Conquer the federal workforce crisis with modern IT solutions
Government funding, policy and legislation, such as the $1.3 billion budget proposal for FY24 to bolster and train the federal health care workforce, the Presid...
Priority 1 of the PMA urges agencies to become “ideal, modern and forward-thinking” employers and directs them to “be prepared for the future by identifying new skills needed for mission needs, integrating technology and modernizing and optimizing their workspaces.”
It’s evident that modern technology has an integral role to play in improving the employee experience (EX) and reducing the federal government workforce churn. As more federal workers retire — with 25% over the age of 55 and 7% under 30 — modernizing EX with the right technologies will be key to attracting and retaining the next generation of talent.
Optimize recruitment pipelines
To attract qualified candidates, federal agencies should modernize their outreach methods, develop coherent brand identities and shorten their time-to-hire. These objectives are especially relevant for agencies looking to recruit recent college graduates, 20% of whom said they have not considered federal employment because they’re unaware of federal job vacancies.
While there are plenty of technical improvements the government can implement to address these shortcomings, institutional support from agency leadership is pivotal for EX investments and recruitment upgrades. Chief Human Capital Officers are valuable, but often underutilized resources, because their input can help streamline the recruitment process. Involvement from CHCOs can ensure recruitment initiatives align with the agency’s strategic planning and performance improvement efforts.
Agency recruitment teams can engage talent with targeted outreach across digital channels and social media platforms, which will help them connect with more potential applicants from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, they should consider updating agency websites to communicate a strong brand identity with a clear mission. This consistency will establish trust and credibility while helping attract candidates who are aligned with the mission.
Once these improvements help them attract a larger pool of talent, advanced IT solutions like automated recruitment communications can help them keep candidates engaged throughout the process. IT modernization can also assist by expediting the onboarding experience for new hires.
Streamline onboarding programs
Onboarding challenges are not only experienced by candidates — hiring managers’ satisfaction levels decreased from 2021 to 2022. Additionally, the number of IT specialists hired across the federal government has fallen for two years in a row, despite the need for technologists reaching critical levels.
There are two primary issues to contend with: prolonged time-to-hire and arduous onboarding programs. To accelerate the onboarding process, federal agencies should consider leveraging digital forms that can simplify data capture and sharing, adjust to different device types and use integrated e-signatures. Tools like these can significantly reduce paperwork burdens for hiring teams and candidates alike.
To keep employees engaged, onboarding teams can develop personalized welcome kits with pre-filled onboarding documents in both print-ready PDF and mobile-friendly communications. Additionally, modern IT solutions can facilitate guided onboarding journeys, which adapt to the new hire’s behavior to optimize their experience. A degree of personalization is valuable, because onboarding programs that do not make employees feel welcome and supported can diminish retention rates.
Retain and upskill dedicated personnel
The 2022 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey found that overall employee satisfaction and morale declined for the second consecutive year, dropping several points below pre-pandemic levels. To respond, federal agencies should adjust how they train and engage employees to suit the remote reality of the modern workplace.
With employees dispersed globally, agencies often conduct training through lengthy, online videos that fail to keep employees engaged. This means the newest generation of federal employees are missing out on critical learning opportunities. Luckily, new technology lets agencies offer personalized, interactive and team-oriented employee experiences to improve federal retention rates.
As mandated by the 21st Century IDEA Act, agencies can boost employee engagement with an intranet customized to their geographic location and job function. Additionally, they can automate employee communications to inform employees about upcoming events, relevant upskilling/reskilling opportunities and important news. Another powerful upgrade is digital tools to support collaborative work from anywhere in the world. To keep employees feeling valued and supported and to address digital skills gaps in the federal workforce, agencies can implement e-learning platforms to suit specific career paths. Upskilling the workforce doesn’t benefit only the employees; it benefits all Americans who depend on vital federal services.
The domino effect on CX
Increased workforce productivity can directly improve citizen experiences. This will help strengthen trust in government — a core underpinning of any democratic institution. Organizations with strategic EX initiatives are more likely to retain those employees and more than twice as likely to earn customer loyalty.
While EX issues pertaining to salary and administrative turnover are largely immutable, IT modernization is a tangible and effective strategy that can yield immediate improvements. Employees that are well-equipped to succeed are better able to deliver excellent service, which explains the corresponding relationship between EX and CX.
Undoubtedly, every federal agency requires unique solutions and services. To maximize the available IT budget, agencies must strategically adopt the tools that are best suited to their needs. Accordingly, it’s perceptive for agency leaders to connect with peers to share lessons learned and trusted industry advisors to determine the best possible implementation strategy for their agency.
Equip federal workers, and the American people, with the best possible experiences by capitalizing on the capabilities of modern technology.
James Hanson is head of public sector strategy at Adobe. Tanya Chowdhury is public sector engagement manager for the digital strategy group at Adobe.
Conquer the federal workforce crisis with modern IT solutions
Government funding, policy and legislation, such as the $1.3 billion budget proposal for FY24 to bolster and train the federal health care workforce, the Presid...
Government funding, policy and legislation, such as the $1.3 billion budget proposal for FY24 to bolster and train the federal health care workforce, the President’s Management Agenda (PMA) and the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experiences Act (IDEA) are united by the imperative to strengthen and empower the federal workforce.
Priority 1 of the PMA urges agencies to become “ideal, modern and forward-thinking” employers and directs them to “be prepared for the future by identifying new skills needed for mission needs, integrating technology and modernizing and optimizing their workspaces.”
It’s evident that modern technology has an integral role to play in improving the employee experience (EX) and reducing the federal government workforce churn. As more federal workers retire — with 25% over the age of 55 and 7% under 30 — modernizing EX with the right technologies will be key to attracting and retaining the next generation of talent.
Optimize recruitment pipelines
To attract qualified candidates, federal agencies should modernize their outreach methods, develop coherent brand identities and shorten their time-to-hire. These objectives are especially relevant for agencies looking to recruit recent college graduates, 20% of whom said they have not considered federal employment because they’re unaware of federal job vacancies.
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While there are plenty of technical improvements the government can implement to address these shortcomings, institutional support from agency leadership is pivotal for EX investments and recruitment upgrades. Chief Human Capital Officers are valuable, but often underutilized resources, because their input can help streamline the recruitment process. Involvement from CHCOs can ensure recruitment initiatives align with the agency’s strategic planning and performance improvement efforts.
Agency recruitment teams can engage talent with targeted outreach across digital channels and social media platforms, which will help them connect with more potential applicants from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, they should consider updating agency websites to communicate a strong brand identity with a clear mission. This consistency will establish trust and credibility while helping attract candidates who are aligned with the mission.
Once these improvements help them attract a larger pool of talent, advanced IT solutions like automated recruitment communications can help them keep candidates engaged throughout the process. IT modernization can also assist by expediting the onboarding experience for new hires.
Streamline onboarding programs
Onboarding challenges are not only experienced by candidates — hiring managers’ satisfaction levels decreased from 2021 to 2022. Additionally, the number of IT specialists hired across the federal government has fallen for two years in a row, despite the need for technologists reaching critical levels.
There are two primary issues to contend with: prolonged time-to-hire and arduous onboarding programs. To accelerate the onboarding process, federal agencies should consider leveraging digital forms that can simplify data capture and sharing, adjust to different device types and use integrated e-signatures. Tools like these can significantly reduce paperwork burdens for hiring teams and candidates alike.
To keep employees engaged, onboarding teams can develop personalized welcome kits with pre-filled onboarding documents in both print-ready PDF and mobile-friendly communications. Additionally, modern IT solutions can facilitate guided onboarding journeys, which adapt to the new hire’s behavior to optimize their experience. A degree of personalization is valuable, because onboarding programs that do not make employees feel welcome and supported can diminish retention rates.
Retain and upskill dedicated personnel
The 2022 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey found that overall employee satisfaction and morale declined for the second consecutive year, dropping several points below pre-pandemic levels. To respond, federal agencies should adjust how they train and engage employees to suit the remote reality of the modern workplace.
With employees dispersed globally, agencies often conduct training through lengthy, online videos that fail to keep employees engaged. This means the newest generation of federal employees are missing out on critical learning opportunities. Luckily, new technology lets agencies offer personalized, interactive and team-oriented employee experiences to improve federal retention rates.
Read more: Commentary
As mandated by the 21st Century IDEA Act, agencies can boost employee engagement with an intranet customized to their geographic location and job function. Additionally, they can automate employee communications to inform employees about upcoming events, relevant upskilling/reskilling opportunities and important news. Another powerful upgrade is digital tools to support collaborative work from anywhere in the world. To keep employees feeling valued and supported and to address digital skills gaps in the federal workforce, agencies can implement e-learning platforms to suit specific career paths. Upskilling the workforce doesn’t benefit only the employees; it benefits all Americans who depend on vital federal services.
The domino effect on CX
Increased workforce productivity can directly improve citizen experiences. This will help strengthen trust in government — a core underpinning of any democratic institution. Organizations with strategic EX initiatives are more likely to retain those employees and more than twice as likely to earn customer loyalty.
While EX issues pertaining to salary and administrative turnover are largely immutable, IT modernization is a tangible and effective strategy that can yield immediate improvements. Employees that are well-equipped to succeed are better able to deliver excellent service, which explains the corresponding relationship between EX and CX.
Undoubtedly, every federal agency requires unique solutions and services. To maximize the available IT budget, agencies must strategically adopt the tools that are best suited to their needs. Accordingly, it’s perceptive for agency leaders to connect with peers to share lessons learned and trusted industry advisors to determine the best possible implementation strategy for their agency.
Equip federal workers, and the American people, with the best possible experiences by capitalizing on the capabilities of modern technology.
James Hanson is head of public sector strategy at Adobe. Tanya Chowdhury is public sector engagement manager for the digital strategy group at Adobe.
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