Federal agency HR, IT and contracting personnel often are viewed an “afterthought” but they actually are an integral part of accomplishing the mission of their agencies, and thus should be seen as “mission enablers,” according to a Partnership for Public Service report.
“These are the people who make things happen and get things done. They serve as catalysts providing vital support that is necessary to the work of their agencies. They design the computer systems, maintain the databases, advise on contracts, fund projects and seek out new talent,” it says.
The report looked more closely at how those employees view their jobs and work environments, based on workshops and data from the Partnership’s annual report on best places to work in government. The main concern, it said, “centered on the level of connectedness these professionals have to the mission of their respective agencies.” They “are frequently disconnected from the big picture, with their roles often seen as transactional in nature rather than being considered as an integral part of the team.”
Key factors to improving that connection, it concluded, are having those personnel serve as an advisor, strategic partner and team member to management; fostering a culture of collaboration across occupations to create an enterprise-wide perspective; and investing in those employees through learning opportunities to connect them to the agency’s mission.
For example, if HR personnel, work closely with hiring and program managers, they would “better understand the job requirements and write a posting that draws in highly qualified applicants who will meet the needs of the specific position. Quite often, however, this does not occur,” it said.