Report: HR officials face an uphill battle on hiring reform
Lack of skills and resources could make it difficult for agencies to fulfill mandate, survey finds.
Federal human resources personnel aren't necessarily capable of carrying out hiring reform, according to a new survey of chief human capital officers.
The report, released on Wednesday by the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service and consulting firm Grant Thornton LLP, found 46 percent of 68 CHCOs surveyed reported their HR staffs lack the skills necessary to implement new federal hiring practices. In addition, the CHCOs said growing demands on HR personnel to improve agency hiring operations and workforce management could make the situation worse.
President Obama in May issued a memorandum requiring changes to the federal hiring system, including eliminating knowledge, skills and abilities statements and giving hiring managers more responsibility. Agencies also must fill positions more quickly and update candidates on the status of their application.
During a panel discussion accompanying the report's release, federal officials said HR staffs must be more proactive, analytical and focused on customer service. They also should concentrate on solving problems rather than pushing paper, panelists said.
"There are a lot of stages to ensure we recruit, retain, reward and hold people accountable," said Ray Limon, CHCO at the Corporation for National and Community Service, a public-private partnership that provides grants and support to volunteer organizations.
According to the survey, one of the obstacles the HR workforce encounters is the complex hiring system itself. For example, CHCOs said merit principles are confusing for applicants and a challenge to efficient hiring, and veterans preference requirements are too focused on filling positions rather than signing up qualified employees. HR officials also find it difficult to use hiring flexibilities, such as offering hiring bonuses or student loan repayments, survey respondents said.
Panelists said one key to improving the process is to get hiring managers more involved. Managers expect HR staffs to fill jobs, but they are disappointed with the candidates they receive, said Jeff Neal, CHCO at the Homeland Security Department, adding manager involvement should occur early in the hiring process.
The officials surveyed said the HR workforce is hampered by insufficient training resources and a lack of current information technology. Many agencies have developed their own IT operations in the absence of a standardized system, the report found.
The survey also found a strained relationship between federal CHCOs and the Office of Personnel Management. Officials reported a lack of understanding of OPM's mission and a disconnect between leaders making policies and staff implementing them. Additionally, agencies lack the resources to carry out OPM mandates, including the hiring reform agenda, respondents said.
Panelists agreed there is tension between OPM and other federal agencies, and said additional support in areas such as meeting reporting requirements would be helpful.
"We would like to see OPM thinking that their mission is to support our mission, but sometimes they think their mission is to support the processes they built," said Neal, adding this "self-licking ice cream cone" doesn't improve government performance.
Other key findings in the report included:
- CHCOs are uncertain about the future of pay for performance.
- While workforce diversity is improving, women and minorities still are underrepresented in the Senior Executive Service.
- An outdated and inflexible pay system hinders government's ability to attract and retain a quality workforce.