Washington, D.C. - As a part of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's ongoing effort to encourage agencies to speed up the federal hiring process, OPM Director Kay Coles James has issued a survey to get at the heart of actual hiring practices at federal agencies and departments. The data collected will give OPM a better picture of those HR processes that are preventing the quick-hire of quality job candidates.

"By completing this survey, you will provide OPM with important information about the recruitment and hiring practices of your agency," said James. "Your responses will be a rich source of information for us in our efforts to resolve a problem in which we all have a significant stake. Many of you already are implementing programs to remove internal barriers, such as outmoded practices, that serve as impediments to your ability to hire the best and brightest...Your participation is crucial."

This survey is intended to assist agencies and OPM develop the fact-based information needed to accelerate progress on reducing the time it takes to hire federal employees. It is based on James' memorandum to agencies entitled Ten Things You Can Do to Improve Federal Hiring, which was released in February.

"Reducing time to hire is a key component of making the federal government competitive for the best talent our country has to offer," said James. "The Chief Human Capital Officers Act of 2002 includes a number of hiring flexibilities that agencies have long sought as valuable tools to improve the hiring process. These new authorities, coupled with authorities already on the books, are intended to dramatically improve our ability to get the right people in the right jobs at the right time."

James added the survey will gauge how agencies and departments are doing following passage of the Act, assess whether the new flexibilities are taking hold, whether unnecessary rules and practices are being swept away, and what further action is needed by OPM at the guidance or agency level in terms of practices.

Results of the survey will be announced in the next several weeks.

Our mission is to ensure the Federal Government has an effective civilian workforce. OPM supports U.S. agencies with personnel services and policy leadership including staffing tools, guidance on labor-management relations and programs to improve work force performance.