NASA’s Strategic Human Capital Framework Is Generally Aligned with Its Strategic Mission, Outcomes, and Programmatic Goals but Some Improvements in Workforce Planning Can be Made

NASA’s strategic human capital planning framework is generally aligned  with its strategic mission, outcomes, and programmatic goals. These linkages allow NASA to assess and understand the  extent to which its workforce contributes to achieving the overarching  mission. Other examples of some key policies and plans that guide  NASA’s human capital efforts include the following:    development of the Strategic Management and Governance Handbook  and policy directives that set forth principles by which NASA manages  itself and identifies the specific requirements that drive NASA’s  strategic planning process;    development of a workforce strategy in April 2006 that identified three  underlying workforce principles: building and sustaining 10 healthy  centers, maximizing the use of NASA’s current human capital  capabilities, and evolving to a more flexible workforce that permits  NASA’s human capital efforts to help carry out the Vision for Space  Exploration and science and aeronautics research; and  the creation of NASA’s Workforce Integrated Product Team—which  consists of human capital office division directors and selected human  resource directors—for day-to-day implementation and tracking of  progress and results of human capital initiatives. NASA’s principal workforce challenge will be faced in the transition to the  next generation of human space flight systems. The Center had difficulty  recruiting and maintaining employees in this area, so it piloted a 2-year  program that offered additional training and retention bonuses with 1-year  service agreements. Human Capital Challenges in Retiring the Space Shuttle Program and Transitioning to Constellation Activities

The gap between the scheduled retirement of the Space Shuttle in 2010  and the resumption of human space flight currently scheduled for 2015  will pose a unique set of challenges. Concluding Observations

NASA has placed considerable emphasis on human capital management  and addressing challenges that the agency has been facing in recruiting,  retaining, and developing critical personnel. Separately, NASA provided technical comments, which have been  addressed in the report, as appropriate. Appendix I: Scope and Methodology

To assess the alignment of the National Aeronautics and Space  Administration’s (NASA) human capital framework with its strategic  mission and programmatic goals, we analyzed a broad range of NASA’s  policy, planning, and implementation documents; reviewed budget  documents and performance and accountability reports; and interviewed  officials in NASA’s Office of Human Capital Management, Office of the  Chief Financial Officer, Office of Program Analysis and Evaluation, Office  of the Chief Engineer, Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity, Office of  Education, the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, and the Space  Operations Mission Directorate and attended NASA Advisory Council  meetings. To assess NASA’s efforts to effectively recruit, develop, and retain  critically skilled science and engineering staff we applied our five strategic  workforce planning principles. In doing so, we analyzed NASA’s   (1) demographics data; (2) critical skills information; (3) NASA’s policy,  procedures and guidance for recruiting and hiring; (4) implementation of  information systems, programs, and processes that support human capital  management and planning.
Why GAO Did This Study

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is engaged in efforts to replace the Space Shuttle with the next generation of human space flight systems and implement the President's space exploration policy. To do this, NASA must recruit, develop, and retain certain critical skills in its workforce, guided by its strategic human capital management plan. GAO was asked to examine the extent to which NASA (1) has aligned its human capital planning framework with its strategic mission and programmatic goals and (2) is recruiting, developing, and retaining critically skilled personnel, given future workforce needs. To address these objectives, GAO reviewed NASA's policies, planning, and implementation documents; reviewed budget documents and performance and accountability reports; and interviewed cognizant agency officials. To assess NASA's efforts to recruit, develop, and retain critically skilled personnel, we analyzed demographics data, and critical skills information; NASA's policy, procedures and guidance for recruiting and hiring; and implementation of information systems programs, and processes that support human capital management and planning. We are not making any recommendations in this report.

What GAO Found

NASA's strategic human capital framework is generally aligned with its strategic mission, outcomes, and programmatic goals. NASA's leaders have set its overall direction and goals and involved its mission directorates and centers in implementing human capital strategy and providing feedback to headquarters. Recently, NASA has been improving its workforce planning information technology matching program requirements with human capital resources. Some centers have been critical of the systems' performance, but others find these tools useful. NASA attracts and retains critical personnel by using tools such as recruiting and retention bonuses. Recently, NASA has asked Congress for additional human capital flexibilities to help manage its workforce. The centers also have their own programs that address their critical skills shortfalls by training and developing employees. NASA recognizes that critical skills now present in the civil service and contractor Space Shuttle workforce are needed to complete present and future mission objectives, but also understands that additional capability will also be needed in certain areas. Given this, NASA is looking ahead and considering how best to mitigate any potential loss of skills and knowledge that could take place in the period between the Space Shuttle's retirement in 2010 and the resumption of human space flight in 2015.