Bringing Glory to Government Work

The cover of U.S. News and World Report's 2002 career guide trumpeted "Great Government Gigs-Really!" Another headline declared, "Jobs Built to Last: Stability, Purpose and a Bevy of Openings Make Uncle Sam an Employer of Choice for Many."

Given the wave of retirements predicted in the next few years, the uncool image of bureaucrats, and the critical need for good people to help wage the war on terrorism, this is good news. In fact, the government's bit of employment luck, while born of unfortunate circumstances, comes not a moment too soon.

The post-Sept. 11 call to public service and the recession have presented the government with an opportunity to woo high-quality job candidates. But there's a danger it might screw up. Unless the executive branch can offer meaningful and interesting jobs, new recruits likely will leave at the first signs of an economic upturn.

Research shows that young college-educated job candidates don't want to work in gray bureaucracies where there is little sense of mission or excitement and only limited responsibility. These young people want work that allows them to develop their skills and learn. They want to be coached by those above them, but they also want autonomy to come up with their own ideas for getting a job done. They want to be rewarded for outstanding achievement with faster promotions and more responsibility. They want to feel they are contributing to something bigger.

Many federal workplaces fit these specs. But, at the same time, government is a victim of its excessive rules, lackluster supervisors and inability to capitalize on its natural advantages-public servants who want to make a difference.

Over the next few years, agencies will see an influx of new people. Managers-from political appointees, to the Senior Executive Service, down to front-line supervisors-need to get ready for these young people. Agency leaders must take up the war against bureaucracy, looking for ways to ease federal rules and authorization hierarchies, which frustrate employees. To build a culture of public service, agencies should give employees mission-oriented goals.

These young people should be welcomed into the ranks with such measures as new employee councils that would advise federal leaders on management improvements and training needs. Also, reverse mentoring programs would allow young employees to help senior managers make better use of information technology.

Interest in government's human capital crisis has reached critical mass in the past year. Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, has introduced legislation to eliminate dysfunctional features of civil service law, such as the "rule of three" for selecting job candidates, which severely restricts the ability of managers to make good hiring decisions. The administration has even made strategic human capital management one of its five management priorities. But the battle to build a new generation's commitment to public service won't be won or lost in Congress or the White House, or by laws or directives, but rather in the corridors of government office buildings. The soldiers and generals in that battle are federal supervisors, managers and executives. If they get started now, perhaps government can win.