Emergency preparedness, workforce development and interagency collaboration continued to be the main areas of emphasis of Federal Executive Boards in 2016, according to the FEB national network’s annual report.
FEBs–there are 28 nationwide–consist of high-ranking local officials and promote coordination among agencies in a local area.
During 2016, the report says, they hosted 23 emergency preparedness and continuity of operations exercises with over 2,600 participants and 68 training workshops serving over 3,400 participants. Topics included preparedness and response to active shooter situations, identity theft, earthquakes, the Zika virus, and more. They also coordinated local agency responses including changes in operating status, due to events including blizzards, flooding, heavy rain, power outages, shootings, sleet, snow, water outages, and winter weather.
Programs designed to improve the workforce include leadership development training aimed at GS-9 employees and above, rotations for mid-level managers, collaboration between HR and managers in hiring, training on alternative dispute resolution, recruitment fairs, mentoring, diversity-related events, and awards and recognition.
FEBs also conducted local Combined Federal Campaigns, briefed members of Congress about agency operations, promoted employee wellness programs, and participated in community service activities such as clothing drives, food drives, and outreach to schools and veterans.