Thank you Mr. Chairman. As you've noted, the oversight of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is the responsibility of this subcommittee. I too welcome the opportunity to evaluate the ability of OPM to be the government's leader in personnel policy today and in the future with our two witnesses - OPM Director Springer and Comptroller General Walker - both of whom share our view that public service is an honorable profession.
OPM has one of the most important roles in the federal government- administering and enforcing federal civil service laws, rules, and regulations as well as aiding the executive branch in managing the federal workforce. OPM also supports agencies in recruiting, retaining, training, and motivating the best and most effective workforce possible. If agencies do not have the personnel systems in place to have the right person, with the right skills, at the right place, at the right time, they cannot meet their goals.
Although we in Congress understand that OPM is the focal point of human capital management, the taxpayer looks toward the federal worker to run the government. And the American people need confidence in their government's ability to provide the services on which they depend - from protecting their private, personal data to providing quality health care to the nation's veterans, and to provide them in a manner free from political pressures. That is why the rights and protections of federal workers are so important. Unfortunately new personnel reforms being touted by the Administration for federal workers, such as those being developed at the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, have eroded employee morale. This can impact agency performance and undermine the public's trust in government. OPM needs the right people who understand how OPM's efforts to modernize the civil service could adversely impact agency performance and public confidence. Our goal today is to understand what resources OPM needs to fulfill its operational and managerial responsibilities, while safeguarding the rights, benefits, and protections of employees under a merit-based personnel system.
Although Director Springer and I do not always agree on the direction of government, she knows I am appreciative of the enthusiasm and leadership she has brought to OPM. I am especially pleased with OPM's new advertising campaign showcasing federal employment. However, no amount of advertising will erase the perception that it takes too long to get a federal job, which is why OPM's resources must be devoted to attracting - retaining - training - and motivating a skilled and professional workforce. It's imperative that OPM eradicates the perception among young people that it's not worth their time to pursue working for the federal government.
Making federal employment more attractive to the next generation is an area where chief human capital officers and human resource directors can help. OPM must continue to exercise its leadership in guiding this endeavor. The same holds true for pushing agencies to use existing flexibilities to hire talented individuals. Communication and collaboration between OPM and other federal agencies must be strengthened, and it is my expectation that the Chief Human Capital Officers Council will be an important link in OPM's strategy to improve communications among agencies.
In any discussion of OPM's capacity to lead, the issue of retirement comes up, especially since nearly half - 46 percent - of OPM's workforce will be eligible for retirement in about four years. The loss of experienced personnel, both at OPM and across the federal government, should concern us all. I commend OPM on working to develop a strategy to convince these seasoned employees to remain on the job longer. On the other hand, pursuing programs that are not in the best interest of the federal workforce will result in workers opting to retire. Employee morale is a critical feature in figuring out retirement numbers no matter whose retirement estimates we use.
OPM must also increase its capacity to ensure that supervisors receive adequate training. Since the 1990s, supervisory training has been the responsibility of individual agencies which has resulted in inconsistent training. The Federal Managers Association notes that 60 percent of its members will be retirement eligible in five years, and we must commit to nurturing new managers. Mandatory training programs, developed through guidance provided by OPM, will strengthen manager-employee relationships and increase communication.
Mr. Chairman, we're looking for OPM to lead by example, which is why we asked GAO to identify specific management challenges that stand in the way of OPM capitalizing on its role. I want to thank you again for holding today's hearing which will serve as a roadmap for future discussions of OPM's capacity to lead.
