FEMA stands to improve workforce planning and training by incorporating strategic management standards, GAO has said. It said FEMA is taking steps to integrate its workforce planning and training efforts across the agency, by, for example, initiating working groups to coordinate related activities, but it added that efforts are in the early stages.
FEMA has a workforce of 18,000, and until recently its workforce planning efforts have been carried out independently throughout the agency by various components, according to GAO-12-487.
It said human capital officials in January began integrating agency-wide workforce planning initiatives already underway by other program offices, and that FEMA plans to release a directive to address the need for integrating the agency’s training efforts.
However, FEMA has not developed processes to systematically collect and analyze agency-wide workforce and training data that could be used to better inform its decision-making, the report said.
Further, it said FEMA has taken steps to track training information, but its tracking processes do not provide a reliable account of all training activities of FEMA employees.
DHS agreed with recommendations to identify long-term quantifiable mission-critical goals; establish a time frame for completing the development of quantifiable performance measures; establish lines of authority for agency-wide workforce planning and training efforts; and develop systematic processes to collect and analyze workforce and training data.
