-Disgruntled Dod Worker GovExec.com reader Posted October 15, 2004 12:56 PM
• The reason Middlings are treated poorly is because of this horrible assumption underlying much of recruitment and retention that the private sector folks are better. I've seen it in action. You can apply for a senior position for years and never get it. You step out into the private sector for a year or two- reapply for the position they wouldn't give you the time for- and bingo, you are now in the SES congratulations. :-) The Middling comment is very important. Not only do you have trouble recruiting for positions but we are seeing trouble retaining those we recruit and those mid-level folks with 10-20 years who finally say, enough. The current top down HR approach won't bring in the younger folks and won't keep folks in the government- it will just widen the breach. If Director James wants to learn about the problems in the agencies let her walk for a week in my shoes instead of only talking with my bosses three levels above me. HR Specialist GovExec.com reader Posted May 27, 2004 12:38 PM
• James is a master (among many) of the platitude. Most of the "new initiatives" are resurections of regulation and authorities that have been around for years and under utilized. OPM and its rulemaking/oversight have been, and continue to be, irrelevant and/or obstructionist when it comes to personnel issues. James merely elevates the common Washington-crock-buzzword to a new "21st Century" level. GovExec.com reader Posted May 26, 2004 9:20 AM