DOD Civilian Workforce: Observations on DOD's Efforts to Plan for Civilian Workforce Requirements
Abstract
GAO s body of work related to prior workforce reductions at DOD and other organizations demonstrates the importance of strategic workforce planning, including a consideration of costs, to help ensure that DOD has a fully capable workforce to carry out its mission. According to GAO s Standards for Internal Control,4 management should ensure that skill needs are continually assessed and that the organization is able to obtain a workforce that has the required skills that match those necessary to achieve organizational goals. Section 322 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1991 directed DOD to establish guidelines for reductions in the number of civilian workers employed by industrial or commercial type activities. The act also directed certain DOD agencies or components to submit 5 year master plans for those workers, providing information on workload, demographics, and employee furloughs and involuntary separations, with the materials submitted to Congress in support of the budget request for fiscal year 1991.5 In a series of subsequent reviews, Subsequently, in 1992, we reported that DOD intended to undertake a multiyear downsizing effort aimed at reducing the civilian workforce by nearly 229,000 positions, or to 20 percent below its fiscal year 1987 levels. However, in 2000, we reported that DOD s approach to prior force reductions was not oriented toward shaping the makeup of the workforce, resulting in significant imbalances in terms of shape, skills, and retirement eligibility.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 26, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA562442
Entities
People
- Brenda S. Farrell
- Erik Wilkins-mckee
- Gayle Fischer
- Jennifer Weber
- John V. Schaik
- Margaret Best
- Mark Bird
- Nicole Willems
- Penny Berrier
- Spencer Tacktill
- Timothy Dinapoli
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office