Meeting of September 8, 2003, Washington D.C. on Repositioning for New Realities: Securing EEOC's Continued Effectiveness
Good morning everyone -- on behalf of the
Office of Personnel Management's Director Kay Coles James, I
would like to thank the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for
inviting OPM to today's timely discussion. I extend special
thanks to Chair Cari Dominguez, Vice Chair Naomi Earp, and
Commissioners Paul Steven Miller and Leslie E. Silverman for
organizing a public venue where government reform experts, from
both the private and public sector, have the opportunity to join
together and discuss these important issues.
I am here today to talk about some of the
critical issues affecting the management of the Federal workforce.
As you know, President Bush identified five critical areas for
management reform, with the need for strategic management of human
capital as the linchpin. OPM has been leading the Governmentwide
effort to transform human capital management so that agencies are
held accountable for managing their workforce effectively,
efficiently, and in accordance with merit principles. As the
"owner"../ of this important initiative in the
President's Management Agenda, Director Kay Coles James is
committed to providing agencies with all the necessary tools and
resources to transform their human capital management planning and
practices into tools to help achieve their strategic goals.
A few years ago, most agencies were not engaged
in strategic thinking about their current and future workforce
needs. We in the human resources world were trapped in narrow,
reactive thinking about HR rules and programs, unable to serve as
strategic partners. Human capital management was not viewed as a
strategic priority related to mission accomplishment.
Although we have a long way to go, we've
gained some ground. Agencies have seen the need to be
forward-thinking and strategic about human capital management
through the efforts of our human capital officers, who are helping
them objectively assess their challenges and focus their efforts.
Nearly every President's Management Council (PMC) agency now
has a comprehensive human capital plan in place, linked to their
strategic goals, against which they are executing, and tracking,
their efforts.
Today we expect agencies to have:
The increased focus on strategic management of
human capital has encouraged Federal agencies to re-assess their
mission and goals and how best to accomplish them. One of the major
human capital challenges facing Federal agencies is the need to
ensure that they have the right skills and competencies ideally
deployed in the workforce. Combined with new technology, this
re-assessment of agency missions, structures, and workforce skills
has created an unprecedented opportunity for true strategic
collaboration among agency leaders from every program area.
As I read the recent NAPA report on the EEOC, I
was struck by the similarity of the challenges facing the EEOC, OPM
and all agencies. We at OPM know first-hand how challenging such
fundamental changes can be, because we are not just "talking
the talk" -- we have been "walking the walk".
OPM has recently undergone its own transformation guided by a focus
on our mission as the Government's "people
agency"../ and as the agency charged with leading strategic
management of human capital within the Federal government. We
recently completed a major restructuring to improve our ability to
achieve this mission. Part of our restructuring involved the
elimination of old functional stovepipes. We have become more
customer-focused by assigning Human Capital Officers to work with
individual agencies. These "account managers" or
"desk officers"../ are charged with helping agencies to
assess and implement their human capital management activities and
to provide technical assistance and support across HR program
areas. They serve as the agencies' key contact and are
continually and closely engaged with their agencies to help them
design new recruitment strategies, prepare workforce and succession
plans, identify needed job-related competencies, obtain and
implement appropriate flexibilities, design and implement new
performance management plans, and ensure that they are building
shared accountability systems and following merit system
principles.
OPM also recognizes that smaller agencies have unique needs and often need extra technical support and assistance. Smaller agencies --and there are over 50 of them --now have their own support system within my Division in our Center for Small Agencies, one of five agency-focused human capital management centers. With our reorganization complete, we are better positioned to carry out the Director's commitment to the strategic management of human capital in Federal agencies.
We are:
OPM and every agency must continually be aware
of the external factors that can drive the need for change. We must
constantly be prepared to address changes in the business
environment, demographic shifts that affect the workforce, and
evolving customer needs and expectations. Each of these can
profoundly impact mission accomplishment.
A better managed Government will not only make
us more efficient, it will also make us a more attractive employer.
We will be able to attract the highest quality job seekers of every
type and at every career stage if they see a motivating and
cutting-edge work environment in which they can serve
America.
OPM is leading the efforts to make the Federal
Government the employer of choice. As part of our overall Working
for America strategy, OPM is sponsoring a series of Recruitment
Fairs around the country to connect agencies with high-quality,
diverse candidates. We see these "recruitment fairs"
--not "job fairs"../ --as a mechanism to support the
workforce planning and diversity activities of Federal agencies,
particularly in addressing under representation in mission critical
occupations. We also envision these recruitment fairs as an outlet
for providing information on the exciting and varied career
opportunities in the Federal service and as a way to leave a
lasting and positive impression of the Government as a potential
employer -- with members of underrepresented groups, such as
minorities, women, and persons with disabilities, as well as the
job-seeking population as a whole. . We will kickoff these
recruitments fairs in Los Angeles on September 23rd. And, it is my
hope that all Federal agencies will join us in this effort.
We are also implementing a government-wide SES
Candidate Development Program this fall designed to meet agency
executive leadership requirements and support Government-wide
succession initiatives. We see this initiative as well as a
possible aid in addressing the under-representation of women,
minorities, and persons with disabilities in the SES ranks and a
key to meeting the needs of our small agencies relating to human
capital management and leadership development. We solicited ideas
for the design, implementation, and promotion of the program from
numerous stakeholder groups, including Executive Women in
Government, Federally Employed Women, National Image, the Senior
Executives Association, the Asian American Government Executive
Network, the American GI Forum, the Small Agency Council, Blacks in
Government, and Federal Executive Boards. In addition, a feeder
program is being developed to groom individuals at the mid-levels
for leadership and readiness for the SES CDP.
These are just two examples of improvements in human capital management that go beyond just having good human resources for its own sake. Strategic management of human capital can help you achieve your mission. The keys to success are to stay focused on the mission and strive for results. The successful transformation of an organization requires:
As we increase the diversity of our workforce it
is even more critical that we uphold the ideals of the American
workplace and recognize the crucial role the EEOC plays in helping
to prevent and eliminate workforce discrimination, and to
investigate and adjudicate allegations of discrimination.
The lives and careers of employees, as well as the improvement of government and private employers, depend on your timely assistance and decisions. In order to meet this challenge, EEOC will need a highly skilled workforce, armed with the appropriate tools, working in an environment that promotes effectiveness and efficiency.
OPM will continue to support agencies in every
way we can to ultimately improve the way the Government works for
its citizens. You've surely heard the old
cliché -- "I'm from the Government and
I'm here to help you." Well, we at OPM really are here
to help you! We are judging our success on whether agencies
succeed. Using our knowledge and experience in the strategic
management of human capital, and what we have learned in our own
journey toward organizational transformation, we can support EEOC
in your efforts to more clearly define your critical mission and
how best to achieve it.
Thank you for the opportunity to share my views with you here today. I look forward to answering any questions you may have.