Strategic Workforce Planning

Recruitment & Retention Strategies

Evaluation of Foreign Service Recruitment, Selection,
Training, and Workforce Planning
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

ICF International is currently working with USAID to improve its workforce planning, increase the diversity of its workforce, rationalize staffing in the Office of Human Resources, and to increase effectiveness in recruiting, training, and retention of entry-level and mid-career Foreign Service Officers. ICF International conducted data collection activities within USAID, including background discussions with human resources managers and staff, and surveys and interviews with Foreign Service Officers, Mission Directors, Deputy Mission Directors, and other senior agency personnel. In addition, ICF International is performing a benchmarking and external assessment of other international service organizations, NGOs, development banks, and public sector organizations in an effort to determine best industry practices. The project will conclude with a lessons-learned report including recommendations for improving USAID's recruiting, training, and workforce planning processes.

Workforce Planning and Assessment for the Department of Interior
U.S. Department of Interior (DOI)

ICF is working with DOI’s Wildland Fire Management and Finance/Accounting Career Groups to develop and deliver workforce modeling tools, workload analysis, a 5- to 10-year workforce plan, and implementation and investment strategies. The goal is to improve DOI’s ability to plan for, retain, recruit, place, train, and support the DOI workforce—as well as DOI’s contingent workforce of associated volunteers and seasonal, temporary, and militia employees—devoted to wildland fire management. DOI recognized the need for a collaborative effort among federal and state partners to develop a strategy for achieving a broader, deeper, and more sustainable workforce to accomplish future and current commitments of the National Fire Plan. DOI wanted its workforce planning to address the full range of workforce needs, from entry-level fire personnel through senior-level fire program leaders, including all disciplines directly supporting the fire management program.

The specific work that ICF International is performing includes assessing Wildland Fire Management and Finance/Accounting career groups across DOI's bureaus, identifying challenges and gaps, addressing competency and certification issues, targeting the characteristics of the future career group workforce, recommending improvements to workforce practices and support systems, identifying the benefits to the plan implementation, and describing strategies and creating tactics to integrate the recommended changes. ICF International is integrating the competencies of DOI staff with its "red card" and emerging Incident Command Qualifications systems.

Measuring Workforce Planning Performance
U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

ICF International was awarded a contract by the Internal Revenue Service to develop a measurement framework for its workforce planning process. The process we followed included: reviewing and documenting the workforce planning process; reviewing the federal government management and academic literature related to workforce planning; conducting a benchmarking study of workforce planning managers in government and private sector organizations; creating a measurement framework based on the phases of workforce planning and the dimensions critical to a high-performing organization; and developing specific performance measurements for each workforce planning phase. Each measurement included a specific objective, inputs, actions, desired intermediate or end outcome, performance indicators, and performance targets. The IRS selected five measurements to implement initially and is selecting additional measurements to implement each year.

Job Competency Profile and Screening Tools Development
Department of Administrative Services (DOAS), State of Georgia

The State of Georgia is now using job competencies to manage its human resource functions, such as selection, training, and performance management. To support the use of competencies in this manner, the State must develop competency profiles for all jobs in the Georgia state government. The State has also begun to restructure its central procurement division by reorganizing, adding new functional objectives, and creating new job requirements within the State's Department of Administrative Services. The State must develop competency profiles for multiple jobs within this division, and it also must develop competency-based selection tools for these jobs to enable selection of individuals capable of performing in these new/revised roles.

In response to these needs, ICF International developed competency profiles, screening tools, and selection instruments for four jobs: Purchasing Operations Agent (Levels I and II) and Contracting Officer (Levels I and II). Via a cost-effective approach, new competency profiles for these jobs were developed using competencies from the State's new standard competency dictionary (G-Comps) and input from DOAS as well as private sector Subject Matter Experts (SME). Based on the profiles developed, ICF International created customized screening and selection tools to address all technical requirements for each position. The tools include a Task-Based Questionnaire (TBQ), a set of written exercises, and an oral-structured interview. These assessments will provide for efficient and effective administration, allow the State to identify the most promising candidates for these positions, and conform to Title VII of the Civil Rights of 1964

Study of Entry-Level Transportation Construction Workforce Shortages
Florida Department of Transportation

The growth in the need for transportation construction workers in the state of Florida has outpaced the growth in available workers. To determine the causes of and potential remedies for the existing and projected entry-level transportation construction workforce shortages, ICF is reviewing and analyzing the job choice and selection literature to understand the factors that contribute to job choice decisions, conducting a “policy capturing” study with high school students likely to be part of the unskilled labor market to capture their "policies" on what they look for when they choose a job, and collecting information on best practices in marketing and recruiting for unskilled construction jobs. These methods have complimentary strengths and, when used together, can create the most accurate and complete picture of the workforce shortage issues and potential solutions.

Diversity Planning (MD 715)

Management Directive 715 Analysis
Office of Civil Rights (OCR), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The EPA requested contractor assistance to conduct an assessment of the organization's workforce in order to fulfill the requirements of Management Directive 715. As part of these efforts, ICF International compiled all available data on EPA's permanent and temporary workforce, and generated MD715 reports examining the representation of racial, ethnic, and gender groups and persons with disabilities. In accordance with EEOC guidelines, ICF International created a comprehensive list of all possible triggers that could signal potential barriers preventing individuals, including applicants and persons with disabilities, from participating equally in EPA's employment and career development because of their race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, parental status, sexual orientation, or disability. ICF International used trend analyses and U.S. Census data to examine these triggers and identify instances where the quantitative data suggested that there was an impediment to equal employment opportunities. ICF International then cross-referenced that list with information gathered in document reviews, interviews, and focus groups.

Based on the findings of the barrier analysis, ICF International prepared a recommendations report for EPA OCR that outlined and recommended options to maximize opportunities for all employees and applicants at EPA. ICF International submitted to OCR the Fiscal Year 2004 Affirmative Employment Report (EEOC Form 715-01). In addition, ICF International resurveyed the EPA workforce to reclassify minority and ethnic groups in compliance with the new categorization requirements of MD715.

Diversity Workshop and Other Learning Events in Response to the President's Management Agenda
Division of Human Capital Leadership and Merit System Accountability (HCLMSA), U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM)

ICF International was chosen by OPM's Office of Human Capital Leadership and Merit System Accountability (HCLMSA) to design and facilitate a series of eight workshops, including one on diversity, to share best practices and disseminate key information to U.S. federal agency practitioners responsible for improving human capital management and performance. Each workshop was delivered twice to audiences of approximately 30 participants from approximately one dozen different agencies. The diversity workshop helped federal managers develop strategies specific to their needs for addressing underrepresentation in their orkforce. Workshop attendees focused on analyzing the current agency status regarding representation, developing the business case for diversity that allows supervisors and managers to see the benefits, and identifying lessons learned and promising practices. Agencies that attended this workshop have 'gotten to green" regarding diversity on the President's Management Agenda. The approach emphasized a combination of lecture, case studies, exercises, and strategy sessions.

To develop each of these workshops, ICF International facilitated "Knowledge Exchange" sessions involving representatives from government agencies with strategic human capital responsibilities and ICF International organizational development and training experts. The objectives of each of these one-day sessions were to identify the key topic areas to be addressed at each of the workshops, establish learning objectives, identify agencies with best practices to share, and establish exercises and scenarios that would serve to facilitate information sharing and learning. In designing the workshops, ICF International relied extensively on subject matter experts identified at the Knowledge Exchange workshops, incorporated guest speakers from best in class agencies and private industry, and compiled materials—including tools, models, detailed instructor manuals, and technical resources—that could be used by participants in developing their human capital initiatives.

Action Plan for Incorporating Affirmative Employment Goals into USAID’s Workforce Strategies
USAID Office of Human Resources

ICF International was contracted to develop an action plan for incorporating affirmative employment goals into USAID's workforce strategies for its entire workforce, inclusive of both its civil service and foreign service personnel. Using survey instruments, structured interviews, and focus groups, ICF International identified the critical diversity issues and challenges facing the agency; assessed the relative impact of agency policies and practices on diversity attainment; and developed strategies for addressing diversity issues.

Succession Planning

Succession Planning Strategy
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

A recent analysis of SAMHSA's workforce revealed that a significant number of senior leaders are retirement eligible over the next several years. As a result, SAMHSA is undertaking a detailed workforce analysis and developing a detailed succession strategy to prepare for the loss of essential expertise and to ensure that the agency has the ability to fill key positions. While SAMHSA is a small agency, its purview covers a broad spectrum of program areas. As a result, it requires a broad range of highly technical competencies. Therefore, a key challenge is to devise succession planning strategies that leverage limited staff resources and take advantage of federal human resources flexibilities to fill very specialized needs. To support these efforts, ICF International is conducting the following activities:

• Reviewing SAMHSA's current workforce planning and development activities in light of the key success factors for succession planning to identify key vulnerabilities
• Interviewing key staff to identify key competencies that will be needed to support SAMHSA’s future program initiatives
• Benchmarking other organizations to identify best practices for succession planning
• Developing recommendations for filling gaps in SAMHSA's succession planning activities, including innovative approaches to recruitment, retention, and knowledge management
• Developing a detailed succession strategy document, including milestones and key activities

Technical Assistance for Strategic Human Capital Plan and Reporting
Administration on Aging (AoA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

The Administration on Aging (AoA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is the federal focal point and advocate agency for older persons and their concerns. To anticipate the impending increase in this demographic, AoA is aligning its workforce to play a central role in the national partnership of citizen-centered services for older Americans. Simultaneously, AoA is confronting a second challenge—over the past four years, its attrition rate has averaged more than 12 percent; this year, 39 percent of its employees are eligible for voluntary retirement.

To ensure that these trends do not impede its strategic mission, AoA has contracted ICF International to provide technical assistance with succession planning, leadership development, and performance management. The overarching goal of this project is to ensure that AoA aligns its human capital management with external drivers and enjoys continuity of leadership and achievement orientation through its strategic transformation.

In support of this goal, ICF International is currently developing technical competencies for mission-critical occupations (MCO) that represent the majority of AoA employees. Each validated competency model includes three proficiency levels and measurable standards by which they can be assessed. ICF International will use these competencies to develop and deliver a customized leadership development program. The program will include trainings, job aids, and other learning interventions designed to ensure that AoA develops a robust management pipeline with the skills needed to lead its strategic transformation. To achieve its transformational vision quickly, AoA needs more than talent—it also needs a high-performance, results-oriented culture. To support this effort, ICF International will review AoA's performance appraisal program and make recommendations on the alignment of AoA performance appraisals with critical elements required by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The report will include recommendations on writing performance elements and standards that not only satisfy OPM requirements, but maximize the potential for performance plans to focus employee efforts on AoA's organizational goals.

U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Division of Research, Analysis, and Statistics, Office of Program Evaluation and Risk Analysis (OPERA)

PMA Compliance

Organizational Transition Workforce Planning Workshop and Other Learning Events in Response to the President’s Management Agenda
Division of Human Capital Leadership and Merit System Accountability (HCLMSA), U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM)

In response to the requirements laid out in the President's Management Agenda regarding strategic management of human capital, OPM's Office of Human Capital Leadership and Merit System Accountability (HCLMSA) developed a Human Capital Professional Development Series and asked ICF International to design and facilitate eight workshops to help federal agencies structure and define emerging human capital issues; formulate models, strategies, and tactics for use in the management of operations of a variety of core federal agencies; and provide highly interactive learning experiences to federal agencies and other stakeholders. The topics for the eight workshops were strategic alignment, accountability, human capital measurement, human capital evaluation, performance culture, diversity issues, workforce planning, and succession planning. Each workshop was delivered twice to audiences of approximately 30 participants from about 12 different agencies. The objective of these workshops was to assist agencies in identifying key issues faced, disseminate information in an efficient and effective manner, and share best practices, models, resources, and information.

To develop each of these workshops, ICF International facilitated "Knowledge Exchange" sessions involving representatives from government agencies with strategic human capital responsibilities and ICF International organizational development and training experts. The objectives of each of these one-day sessions were to identify the key topic areas to be addressed at each of the workshops, establish learning objectives, identify agencies with best practices to share, and establish exercises and scenarios that would serve to facilitate information sharing and learning. In designing the workshops, ICF International relied extensively on subject matter experts identified at the Knowledge Exchange workshops, incorporated guest speakers from best in class agencies and private industry, and compiled materials—including tools, models and technical resources—that could be used by participants in developing their human capital initiatives. Each of the ICF International-facilitated workshops included exercises, case studies illustrating best practices, and guest speakers. In addition, ICF International developed detailed instructor manuals for agencies to use to train additional in-house staff on the materials.

Evaluation of Foreign Service Recruitment, Selection, Training, and Workforce Planning
Office of Human Resources, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

Through focus groups, survey instruments, structured interviews, and a benchmarking study of best practices in other public and private sector internationally oriented organizations, ICF International evaluated and made concrete recommendations for improving USAID's recruitment, selection, training, and workforce planning programs. The guidance and recommendations from this project are currently being implemented by USAID to improve the alignment between its workforce planning and USAID's mission, goals, and budget processes, and to increase the Agency's effectiveness in recruiting, selecting, and training entry-level Foreign Service Officers (FSO).

ICF International evaluated three distinct programs: USAID's Foreign Service Recruitment and Selection Programs, the New Entry Professional (NEP) Training Program, and Foreign Service Workforce Planning. The guidance and recommendations from these evaluations are currently being implemented by USAID's Office of Human Resources to:

• Increase the Agency's effectiveness in recruiting and selecting entry-level Foreign Service Officers
• Increase the diversity of its workforce
• Improve the alignment between USAID mission and goals with the profile of incoming Foreign Service Officers
• Increase the Agency's effectiveness in developing the competencies, skills, and knowledge necessary for New Entry Professionals' successful transition and contribution to the Missions
• Improve USAID's workforce planning processes by improving the alignment between its workforce planning activities and USAID mission, goals, and budget processes

Budget and Performance Integration and Cost-Benefit Analysis
Employment Standards Administration (ESA), Wage and Hour Division (WHD), U.S. Department of Labor

Consistent with the President’s Management Agenda (PMA), the WHD has developed a preliminary performance integration model that demonstrates the relationship between the agency’s annual performance plan and budget. Staff hours—currently tracked for WHD investigator field staff—provides the initial basis for estimating costs by program area and agency goal. The WHD has allocated investigator hours into program areas (e.g., child labor, low-wage industry)and activity (e.g., compliance assistance, recidivism). Certain assumptions are then made to allocate non-investigator staff hours to WHD goals. These hours, in turn, are translated into costs. Other costs are either associated with a specific goal or prorated among all goals as appropriate.

ICF International conducted a comprehensive evaluation to assess the validity of the WHD's budget and performance integration model, in the context of progress made in compliance with the PMA scorecard, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART), and the Government Accountability Office's (GAO) Results-Oriented Budget Practices. Specifically, the ICF International team reviewed the mechanics of the model; validated the assumptions and estimates of the model, as well as the methodology and approach used within the model to map and/or link budgets to the WHD performance plan; identified opportunities and made recommendationsto improve the current model; and provided recommendations to develop and implement a budget and performance integration model in regional and district offices.

Four-Year Strategic Training Plan
Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS), U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

The mission of the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) is to advocate on behalf of taxpayers and to help resolve taxpayer problems. To fulfill this mission effectively, ICF International built a four-year strategic training plan designed to enable TAS to develop employees with respect to key technical and general competencies in response to evolving customer and casework needs. This plan also served to support the organization's ongoing commitment to professional and personal development. TAS plans to develop annual tactical training plans in line with the four-year strategic training plan.

One of the mandates of the strategic training plan was to use computer technology whereverpossible to develop and maintain a well-informed and well-trained workforce. In addition, the plan was to leverage limited TAS resources by combining TAS training efforts with those of other operating and functional divisions. The plan that ICF International ultimately developed includes the design and delivery of custom-developed training initiatives, in addition to out-service training offered by both governmental and private sector entities. The plan also expands the process of informing and educating the public about the right to seek assistance through TAS. Most important, the strategic plan is flexible so that TAS employees can respond effectively to changing taxpayer needs. The plan was developed in four phases:

• Phase 1: Strategic Vision and Goals for Training, during which ICF International assessed the existing training system and formulated the strategic vision.
• Phase 2: Alternative Strategies and Resource Requirements, during which ICF International performed a quantitative needs analysis and gap analysis, assessed alternative strategies for achieving goals, and determined resource requirements for each alternative strategy.
• Phase 3: Organization, Management, and Administrative Strategies, during which ICF International proposed organizational and administrative structures to execute the plan effectively.
• Phase 4: Implementation Plan, during which ICF International scheduled the various implementation activities, assigned accountabilities, and identified resources. Additionally, during this phase of the planning process, ICF International recommended tracking and reporting systems, and proposed marketing and communication efforts.