Ten Years Later: Can Piecemeal Reform of the Civilian Employment System Succeed Where the National Security Personnel System Failed?

March, 2019
IDA document: D-10519
FFRDC: Systems and Analyses Center
Type: Research Summary/Research Insights , Documents , Human Capital
Division: Strategy, Forces and Resources Division
Authors:
Authors
Peter K. Levine See more authors
The Department of Defense (DoD) system for hiring and retaining civilian employees has long been in need of reform. Hampered by bureaucratic processes and inflexible regulation, the system suffers from rigid job classifications, lack of ability to quickly hire new talent, supervisors without the authority to manage their own workforce, and compensation that is neither linked to performance nor responsive to market forces. In addition, retaining top performers, dealing with poor performers, and increasing workforce flexibility and responsiveness are problematic.