Human Capital: DODs Civilian Personnel Strategic Management and the Proposed National Security Personnel System
Abstract
People are at the heart of an organizations ability to perform its mission. Yet, a key challenge for the Department of Defense (DOD), as for many federal agencies, is to strategically manage its human capital. With about 700,000 civilian employees on its payroll, DOD is the second largest federal employer of civilians in the nation. Although downsized 38 percent between fiscal years 1989 and 2002, this workforce has taken on greater roles as a result of DODs restructuring and transformation. DODs proposed National Security Personnel System (NSPS) would provide for wide-ranging changes in DODs civilian personnel pay and performance management, collective bargaining, rightsizing, and other human capital areas. The NSPS would enable DOD to develop and implement a consistent DOD-wide civilian personnel system. Given the massive size of DOD, the proposal has important precedent-setting implications for federal human capital management and OPM. This testimony provides GAOs preliminary observations on aspects of DODs proposal to make changes to its civilian personnel system and discusses the implications of such changes for governmentwide human capital reform. Past reports have contained GAOs views on what remains to be done to bring about lasting solutions for DOD to strategically manage its human capital. DOD has not always concurred with our recommendations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 12, 2003
- Accession Number
- AD1158086
Entities
People
- Brenda S. Farrell
- Christine Fossett
- David M. Walker
- Edward H. Stephenson
- Julia Denman
- William Doherty
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office