Crafting policy often is the easiest part of government. Implementation and execution via government projects and programs is the hard part fraught with pitfalls and traps. Attracting and retaining the right talent to carry out these governmental initiatives is the key to ensuring policy is implemented and executed as aligned with the conceived intent. So, how does the government establish an effective talent management framework?
Ed Hoffman, chief knowledge officer of NASA, shared a keynote address on talent management at PMI’s recent PMO Symposium. NASA has demonstrated a direct connection between talent management and the success of its projects. The organization built a four-phase talent management program, focusing on hands-on experience supplemented by training.
“When people believe in the mission of the organization, they will be motivated to do the work,” said Hoffman. While not all federal jobs involve the thrill of “the final frontier,” each agency has the potential to make a positive impact on the lives of all Americans. How, then, can all government agencies make the mission resonate with the workforce?
In the recently released Thought Leadership Series on Talent Management, PMI uncovers examples of excellence in practice for recruiting, retaining, managing and developing the high-potential talent required to execute an organization’s strategic initiatives.The series finds creating a culture that supports the employees and the project community will improve recruitment and retention. Organizations that clearly articulate their core values and commitment to the community are seen as “employers of choice.”
Taking a broader look at the overall talent management policies of the federal government beyond the NASA example, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) provides agencies with the Human Capital Assessment and Accountability Framework (HCAAF). This framework is built on five core pillars intended to provide a consistent, comprehensive representation of human capital management for the federal government:
1. Strategic Alignment (Planning and Goal Setting)
2. Leadership and Knowledge Management (Implementation)
3. Results-Oriented Performance Culture (Implementation)
4. Talent Management (Implementation)
5. Accountability (Evaluating Results)
While each of these topics are worthy of analysis, I would like to focus on the first—Strategic Alignment. HCAAF specifically identifies strategic alignment as “…alignment of human capital management strategies with agency mission, goals, and objectives…” However, the leading authority on strategy for the past 35 years, Michael Porter of Harvard Business School, openly maintains that strategy is about “being different … It means deliberately choosing a different set of activities to deliver a unique mix of value.” The challenge then falls to the individual agencies, with support from OPM, to craft suitable talent management strategies that meet their respective policy implementation needs.
Agencies can expect better results when talent management is aligned to its strategy. According to Pulse of the Profession® In-Depth Report: The Competitive Advantage of Effective Talent Management, organizations that align talent with strategy report an average project success rate of 72 percent, whereas organizations in which talent management is not effectively aligned to strategy have an average project success rate of 58 percent.
As the government continues to compete with the private sector for the best talent, it’s time for those developing the talent strategy to effectively align and update external and internal value propositions to support the strategies of the organizations. The value proposition and mission must energize and motivate the workforce. To complement this motivated and engaged workforce, agencies’ project and program management community must partner with human resources (HR). This will ensure the proper balance of skill sets across the three core areas: technical project management, business/strategic management and leadership.
In private sector terms, organizations that indicate strong alignment between HR and business leaders outperform their peers in financial performance, revenue growth, strategy implementation, talent management, and alignment of talent management with strategic needs, according to PMI’s recent research with PwC. There’s no reason the government can’t be leveraging these same proven practices to deliver on its projects and programs that bring vital services to Americans day in and day out.
Competing for talent in government – aligning strategy and human capital
