INSIDE THIS ISSUE

HR MANAGEMENT

Recruiting and Engaging the Federal Workforcer

Bill Trahant

The talk in government these days is about abolishing the General Schedule and replacing it with customized pay-for-performance systems. The General Schedule, however, is unlikely to disappear soon, so what can government executives and federal human capital professionals do to increase employee productivity and organizational performance under the current federal pay rules and performance appraisal guidelines?

That question was the focus of intense discussion at an October 4, 2007, seminar at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, hosted by American University’s Institute for the Study of Public Policy Implementation in conjunction with the Government Consulting Services practice of Watson Wyatt Worldwide. This forum, which brought together government executives and federal human capital professionals from a range of federal departments and agencies, featured presentations by James Perry, chancellor’s professor in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University-Bloomington; Toni Dawsey, assistant administrator for human capital management at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and Colleen Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union.

This article describes the insights offered by the three speakers and how they can be used in better managing federal workers, providing them crucial (often nonmonetary) incentives, and helping them connect and identify with the goals of their organizations.

Bill Trahant is national practice leader of government consulting services for Watson Wyatt in Arlington, VA. Reach him at William.Trahant@watsonwyatt.com.