OPM prepares Government Agencies for Reorganization
As we enter Spring 2017, the Office of Personal Management (OPM) is preparing the Federal government for a potential reshaping of the government workforce. Agencies will start receiving new guidelines and updates on possible administrative furloughs. Furloughs are a temporary period of time where leaves of absence are granted under special circumstances. For agencies that are considering and/or undergoing some of type of reshaping, the OPM will issue them the “Workforce Reshaping Operations Handbook.” This handbook is designed to provide assistance to agencies considering or undergoing some type of reshaping (e.g., reorganization, management directed reassignments, furlough, transfer of function, reduction in force). The handbook provides guidance and options to ensure that reshaping efforts comply with merit system laws and regulations. This guidebook came out a few weeks after President Trump signed an executive order asking agencies to analyze their programs and offices in preparations for a reorganization.
In an article from Federal News Radio: 1500 AM, the President indicated in his 2018 budget blueprint that reorganization was likely. The OPM asked agency heads to consider reorganization in a timely manner, while still maintaining mission scope. Specifically, “Does management need to reduce whole numbers as in ‘across the board cuts,’ or is there the possibility of reshaping specific functions within the organization?” So far, agencies have few answers to questions like this one and the President’s budget proposal is merely a request.
The budget blueprint makes no mention of reductions in force, furloughs, or job cuts but encourages agencies why they need to begin or consider planning for any workforce cuts they may need to make in the future. OPM and several agencies are not trying to get rid of their employees. They are developing, reviewing, analyzing, and prioritizing their mission requirements within system laws and regulations. St. Michael’s, can help Federal government agencies stay on track during these uncertain times by assisting them with effectively managing back office operations to prevent adverse impacts to mission success.