Creating the Federal Workforce of the Future

The mission of most federal agencies is growing more complex as they face head-spinning issues such as climate change, rapidly shifting demographics, and declining trust in government. But agencies are hamstringing themselves by tackling these problems with outdated legacy structures and inflexible workforce structures. 

According to a new report from Deloitte and Workday, “Creating the Federal Workforce of the Future,” this results in a federal workforce that’s less satisfied and less engaged than other industries. In the public sector, engagement matters even more because workers often serve as the face of government agencies. 

“Engaged workers tend to perform better, and better work leads to better customer experiences and greater trust in government,” says Paige Bayliss, managing director in Deloitte’s human resources (HR) transformation practice.

Federal agencies are also competing with the private sector to attract top talent in a tight labor market. In recent years, however, federal agencies have averaged roughly 100 days to fill jobs—three times as long as the private sector. To become an employer of choice for new generations, the federal government must dramatically increase the flexibility, efficiency, and support it offers its people.

“Millennials and Gen Z applicants expect to enter the hiring queue quickly and move through it seamlessly, whether they’re applying to jobs on their phones or using chatbots to check the status of their application,” says Wayne Bobby, vice president, federal government at Workday.

How can federal agency leaders modernize their workforce hiring and engagement? The report details how they can leverage technology to build a best-in-class workforce with the resilience, agility, and commitment to better serve their constituents. 

Attract the Best and the Brightest Workforce

Government jobs often go unfilled because agencies can’t find workers with the right skills. Federal agencies can combat this pervasive issue by adopting cloud-based systems to recruit competitive candidates.

“An agency that can use data to assess its workforce is an agency that can maximize its talent investments and advance its mission,” says Michelle Oltmans, federal solutions specialist at Workday. 

Building and Committing to a Diverse and Inclusive Workforce

President Biden’s management agenda and a related executive order demonstrate the administration’s commitment to using the federal government as a model for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). Federal agencies, therefore, need to oversee robust programs that prioritize representation in all areas—including race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religious or spiritual beliefs, life experiences, and more.

According to analysis from Deloitte, when employees trust their employer’s DEIA commitments, their engagement can increase up to 20% and their chances of leaving plummet by 87%.

Leverage a Sense of Mission to Improve Engagement

Employee engagement is the mental and emotional connection an employee feels to the work at hand and to the organization as a whole. In any industry, employers focus on engagement to build a high-performing workforce, prevent attrition, and boost productivity and work quality.

Strong engagement can also ease the government’s talent shortage while also addressing government inefficiencies. And to increase engagement, government agencies need to appeal to employees’ desire for meaningful work.

“Federal job seekers and current employees want three things: one, an understanding of how to build a rewarding career path in federal service; two, a promise of community in their agency; and three, a sense of mission accomplishment,” says Bobby. “The federal government offers all three, but agencies need to connect the dots and more clearly communicate the answers.”

In a future filled with plenty of twists and turns, a responsive federal government must be staffed by savvy, skilled workers. Read this report by Deloitte and Workday to learn how U.S. government leaders can streamline hiring, increase diversity, and boost employee engagement to build a future-ready workforce.