FEBRUARY 2024

Playbook for Implementing 

Strategies to Enable a Federal 

Workforce that is Inclusive, 

Agile and Engaged, with the 

Right Skills to Enable Mission 

Delivery

Workforce of 

The Future
Foreword 3

Strategic WorkforcePlanning 4

Strategic Recruitment 5

Skills-Based Hiring 6

PooledHiring 7

IntegrationofAITechnology 8

OrganizationalHealth 9

EmployeeHealth & Well-Being 10

DataDrivenWorkforceDecisions 11

CareerPathingandEmployee Development 12

EarlyCareerTalent 13

Fostering an Inclusive Work Environment 14

Inclusive Outreach Strategy 15

Contents

WORKFORCE OF THE FUTURE

2
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) provides 

guidance and assistance to all federal agencies who 

collectively lead the nation’s largest workforce with over 

2.2 million employees. OPM, in partnership with our 

stakeholders, has identified areas, that if strengthened, 

will provide the foundation for the workforce of the 

future, and shape the transformation to promote 

policies and practices that will be most effective in 

helping to achieve agency mission delivery, as well as

position the federal government as a model employer for 

current and future employees.

OPM previously shared its vision – a workforce of the

future that is inclusive, agile and engaged, with the right 

skills to enable mission delivery. OPM’s strategy for 

addressing the workforce of the future involves 

commitments in five areas – policy and resources, 

research and evaluation, training and technical 

assistance, data analytics, and stakeholder engagement.

OPM has enunciated the specific actions or plays 

agencies can take in this Workforce of the Future 

Playbook, organized based on the three pillars of our 

vision – inclusive, agile and engaged, and right skills. 

Some of the plays are new, and some rely on existing authorities and practices that have not 

been fully utilized but, if implemented, will serve as the building blocks for a future that

promotes improved effectiveness and efficiency in the Federal Government.

OPM will update the Playbook with emerging plays and strategies as they are developed. OPM

will provide additional and on-going guidance through webinars, training, and technical 

assistance from subject matter experts to support agencies in their implementation of the 

plays.

Leaders should use appropriate plays to embrace change and ensure that their organizations 

are ready, willing, and able to leverage the opportunities change provides. Implementing the 

plays identified in this Playbook will enable federal agencies to adapt effectively to the rapidly 

evolving nature of work and to keep pace with other industries. Agencies that align the 

recommended workforce planning and development efforts with broader organizational goals

and priorities will contribute to a federal workforce that is well-equipped to meet the needs of

the Federal Government and the American public, both in the present and in the years to come.

Foreword

WORKFORCE OF THE FUTURE

3
The “Play”

Prioritize and apply longer-term strategic workforce planning and 

foresight.

Framing/Why it Matters

Strategic foresight and workforce planning are crucial in the Federal 

government due to the scale and impact they can have on shaping 

agency workforces. These tools enable agencies to make informed, 

forward-thinking decisions that consider both current trends and 

future scenarios.

Current/Future State of Workforce Planning

and Foresight

Current State: Workforce planning is decentralized, and there is often a 

lack of workforce planning expertise in agencies, as well as misalignment 

of resources, which creates an inability to forecast gaps. This results in 

reactive strategies rather than a proactive approach to closing skills and 

staffing gaps. Widespread implementation and sophistication in strategic 

foresight is still evolving and needs greater attention to ensure long-term 

scenario-based planning.

Future State: Agencies possess enhanced capacity and capability in 

workforce planning and an enterprise understanding of workforce data to 

drive decisions through dashboards and real-time tracking. Agencies utilize 

sophisticated predictive analytics to identify future skill requirements based 

on various strategic foresight methods. Strategic foresight is routinely used 

in decision-making, policy development, and planning processes and 

agencies have dedicated futurists.

Promising Practice(s)/Agency Example(s)

• The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health established the

NIOSH Strategic Foresight Initiative (SFI) to lead strategic foresight activities

and build foresight awareness and capacity at NIOSH.

• The Department of Transportation (DOT) established a Human Capital

Council comprising all subcomponents of DOT to build collaboration and

accountability across the agency. Strategic objectives, actions, and metrics are

tracked and reflected in the agency Human Capital Operating Plan.

• The State Department uses a robust modeling capability to inform planning

efforts to look at workforce issues, resource-skill requirements, forecasting

attrition, identifying MCOs, promotions, and current/probable staffing gaps.

• United States Coast Guard Project Evergreen is a scenario-based strategic

foresight planning process. 

• The Chief Financial Officers’ (CFO) Council issued a Strategic Plan titled The

CFO of the Future Now.

• NationalInstitutes of Health developed a workforce planning toolkit.

• The US Geological Survey designed a Workforce Planning Toolkit to enable a

consistent approach to workforce planning.

Tools/Resources

• OPM released the Workforce Planning Guide.

• OPM released the Talent Surge Executive Playbook and Talent Surge Hiring

Authorities Fact Sheet, as a reference for agency leaders, hiring managers,

and human resources professionals.

• OPM released the Foresight Guidebook to provide agencies with a systematic

approach to applying foresight.

• OPM released the Federal Workforce Priorities Report which communicates

key governmentwide human capital priorities.

Callto Action

✓ Create a strategy to pinpoint current and

future needs.

✓ Use PMA staffing gap templates for

identifying staffing and hiring gaps to help

plan for current and future challenges.

✓ Engage with the Workforce Planning

Community of Practice

(workforce@opm.gov) and leverage data

using agency or Governmentwide workforce

dashboards.

✓ Elevate the importance of strategic foresight

in decision-making, policy development, and

planning processes.

✓ Work to build lasting Partnerships between

the CFO and CHCO regarding budget

decisions.

Metrics to Consider 

✓ Agencies meet 90% oftheir staffing targets for

Mission Critical Occupations (MCOs).

✓ Agencies reduce time-to-hire (T2H) by 10%

year over year.

StrategicWorkforce Planning

4
AGILE AND RIGHT

The “Play”

Enhanced use of strategic recruitment methods to attract applicants.

Framing/Why it Matters

The Federal Government must be more strategic about how it recruits and 

attracts candidates. The private sector is proactively pursuing candidates, 

connecting through social media, and using other mechanism to 

strategically recruit. 

Current/Future State

Current State: Agencies typically post vacancies on USAJOBS without 

conducting strategic recruitment activities and routinely only use official 

job titles, hoping applicants with the right skills will find them and apply.

Future State: Agencies use ongoing, proactive, and strategic recruitment 

tactics to increase interest in their positions so that applicants with the right 

skills are ready to apply when the announcement opens. Plain language

and descriptive job titles are used to improve applicant’s ability to find jobs 

that meet their skill set resulting in more qualified applicants and a reduced 

number of unqualified applications.

Promising Practice(s)/Agency Example(s)

• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) developed a

corporate LinkedIn page to target diverse candidate pools, such as

engineers and scientists.

• The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) created the Strategic Talent

Analytics & Recruitment Solutions (STARS) designed to focus on the

different phases of recruitment.

• Some agencies tag job opportunity announcements so they appear in

curated branded search pages on USAJOBS such as, intern.usajobs.gov,

stem.usajobs.gov and tech.usajobs.gov.

• Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and NASA use recruitment videos

in announcements to introduce applicants to the agencies and their unique

missions.

Tools/Resources

• OPM released the Talent Surge Playbook which contains information on

HR flexibilities, authorities, actions, and other resources that will assist

agencies to strategically plan, recruit and hire staff

• OPM developed the Hiring Progress Analysis Tool, which helps agencies

identify similar steps in their processes and diagnose areas of greatest need

for improvement.

• The Agency Talent Portal on USAJOBS is a unique platform where

agencies can create and collaborate on recruitment campaigns and search

over 1.5 million resumes. To gain access, please contact recruiterhelp@usajobs.gov.

• OPM is leading the Federal government's Tech to Gov initiative, which

brings together over 300 HR practitioners, Hiring Managers, and

Technologists to discuss and address government challenges.

Call to Action

✓ Shift from passive to proactive recruitment strategies.

✓ Leverage tools like the Talent Surge Playbook and the Hiring

Process Analysis Tool.

✓ Use plain language job titles.

✓ Leverage the Agency Talent Portal to

proactively identify potential applicants and

invite them to apply.

✓ Create a social media campaign to reach larger

audiences.

✓ Maximize the use of cross-agency scalable

hiring practices such as pooled or shared certs.

✓ Partner with FEBs to expand recruitment efforts

in underserved areas.

Metrics to Consider

✓ Percent of Hiring managers who indicate use of

the agency talent portal to source candidates.

✓ Reduced time to hire.

✓ Manager satisfaction on the Chief Human

Capital Officer (CHCO) Hiring Manager

Satisfaction survey with quality of applicants

and overall satisfaction.

✓ Percent of agency posting that use a descriptive

job title instead of just official titles.

✓ Increased number of highly qualified

applicants referred to certs.

StrategicRecruitment

5
The “Play”

Implement skills-based hiring and multi-hurdle assessments to improve 

the applicant quality. Agencies should begin phasing out self-assessments 

during this transition.

Framing/Why it Matters

There is a need to improve the hiring process for both applicants and 

managers by providing hiring managers with the skilled candidates they 

require. Many times, a self-assessment is the only means used, which can 

result in thousands of unqualified individuals, who inaccurately selfassess as expert, placing an enormous burden on HR staff.

Current/Future State

Current State: Job postings rely on applicant self-assessments to 

determine whether candidates are qualified for a job. Applicants often 

inaccurately rate themselves as experts leading to unwieldy applicant 

pools with large numbers of unqualified applicants.

Future State: Agencies make strategic use of skills-based and multihurdle assessments and eliminate self-assessments, resulting in higher 

quality candidates being identified by HR for consideration by the hiring 

manager, enabling greater HR staff capacity, and ultimately leading to 

higher-quality hires.

Promising Practice(s)/Agency Example(s)

• NASA automated the application process for astronaut candidates and

implemented a prescreen competency-based assessment battery.

• Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity Service

partnered with OPM to deliver assessment for: Early Career,

Experienced Professional, People Manager, and Executive.

• Department of the Interior (DOI) indicated that 74% of announcements

used an additional assessment.

• The General Services Administration (GSA) designed the Hiring

Assessment and Selection Outcome Dashboard to provide agencies the

timely and relevant data on applications and selections.

• The White House released the Executive Order on Modernizing and

Reforming the Assessment and Hiring of Federal Job Candidates, which

directs important, merit-based reforms that will replace degree-based

hiring with skills- and competency-based hiring.

Tools/Resources

• OPM completed and released the Federal Workforce Competency

Initiative, which provides occupation-specific competency models for

82 high-priority job series by grade.

• OPM released Skills-Based Hiring Guidance, which helps hiring

managers focus on what candidates know how to do, not where they

learned it.

• OPM launched two free self-paced online training courses as part of the

“Designing and Assessment Strategy and Use of SME-Based

Assessments.”

Call to Action

✓ Identify the specific requirements of a position

and work with HR to design an assessment that

will yield qualified applicants with those

specific skills.

✓ Transition away from relying on applicant selfassessment questionnaires. When warranted to

use, review OPM’s Guide to Better Occupational

Questionnaires to help improve the rigor of

occupational questionnaires developed.

✓ Pivot to skills-based and multiple-hurdle

assessments. Encourage hiring manager to

make use of free training courses designed for

skills-based hiring.

Metrics to Consider

✓ Increase the number of JOAs using a second

assessment.

✓ Increase and track the number of selections

made using a multi-hurdle approach.

✓ Increase and track the number of skills-based

assessments developed.

Skills-Based Hiring

6
Pooled Hiring

The “Play”

Scale pooled hiring/shared certificates to improve hiring efficiencies.

Framing/Why it Matters

Pooled hiring at scale maximizes efficiency and enables agencies to quickly 

hire applicants who are highly qualified. This saves time and resources and 

enhances the applicant experience through a centralized coordination of 

governmentwide hiring. It is recognized that as we add assessments and 

complete certain requirements of sharing certs, it may add time to the 

hiring process. Therefore, agencies need to continually look at their 

processes to identify and resolve bottlenecks and leverage opportunities to 

be more efficient.

Current/Future State

Current State: Each agency posts a unique vacancy announcement multiple 

times for a core occupation, such as acquisition or human resources. 

Hundreds of applicants apply and only 1 or 2 are selected leaving qualified 

applicants still available on the certificate. 

Future State: Agencies leverage pooled hiring/shared certs efforts as the 

default course of business, working together within an agency and across 

Departments on shared certificates and governmentwide pooled hiring 

actions. Hiring managers have more incentive to work collaboratively with 

their HR partners, resulting in more strategic and innovative recruiting and 

efficient use of appropriate hiring authorities, assessments, and 

technologies available to reach top candidates.

Promising Practice(s)/Agency Example

• Multi-Agency Job Announcements - OPM worked with Bipartisan

Infrastructure Law (BIL) agency representatives to open a

groundbreaking, multi-agency HR Specialist (0201) job announcement 

enabling agencies to leverage pooled hiring that attracted 2,700 

applicants and led to 86 selections across four BIL agencies.

• DHS ran an effort to recruit Human-Centered Designers (GS-2210-14/15).

In total, 19 selections were made, and the remainder of highly qualified

candidates were shared with other hiring agencies.

• Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rolled out a new

platform to facilitate sharing Merit Promotion and Direct Hire

Certificates and made 683 hires. HHS has increased selections by 73%

through this initiative.

Tools/Resources

• OPM issued a memo on Implementing Policy Guidance for the

Competitive Service Act, which gives the appointing authority the

permission to share a competitive certificate.

•

•

OPM launched Structured Resume Training, a free, self-paced training

course for experienced HR specialists.

OPM launched training on Designing an Assessment Strategy:

Fundamental Concepts, Processes and Applications Training and Use

of Hiring Assessments: A SME-Based Approach.

• OPM partners with agencies, councils, and other governing bodies to

identify hiring needs and uses SMEs to identify and assess common job

requirements.

• The USA Staffing Candidate Inventory resources page is available to

leverage status and non-competitive candidates who already appear on

agency-approved applicant lists.

Call to Action

✓ Check the Talent Pools shared certificate functionality available via

USAJOBS Agency Talent Portal to determine if there is a

Governmentwide pooled action available. Your 

agency’s Shared Certificate Coordinator 

can assist you, or you can contact 

recruiter-help@usajobs.gov. 

✓ Work with cross-agency councils, such as the

CFO, CIO, and CHCO to identify opportunities

for collaborating on shared certificates. Work

with your agency Talent Team or connect with

OPM’s Hiring Experience Group at

HX@opm.gov for assistance.

✓ Create a process to share certs across the

agency.

✓ Identify occupations that could be targeted for

shared certificates outside your agency.

✓ Share information with hiring managers about

the benefits of pooled hiring and the resources

available.

Metrics to Consider

✓ Increase use of agency specific or

Governmentwide shared certificates.

✓ Track the number of hires made from pooled

hiring actions.

7
The “Play”

Integrate technology such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), and explore 

the use of Generative AI, into HR processes to become more efficient.

Framing/Why it Matters

Artificial intelligence has the potential to change many aspects of the 

workplace and the work that federal employees are engaged in. To capture 

the potential of AI, agencies should consider how to apply it to the full 

lifecycle of human capital management, as appropriate, while ensuring 

that agencies are properly skilling their workforce as to the use of AI in the 

workplace. Agencies should look at all aspects of AI including how 

machine learning can support improved processes and how generative AI 

can improve efficiencies.

Current/Future State

Current State: Employees perform work either without using AI, or

without any system or guidance on the use of AI for processes or tasks.

Future State: Employees regularly use AI for tasks where it can increase 

efficiency, and/or improve work product, while ensuring that use complies 

with relevant statutory, regulatory, and administration requirements and 

guidance. This includes, for example, using generative AI to improve 

hiring processes. Agencies regularly evaluate and increase AI skill sets and 

capabilities and upskill their workforce to more regularly utilize AI 

as needed and appropriate, including Generative AI. As AI begins to 

augment how we work, employees now move away from repeatable tasks 

enabling them to think and act more strategically and have a more direct 

impact on mission delivery. Agencies regularly evaluate and increase AI 

skill sets and capabilities and understand how to upskill their workforce 

to utilize AI, including Generative AI technology.

Promising Practice(s)/Agency Example(s)

• The Air Force developed a Human Resources Apprentice pilot to improve the

minimum qualification process in assessing candidates for Federal jobs by

improving the workflow and using AI. This AI automation aids staffing

specialists in assessing applicants against position requirements where the

software is integrated into existing hiring processes.

• A GAO Study reported about 1,200 current and planned AI use cases and specific

challenges or opportunities that AI may help solve.

• The Department of Defense Joint Artificial Intelligence Center Responsible AI

Champions Pilot is focused on accelerating the adoption and integration of AI

in the Department of Defense to achieve mission impact at scale.

• The Department of Education (ED) provided agency leadership with an

interactive workforce dashboard with data to help users better identify

workforce needs and developed a Workforce Maturity Model that will inform

current and future state staffing needs. ED’s virtual assistant uses natural

language processing to answer common financial aid questions and has

interacted with over 5 million unique customers, resulting in more than 28

million user messages.

Tools and Resources

• The White House released the Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and

Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence, which outlines the

governance, development, and use of AI safely and responsibly.

• The AI in Government Act ensures that the use of AI across the federal

government is effective, ethical, and accountable, providing resources and

guidance to agencies.

• The Agency Use Cases for AI is an inventory of how AI is being used.

• OPM released The AI in Government Act of 2020 – Artificial Intelligence

Competencies memo to provide agencies guidance on general and technical

competencies to support agencies targeting AI skills needed to fill positions to

expand AI capabilities governmentwide.

• The White House published the Blueprint for an AI Bill of

Rights, which identifies five principles that should guide the

design, use, and deployment of automated systems to protect

the American public.

• GSA published the AI Guide for Government as a living and

evolving guide to the application of ArtificialIntelligence for

the Federal Government.

• The EEOC launched the Artificial Intelligence and

Algorithmic Fairness Initiative which will examine more

closely how existing and developing technologies

fundamentally change the ways employment decisions are

made.

Call to Action

✓ Leverage appropriate AI capabilities into HR processes,

with a focus on hiring strategies and enhancing the

skills of the workforce.

✓ Understand how AI will impact the workforce and

ensuring that safeguards are in place to protect

employees.

✓ Maximize the power of AI by upskilling teams with

appropriate competencies to shape a future-ready

government.

✓ Train workforce on latest AI use cases and their

applicability to current work. Include AI skills as a

requirement in any rotational program.

Metrics to Consider

✓ Identify and close skills gaps in data literacy and AI,

including areas like the usage of large language models.

✓ Track and increase the number of HR AI use cases.

Integration of AI Technology

8
AGILE AND RIGHT

The “Play”

Create work environments that drive organizational health and 

performance.

Framing/Why it Matters

Defining and measuring organizational health and performance is a key 

practice for an agency to meet its mission and understand impediments to 

achieving its goals. Data and evidence indicate a strong predictive 

relationship between work environments and organizational heath and 

organizational performance.

Current/Future State

Current State: There is wide variance in the maturity and practices of 

agencies in measuring organizational health and performance, which can 

result in an inability to demonstrate the effectiveness of work environment 

plans to achieve organization and workforce outcomes.

Future State: Policy is driven by performance and results, with agencies 

using tools and identifying metrics to measure organizational health and 

make work environment policy decisions based on effectiveness and the 

agency’s ability to deliver on mission.

Promising Practice(s)/Agency Example(s)

• The National Weather Service created an organizational health

blueprint.

• The VA implemented a customer service (CX) initiative with four core

capabilities: Data, Tools, Technology, and Engagement.

• The Department of Transportation (DOT) implemented frameworks

for measuring, monitoring, and improving organizational health and

organizational performance.

Tools/Resources

• OPM launched the OPM Data Portal to support agencies in conducting

analysis on different workforce factors.

• OPM Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey which is the largest survey

tool in the country administered to 1.6 million employees.

• The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and OPM created the

Organizational Health Scans to provide insights on current indicators

related to organizational health and performance.

• OMB issued M-23-15: Measuring, Monitoring, and Improving

Organizational Health and Organizational Performance in the Context of

Evolving Agency Work Environments, which outlines steps agencies can

take to ensure work environments continue to improve organizational

health and organizational performance.

• The White House released Measuring What Matters: Organizational

Health and Performance, which provides guidance to help ensure that

agency decisions about their work environments continually improve their

organization’s health and performance.

Call to Action

✓ Identify metrics that make sense for each

agency.

✓ Identify benchmarks for those metrics in order

to facilitate comparisons that will place and

anchor them in the context of appropriate

reference points.

✓ Start with metrics that have the greatest impact

on your organization. Track and monitor these

metrics through HRStat; evaluate progress.

✓ Develop structured opportunities for leaders to

use data for strategic and operational decisions

to encourage organizational health and

performance improvements.

Metrics to Consider

✓ Track and set targets to increase FEVS scores on

the agency Performance Confidence Index

(PCI) that can be found on page 25 of the

Governmentwide Management Report.

✓ Identify, set targets, and track metrics

associated with organizational health as

outlined in M-23-15.

OrganizationalHealth

9
The “Play”

Elevate employee health and well-being.

Framing/Why it Matters

By providing an effective and comprehensive program to support employee 

health and well-being, agencies can not only become an employer of choice 

and a model of positive and effective workplace practices but can also remove 

barriers to mission accomplishment. Data shows that improved levels of 

employee health and well-being can significantly reduce instances of 

absenteeism, low productivity, employee burnout, and other negative mental 

and physical complications, health care costs, accidents, and grievances.

Current/Future State

Current State: Agencies vary substantially on the extent and quality of wellbeing resources offered to employees. Many such programs are categorized 

under the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which has a stigma attached 

to their use. Agencies may lack or infrequently use measurement tools to 

identify where resources are most needed to measure program effectiveness, 

or to monitor progress or areas of challenge regarding employee well-being.

Future State: Agencies offer robust resources to employees under the 

umbrella of employee well-being, which are widely utilized. Programs have 

ample capacity and providers have cultural competency to target their 

services for relevant individuals and occupations. Agencies know the value of 

these resources and programs on employees and the broader workplace.

Promising Practice(s)/Agency Example(s)

• The National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service Total

Worker Health program uses workforce data analysis to drive

transformation through top-down cultural initiatives designed to protect

and promote the physical and mental health of the workforce.

• The Administration for Children and Families at HHS created a

comprehensive well-being program that includes a wellness hub,

resilience toolkit, wellness trainings, and mindfulness sessions.

• Veteran’sHealthAdministration REBOOTProgramis a national initiative

addressing burnout and promoting professional fulfillment among

employees.

• HHS SAMSHA Practitioner Training offers tools, training, and technical

assistance to practitioners in the fields of mental health and substance

use disorders.

• CDC Workplace Health Resource Center provides employees additional

resources.

• HHS published a helpful guide called Our Epidemic of Loneliness and

Isolation.

• The Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and

Well-Being offers a foundation that workplaces can build upon.

Tools/Resources

• OPM released Employee Wellness Program Guidance, which promotes

consistent, evidence- based approaches to EAP programming.

• OPM issued Federal Workplace Conversations About Mental Health,

which explains the need to address mental health in the workplace and

encourages conversations.

• OPM’s Mindful FED is a resourced community of practice and suite of

programs staffed by the Federal Executive Institute.

Call to Action

✓ Broaden the scope and understanding of the current

Employee Assistance Programs, dispelling stigmas,

and ensuring the programs are attuned to the

unique cultural needs of your workforce.

✓ Prioritize the rollout of relevant tools and resources.

✓ Foster an environment where everyone can thrive

and deliver their best for the nation.

✓ Make employee health and well-being a priority to

transform agency performance and improve

engagement.

✓ Participate in the Employee Engagement

community of practice by contacting

CHCOCouncilCoPs@opm.gov

✓ Identify ways to evaluate EAP program

effectiveness.

Metrics to Consider

✓ Set targets to improve employee health and wellbeing metrics on the OPM FEVS.

✓ Close gaps in the Human Capital Framework

performance culture system under work-life

programs.

✓ Increase awareness of the employee health and

well- being programs through strategic

communication.

EmployeeHealth andWell-being

10
The “Play”

Use data to make informed workforce decisions.

Framing/Why it Matters

The Foundations for Evidence-based Policymaking Act of 2018 was 

established to advance evidence-building in the Federal Government by 

improving access to data and expanding agencies’ capacity for research, 

evaluation, and analysis. Better use of workforce data can enhance 

agencies’ ability to recruit, hire, engage, train, and retain talent.

Current/Future State

Current State: Agencies do not have sufficient access to data and insights 

because data are often incomplete, delayed, or siloed. In addition, many 

staff lack data literacy to interpret the data.

Future State: Data are accurate, timely, and readily available to agencies 

and agency leaders through dashboards, reports, and research studies and 

are consistently used to inform policy decisions. Employees at all levels 

are properly trained and able to use their skills to interpret, visualize, and 

present data to decision-makers.

Promising Practice(s)/Agency Example(s)

• The Advanced Analytics platform (ADVANA) is DoD’s technology

platform that houses a collection of enterprise data and supplies leaders

with decision support analytics, visualizations, data tools, and

associated support services.

• SBA has developed a robust data analytics framework that integrates

HRStat into planning, monitoring and evaluating using sophisticated

dashboards to track progress.

• ED provided agency leadership with an interactive workforce dashboard

with data to help recipients better understand workforce needs and

developed a Workforce Maturity Model to illustrate what an effective

workforce plan looks like,

Tools/Resources

• The OPM Data Portal provides seamless access to OPM data products and

services, including public-facing human capital dashboards, the OPM

Data Strategy, and various data policy resources.

• Performance.gov Data Dashboard helps to ensure that intended outcomes

are achieved through success metrics to gauge progress.

• GSA Mission Support Dashboard provides results from the MissionSupport Services Customer Satisfaction Survey (CSS).

• Chief Data Officer’s Council provides tool and resources.

• Evaluation.gov, the home for Federal program evaluation and the

Evaluation Officer Council.

Call to Action

✓ Identify the data needed to support managers

and make the data available through dashboards

or other platforms.

✓ Identify data literacy gaps and develop strategies

to ensure employees have the necessary data

skills.

✓ Engage with the agency Human Capital Data

Champion to understand what tools and

resources are available.

✓ Ensure that HR data standards are

implemented, and that transmission and entry is

accurate and timely.

✓ Use currently available data products like

Fedscope, time to hire and manager satisfaction

Dashboards, stay and exit surveys, applicant

flow data and other platforms to inform

decisions.

Metrics to Consider

✓ Set targets to improve data accuracy and

timeliness.

✓ Set targets to track key data indicators such as

attrition, demographics, time-to-hire, and other

key workforce data.

Data-drivenWorkforceDecisions

11
The “Play”

Clearly articulate career paths and prioritize professional growth and 

development.

Framing/Why it Matters

Making every Federal job a good job, where all employees have an 

opportunity to learn and grow, could start with career pathing. A career path 

is a strategic roadmap for helping employees navigate their professional 

careers.

Current/Future State

Current State: Current Federal employees need greater clarity on how to 

advance and may lack a clear understanding of a possible career path. NonFederal employees are challenged to see where their skills might fit into a 

federal career path.

Future State: The Federal government uses modernized strategies to build 

career paths and updates them to reflect shifting workforce expectations 

and career dynamics. Federal employees understand and are empowered to 

take advantage of their opportunities for career growth. Agencies provide 

opportunities such as rotations within and across agencies as well as 

chances to participate in reskilling and upskilling programs.

Promising Practice(s)/Agency Example(s) • DOI launched my DOI Careers to share information on occupations

across the agency.

• The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Career Path Tool

(CPT) is a new way for current and prospective FEMA employees to

explore different careers.

• DoD’s Interactive Job Exploration Tool allows job seekers to review

different career paths and current job openings based upon education, 

degrees, certifications, and interests. DoD also developed a similar tool 

on Students and Recent Graduates to assist in locating scholarships, 

internships, and apprenticeships throughout the Department. 

• The Chief Financial Officer’s Council launched a Career Planning &

Training Tool to provide a medium for 140,000 financial management

professionals to access training.

• The DOL Competency Model Clearinghouse provides information about

competency models and why they are useful in training a globally

competitive workforce.

• The National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (NICCS)

Cyber Career Pathways Tool presents a new and interactive way to

explore work roles.

Tools/Resources

• OPM issued Career Path Guides are an integral part of an effective talent

management system.

• OPM’s Individual Development Plan is a tool to assist employees in

career development.

• OPM is currently collaborating with the Chief Human Capital Officers

Council on career pathing pilots for HR across the Federal Government

and is also working on a prototype Career Growth Platform website for

the HR community that will include HR workforce training and career

development resources and leading practices.

Call to Action

✓ Have clear discussions with employees on their

short- term and long-term goals to help them

develop a strategy to achieve those goals.

✓ Conduct training needs assessments and

competency assessments to better understand

skills gaps.

✓ Use individual develop plans (IDP) to support

growth into stretch competencies and

professional growth.

✓ Consider using “stay interviews” to better

understand employee needs and why they are

excited to work for the agency.

Metrics to Consider

✓ Increase the number of employees completing

Individual Development Plans.

✓ Increase the frequency of manager and

employee discussions on career growth.

✓ Review FEVS scores and set targets for

improvement around employee development.

FEVS questions to consider:

• I am given a real opportunity to improve

my skills in my organization.

• I receive the training I need to do my job

well.

• Supervisors in my work unit support

employee development.

CareerPathing and Employee Development

12
The “Play”

Reinvigorate Federal early career talent programs that serve as a pipeline 

for diverse talent into Federal jobs by investing resources in these 

programs, increasing public visibility of Federal careers, and establishing 

and maintaining effective partnerships with sources of early career talent 

(e.g. colleges and universities, Registered Apprenticeship Programs). 

Framing/Why it Matters

Early career programs are a critical entry point into Federal service whether 

someone is entering the workforce for the first time or changing 

professions. By increasing opportunities and removing barriers to hiring 

interns, fellows, and apprentices, Federal agencies can boost their talent 

pipelines and better serve the American people.

Current/Future State

Current State: Agencies typically view early career talent as short-term 

hires and do not incorporate them into their workforce planning strategies 

or set aside positions for early career talent.

Future State: Agencies align early career talent hiring with mission-critical 

occupation skills gaps, use Pathways and other avenues to bring in new 

hires, and ensure funding is set aside for paid internships and full-time 

equivalent (FTE) employment for interns to convert into permanent 

positions. This will result in more entry-level employees hired into 

government. Agencies incorporate strategic use of the Pathways Programs, 

all hiring authorities, internships, fellowships, and apprenticeships as part 

of the agency’s workforce planning.

Promising Practice(s)/Agency Example(s)

• NASA weaves early career talent hiring, training, and development into

its workforce planning strategy and receives more than 50,000

applications annually, hosts more than 3,500 paid interns with an 84%

conversion rate for Pathways Interns.

• Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) developed a robust internship

program in which all interns are paid to include funding for travel and

a stipend.

• The Intelligence Community has a robust website for internships that

could be a model to attract students.

Tools/Resources

• OPM’s Intern Experience Program is a free program that provides a

standardized, high quality professional experience for Federal interns

and supplements agencies’ existing programs.

• OPM’s Federal Internship Portal is a one-stop shop for prospective

interns to find opportunities and apply for internships in the Federal

government.

• The Presidential Management Fellows Program is a leadership

development program for advanced degree holders across all academic

disciplines.

• OPM published the Federal Internship FAQs which provides valuable

information about internships and how to apply.

• OPM’s Guide to Internships, Fellowships, Apprenticeships, and Other

Programs provides guidance to hiring managers, human resources

(HR) professionals, internship coordinators, and Pathways Programs

Officers (PPOs).

• Scholarship For Service is a unique program designed to recruit and

train the next generation of IT professionals, industrial control system

security professionals, and security managers.

Call to Action

✓ Prioritize and allocate funding for internships,

ensuring interns are compensated and

supported.

✓ Use tools such as Pathways, USAJOBS Intern

portal, Intern Experience Program, and the

PMF Program to reach early career talent and

plan on converting when applicable.

✓ Revisit how interns are perceived and

positioned in the organization. Transition from

viewing them as temporary assets to potential

long-term contributors.

✓ Partner with educational institutions and

harness existing platforms to fortify your talent

pipeline.

Metrics to Consider

✓ Increase the number of paid internships.

✓ Increase the number of interns converted.

EarlyCareerTalent

13
The “Play”

Expand the understanding of how diversity, equity, inclusion, and 

accessibility (DEIA) contributes to an inclusive work environment that 

provides the space, tools, and opportunities for individuals to perform their 

best work. Promising practices in this space include targeted recruitment, 

utilizing data to identify DEIA barriers, inclusive hiring processes, robust 

training programs, and a commitment to Employee Resource Groups (ERGs).

Framing/Why it Matters

Robust DEIA initiatives build trust between employers and their workforces, 

improve decision-making and communication, and foster creativity. 

Research indicates that when employees are treated fairly and equitably, feel 

included and valued, and have access to systems and facilities needed to 

complete their work, they report higher levels of satisfaction and are 

motivated to create new and exciting solutions to current and future 

challenges. Moreover, institutions perform better and best serve their clients 

and customers when they are diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible. 

Current/Future State

Current State: Agencies are at various levels of maturity with respect to how 

they are able to incorporate DEIA into supporting their workforce and their 

customers. 

Future State: Agencies have a shared understanding of DEIA principles, 

competencies, and standards, and offer training programs and other 

resources that are evidence-informed and prioritized. Agencies track DEIA 

investments, share promising practices, and collaborate for enterprise-wide 

approaches.

Promising Practice(s)/Agency Example(s)

• The U.S. Agency for International Development conducted a DEIA

survey that encompassed over 60% of the workforce, and expanded

demographics to over 30 categories, including first generation

professional status and generational cohorts.

• The Small Business Administration (SBA) ensured their DEIA Strategic

Plan, including progress, performance, budget, and goal metrics, was

aligned to the overall agency Strategic Plan.

• The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) launched the Diversity

Inclusion Awareness - Leading Organizational Growth Understanding

and Engagement (DIALOGUE), which consisted of a diverse group of

employees across the agency. NRC also launched the Initiative on

Civility, Awareness, Respect, and Engagement (ICARE) sessions to

discuss important topics in the news and current events with agency

staff.

Tools/Resources

• The White House released the government-wide strategic plan to

advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the Federal

workforce, which provides vision and mission statements and establishes

five operating principles to advance and sustain DEIA.

• OPM released the report entitled Government-wide DEIA: Our Progress

and Path Forward to Building a Better Workforce for the American

People, which provided a status update on the state of DEIA in the Federal

workforce.

• OPM released Promising Practices for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and

Accessibility in the Federal Workforce, which highlights impactful DEIA

practices that agencies can leverage.

Call to Action

✓ Commit to understanding how DEIA not only

promotes equity but drives innovation and

improves organizational health in addition to

building a world- class workforce.

✓ Prioritize long-term, enterprise DEIA initiatives

that can include training that targets

awareness, cognitive learning, and skills

development.

Metrics to Consider

✓ Develop and track enterprise DEIA initiatives

that promote awareness and skills development

over time.

✓ Track employee satisfaction with training

offerings.

✓ Utilize data to analyze barriers DEIA in the

hiring lifecycle.

✓ Use FEVS DEIA Index to monitor progress and

develop improvement strategies.

Fostering an Inclusive Work Environment

14
The “Play”

Build a long-term outreach strategy with Minority Serving Institutions (MSI), 

community organizations, institutions serving people with disabilities, and 

community colleges to build a sense of community and continuity for 

employees.

Framing/Why it Matters

As the largest employer in the country, the Federal government aspires to be 

a model employer. Agencies can help achieve that goal by having talent 

pipelines that reflect the diversity of the American people; believing that 

qualified people from every background and walk of life should have equal 

opportunity to serve our Nation.

Current/Future State

Current State: Outreach efforts to colleges and universities, MSIs, community 

colleges, community organizations, and institutions serving people with 

disabilities vary across government depending on resources. There is a need 

for meaningful outreach metrics to determine the success and effectiveness 

of the efforts beyond number of people reached.

Future State: Agencies engage in coordinated efforts to reach out to MSI’s, 

community organizations, institutions serving people with disabilities, and 

community colleges using resources such as social media messaging, and 

evaluation techniques to provide evidence about the extent to which this 

programming connects individuals to resources that make them feel welcome 

and supported in the hiring process.

Promising Practice(s)/Agency Example(s)

• The Department of Labor (DOL) established a new recruitment and outreach

branch to strengthen its presence at career fairs and hiring events.

• The Recruitment and Outreach Community of Practice is a CHCO Councilled effort to facilitate the sharing of best practices, lessons learned, and

resources to attract and hire the most qualified employees, who reflect the

diversity of our country, in the right roles across the Federal Government.

• The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) is a recruitment and referral

program that connects Federal and private-sector employers nationwide

with highly motivated college students and recent graduates with disabilities.

• OPM, in partnership with Hampton University, launched “Level Up to

Service Internship," which is a pilot program to increase interest in careers

in the Federal Government.

Tools/Resources

• The White House issued EO 14035 Executive Order on Diversity, Equity,

Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce to further

advance equity and cultivate a workforce that draws from the full

diversity of the Nation.

• OPM released Promising Practices for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and

Accessibility in the Federal Workforce, which highlights impactful

DEIA practices that agencies can leverage.

• OPM issued an Interim Final Rule Expanding Access to Federal Jobs for

Military Spouses allowing spouses married to members of the armed

forces on active duty to remain eligible for noncompetitive

appointment under this hiring authority until December 31, 2028.

• OPM issued a final regulation that prohibits the use of previous

non-federal salary history in setting pay for federal employment

offers.

• OPM finalized a regulation prohibiting federal

agencies from requesting criminal history

before the employer has made a conditional

offer of employment.

• OPM launched the Talent Sourcing for America

initiative in September of 2022 in response to EO

14035 to take new steps to attract, hire, involve,

develop, support, and empower talent who can help

meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.

Call to Action

✓ Build strategic alliances with MSIs, community

colleges, and organizations dedicated to people with

disabilities.

✓ Engage in outreach to programs such as Job Corps

and Registered Apprenticeship programs that

provide participants with skills.

✓ Connect with MSI’s to distribute vacancies to

potential applicants.

✓ Engage with the WRP to connect with motivated

students and recent graduates with disabilities.

Metrics to Consider

✓ Increase the number of recruitment events held at

MSIs.

✓ Increase the number of managers who indicate they

review applicant flow data.

InclusiveOutreachStrategy

15