Senior official says human capital officers are stretched thin
OPM Director Kay Coles James says the human capital chiefs wear too many hats and are overworked.
The federal government's top personnel official said this week that chief human capital officers are overworked and probably should not be required to perform more than one job at a time.
"I think there is sufficient work on the strategic management of human capital for that to be a full-time portfolio," said Office of Personnel Management Director Kay Coles James during testimony before the House Government Reform Subcommittee on Civil Service and Agency Organization.
James lauded the performance of the CHCOs, who began their work one year ago. She said the program so far has been a "tremendous success."
The newly minted positions are intended to oversee broad human capital management reforms and other initiatives on the President's Management Agenda. The job, however, is part-time and CHCOs hold other posts -- usually human resources-related -- within their agencies. Some are career human resources officers, and others are political appointees.
Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill., asked whether the officers are stretched too thin.
"My only concern at this point is burnout and wear-out," James said.
A panel of personnel experts echoed her comments and said the CHCO job requires too much effort to be relegated to part-time status.
"I think it is a full-time job," said Reginald Wells, who serves as the CHCO and the deputy human resources commissioner at the Social Security Administration.
Kevin Simpson, the executive vice president at the Partnership for Public Service, told legislators that there is most likely no comparable situation in the private sector.
"It's a big portfolio," he said of the CHCO responsibilities.
Chris Mihm recently led a General Accounting Office review (GAO-04-800T) of CHCO efforts, and he told the subcommittee the position eventually will need to become full time.
"It would be extremely difficult over time … if it is dual-hatted or triple-hatted," he said.
James said she believes agency heads know best how to run their organizations, but she suggested that the first year of CHCO work may have demonstrated the need for a dedicated officer to manage these strategic issues.
"I think," she said, "we were going through a shakedown cruise."