Human Capital: DOD Needs Complete Assessments to Improve Future Civilian Strategic Workforce Plans
Abstract
As of June 2012, the Department of Defense (DoD) reported a full-time civilian workforce of about 780,000 personnel. According to DoD, about 30 percent of its civilian workforce and 60 percent of its civilian senior leaders will be eligible to retire by March 31, 2015. Such potential loss may result in significant skill gaps. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 requires GAO to submit a report on DoD's 2010-2018 strategic civilian workforce plan. In response, GAO determined the extent to which DoD identified critical skills, competencies, and gaps; assessed its workforce mix; and measured progress in implementing its strategic workforce plan. GAO analyzed DoD's strategic workforce plan and supporting documents, and met with managers of four functional communities within the civilian personnel community (information technology, financial management, logistics, and law enforcement), because they represent the three largest and the one smallest of the functional communities, to determine how they conducted their strategic workforce planning. GAO recommendations include that DoD issue clearer guidance for assessing its skills and competencies, conduct and report on gap analysis of mission-critical occupations, clarify its guidance for assessing workforce mix issues, and enhance its performance measures to align with congressionally mandated reporting requirements. DoD concurred or partially concurred with GAO's recommendations. While DoD raised some issues about the need for further actions, GAO continues to believe that DoD's workforce planning could be enhanced.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA564972
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office