Management
Research confirms it: Happy workers are more productive
COMMENTARY | If agencies want to improve their performance, worker satisfaction and engagement would be a proven strategy to add to the mix.
The 5 biggest stories federal agencies and employees need to watch in 2026
Trump will look to finalize his government overhaul efforts next year.
Controlling ratings inflation is a good idea...but a forced distribution isn’t
COMMENTARY | OPM's plan to corral inflated performance ratings should also be mindful not to undercut employee excellence with arbitrary limits on recognition.
Exclusive
Trump to limit top ratings for all feds and consolidate scoring in forthcoming rule
Though the forced distribution of performance ratings is “categorically prohibited” under current rules, federal agencies already appear to be adopting the system, before the proposal has even been announced.
Postal Service hopes selling access to its final-leg delivery network will provide much-needed revenue
Because the U.S. Postal Service delivers to all U.S. addresses, many private companies rely on the agency to ship to harder-to-reach places. Postmaster General David Steiner wants to enable more businesses to utilize this service.
Transfers at the Education Department spark fallout warnings from Senate Democrats
Lawmakers, union leaders and education officials say shifting programs out of the department risks losing expertise, adding bureaucracy and weakening support for students and families.
Potential NSA, Cyber Command leader nomination transmitted to Senate
The signals intelligence titan and combatant command have been without a permanent leader for months since far-right activist Laura Loomer pushed for the firing of Gen. Timothy Haugh in April.
Lawmaker looks to shake up VA’s software management
Legislation from Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., prioritizes waste reduction when it comes to the roughly $1 billion that VA spends annually on software assets.
Fallout from DOGE cuts: How defunding derailed a federal microgrant strategy
COMMENTARY | Several presidents have criticized the complexities of the federal grants process, but DOGE cuts to the Justice Department have made the process worse for local law enforcement rather than helping.
USDA received overwhelmingly negative feedback on its reorg plan from employees, lawmakers and locals governments
The department solicited comments and those who wrote in said a potential exodus of staff and loss of local interaction would prove harmful to farmers.
Major meeting on FEMA overhaul recommendation suddenly shelved
The scheduled gathering of the FEMA review council was supposed to include "a public vote on the draft final report" outlining recommendations about the future of the federal agency, but was abruptly canceled Thursday.
Featured eBooks
Bipartisan, bicameral bill looks to help the government hire more AI talent
The proposal follows the exodus of hundreds of thousands government employees — including AI and tech talent — under the Trump administration’s push to shrink the government workforce.
OMB, OPM pitch new governmentwide HR system
A joint memo from OMB Director Russ Vought and OPM Director Scott Kupor Wednesday laid out plans to encompass all federal HR management data into a single technology platform by fiscal 2028.
Lawmakers seek details behind SSA plan to slash office visits
Nextgov/FCW first reported the agency’s intention to reduce field office visits last week.
Trump administration plans to end prison rape protections for trans and intersex people, memo says
A Justice Department memo obtained by Prism says certain standards under the Prison Rape Elimination Act do not align with Trump’s January 20 anti-trans executive order.
States urge more federal coordination amid growth of new aviation options
Advanced air mobility promises air taxis, delivery planes and others in the nation’s skies. Leaders said while the FAA must lead on airspace management, it must listen to those on the ground.
New nonprofit aimed at strengthening government effectiveness is launched by former Democratic White House staffers
While the Trump administration has pursued cuts to agency workforces and programs in a quest to improve efficiency, the CEO of Governmental Renewal said that the new nonpartisan organization is not “a response to specific actions underway today.”
Insights & Reports
Push to 'reform the government root and branch' detailed in Trump’s new management agenda
The President's Management Agenda for Trump's second term offers fewer specific policy plans than other recent agendas.
Appeals court upholds firing of Democratic Merit Systems Protection Board member
The case could unravel decades of statute and precedent protecting leaders of independent agencies from removal.
Trump signs law requiring the IRS to clean up adjustment notices
Lawmakers hope that clearer notices when the IRS makes simple math or clerical fixes on tax returns should cut down on headaches for taxpayers.
