People
Federal employee job satisfaction climbed during pandemic
The survey documents the rapid change to teleworking postures in government under the COVID-19 pandemic.
People
Union touts productivity gains from telework
Feds overwhelmingly want to keep the ability to telework additional days each week, according to the results of a survey released by the National Treasury Employees Union.
People
OPM nominee plans focus on telework, IT, retirement
Kiran Ahuja, a veteran of the Office of Personnel Management, told lawmakers that she thinks that the lack of consistent leadership in the top position at OPM has taken a toll on the ability of the agency to complete longer term IT modernization projects.
People
Pentagon readies new policy to boost cyber workforce amid recruitment challenges
The Defense Department is developing a new policy series aimed at improving the cyber workforce, but it has substantial work to do to recruit the talent needed in the future.
People
AFGE presses Congress to oppose pay and hiring flexibilities for NSF
The measure, which would expand the hiring authorities of the director of the National Science Foundation, "bears a striking resemblance" to Schedule F, said AFGE national president Everett Kelley.
People
'Psychological safety' and organizational performance
Steve Kelman stresses the benefits of creating space for questions and push-back.
People
OPM digs into the post-pandemic puzzle of remote work and locality pay
An Office of Personnel Management official said on Thursday that the office is looking into pay administration rules in terms of remote work as part of broader efforts to provide guidance for the long-term future of a more dispersed federal workforce.
People
Now hiring for next set of Presidential Innovation Fellows
Originally a brainchild of the Obama-Biden tech office, the Presidential Innovation Fellows program is now looking for its eighth cohort of in-house federal tech innovators. How has it changed, and what lessons might the program offer for recruiting top tech talent into the government?
People
Biden taps former Obama defense policy chief as Army secretary
The White House announced plans to nominate Christine Wormuth, the Pentagon’s former top policy official, to be the first woman as Army secretary.
People
New OPM survey heralds rethink of federal job design
The new Federal Workforce Competency Initiative looks to update definitions of skills and abilities needed to are core competencies for different jobs.
People
SecDef plans new screening, training to weed out extremism
The Defense Department has ordered several personnel policy changes to address extremism in the military, ranging from updating intake questionnaires for recruits to training to prepare service members for potential targeting by extremist groups.
People
EPA eliminates Trump workforce orders from labor contract
The Environmental Protection Agency rolled back the clock on portions of its collective bargaining agreement on official time, union office space, grievance procedures and more.
People
Connolly, Hice urge White House to fill MSPB slots
Appeals have been stalled at the Merit Systems Protection Board for more than four years, and leaders on the Government Operations subcommittee in the House want the White House to get moving on board nominations.
People
Biden taps DIU head for top Pentagon acquisition post
President Joe Biden nominates three for senior defense posts, including Michael Brown, the head of Defense Innovation Unit.
People
DOD should update emergency response plans to accommodate telework, IG says
Each component should also update its plan "to include revised assumptions regarding telework for personnel and the resources required to support the teleworking workforce," the IG wrote in an April 1 report.
People
SSA under pressure to reopen Trump-era union contract
The Social Security Administration is under fire from unions and congressional Democrats unhappy with the agency's pace in implementing the Biden administration's changes to labor-management relations, and many are seeking the ouster of the Trump-appointed agency heads.
People
Unions, agencies encouraging feds to get vaccinated
Early results from federal workforce campaigns suggest that vaccine uptake could present challenges once availability for all age groups is no longer an obstacle.
People
Cultivating small talk when there's no office
Federal managers should look for ways to create the virtual water cooler environment.
People
Dismantling the 'old boys' club' at State
Several witnesses scrutinized the State Department's placement and promotion practices when it comes to minority foreign service officers.
People