MSPB also found that supervisors who were involved in hiring decisions reported being more satisfied with the individual hired than those supervisors who were not involved.
However, it said 44 percent of supervisors it surveyed indicated they were not involved in the process of hiring the employees they were being asked about.
MSPB said its findings confirmed the importance of making strategic decisions about recruitment for agency workforces to look beyond any single selection, adding that it is important for agencies to understand that different hiring authorities bring in different proportions of demographic groups.
The report called on agencies to do more to ensure that supervisors are educated on the terms of the authorities they consider or use so they fully understand their responsibilities and are able to make strategic choices about which authority is most appropriate.
Agencies and supervisors should also have well-rounded recruitment strategies to ensure that all segments of society are represented in the federal workforce because leaning on any one authority too much can result in a disproportionate workforce, the report said.
It called on supervisors that are involved in the hiring decision to make a deliberate choice of the authority to be used, then make a concerted effort to ensure the individual is successful in the position before the appointment is finalized.
And when supervisors are not involved in the hiring process, as is often the case, they should still be informed and educated as to the authority that was used and the obligations they have under that authority, said MSPB.