OPM 2006 Survey Results Show Improvement in Employees’ Perceptions of Leadership: Challenges Exist in Talent Management and Perceptions of DOD Investigative Service Transfers

Compared to its 2004 results, OPM’s 2006 FHCS results indicate strong  improvement in employee perceptions on key questions relating to  leadership, mixed results in performance culture and accountability, and  continuing challenges in talent management. The  purpose of the groups was to understand the factors contributing to the  2004 responses and report employee ideas for addressing top priority  improvement areas. OPM’s Workforce and Succession Plans Align with Selected Leading Practices, but the Agency Lacks a Well-Documented Process of Evaluation of Some of These Efforts

OPM’s workforce and succession plans are consistent with selected  strategic workforce planning practices and principles relevant to OPM’s  capacity to fulfill its strategic goals. OPM Has Assessed Gaps in Numbers and Competencies and Created Gap Closure Plans for Its Mission Critical and Leadership Workforce

We have previously reported that an agency needs to define the critical  skills and competencies that it will require in the future to meet its  strategic program goals and then develop strategies to address gaps and  human capital conditions in critical skills and competencies. During the past year, OPM has taken positive actions to address specific  concerns raised by employees and managers in the surveys, such as  placing more emphasis on information sharing with employees at all levels  on the strategic goals and objectives of the agency. It is also important to acknowledge that OPM’s 2006 FHCS  results, without the DOD investigative service transfers, would have been,  in many cases, significantly more positive than in 2004. The responses  from the investigative services division, however, are an area of concern  that OPM will need to continue to focus attention on. In a relatively short time there will be a  Presidential transition, and well-documented processes can help to ensure  a seamless transition that builds on the current momentum. GAO staff who made major contributions to this  report are listed in appendix V.

Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

The objectives of our review were to    determine the extent to which the Office of Personnel Management (OPM)  has addressed key internal human capital management issues identified by  examining employee responses to the 2004 and 2006 Federal Human  Capital Surveys (FHCS) and    determine the extent to which OPM has strategies in place to ensure it has  the mission critical talent it needs to meet current and future strategic  goals.
Why GAO Did This Study

Given the importance of the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) role in managing the nation's federal workforce, GAO assessed OPM's internal capacity for human capital management. This report--the third in the series--extends prior work and (1) looks at the extent to which OPM has addressed key internal human capital management issues identified by examining employee responses to the 2004 and 2006 Federal Human Capital Survey (FHCS) and (2) has strategies in place to ensure it has the mission critical talent it needs to meet current and future strategic goals. To address our objectives, GAO analyzed 2004 and 2006 FHCS results, summaries of OPM employee focus groups, and analyzed OPM strategic and human capital planning documents.

What GAO Found

OPM has taken positive actions to address specific concerns raised by employees and managers in the 2004 and 2006 FHCS responses. OPM conducted employee focus groups to understand factors contributing to the low 2004 survey scores and took actions, such as trying to improve communication throughout the agency. The 2006 survey results showed improvement in the area of leadership, with mixed results in the performance culture and accountability area, and continued concern in the talent management area. Without the responses from the investigative service employees who transferred from the Department of Defense in early 2005, OPM's 2006 FHCS results would have been, in many cases, significantly more positive than in 2004. The perceptions of the investigative service employees, however, will need continued attention. OPM has strategies in place, such as workforce and succession management plans, that are aligned with selected leading practices relevant to the agency's capacity to fulfill its strategic goals. For example, OPM's top leadership is involved in these efforts, and the agency has assessed gaps in numbers and competencies and created gap closure plans for its mission critical and leadership workforce. OPM lacks, however, a well-documented agencywide evaluation process of some of its workforce planning efforts. In particular, OPM's implementation of division-level training plans could make it difficult for the agency to identify and address reasons for shortfalls in meeting its talent management goals. In a relatively short time, there will also be a Presidential transition, and well-documented processes can help to ensure a seamless transition that builds on the current momentum.