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GAO has put federal personnel issues among the top priorities for the Biden administration and the new Congress convening in January, saying “the crucial work of government can’t get done without having the people with the right skills, in the right place, at the right time.”
“We know there are current or imminent staff shortfalls in key areas, like science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and cybersecurity. Also, there is a need for new skills that’s evolving fast and outpacing the ability of the government to acquire needed talent. One important element that agencies must consider in their workforce planning is the number and position of employees who are retiring,” GAO said.
A newly created site on the presidential and congressional transitions notes that what GAO calls “strategic human capital management” has been on its high-risk list since 2001; problems such as shortages of employees with needed skills further contribute to many of the other problems on that list.
Also of concern regarding the government’s ability to meet its challenges, GAO said, are managing known risks in areas such as public health and safety, transportation infrastructure and readiness; cybersecurity of government IT systems and of the nation’s critical infrastructure; and “unsustainable” deficit spending.
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