Foreword
The demands being made on a complex, multisectoral workforce delivering public services in the early 21st century call for nimble and innovative government; evidence-based, results-based, and data-driven management; doing more with less; and the expanded use of technology and telecommuting. Trends and trendy solutions abound, but the key to success in meeting these demands is a well-led and well-managed workforce. People represent the most critical resource of all. Mission achievement and a high-performing government are possible only with effective recruitment, development, and retention processes.
While information technology provides support to collect data, it is the people inside government who identify relevant data, interpret and make sense of those data, and inspire others to do well and to do good in government. Innovation in approaches to achieve mission-oriented goals throughout government is valued and needed—and it is the people who innovate and inspire, not the technology.
Given the complexity of the policy environment and today’s issues, made only more uncertain by politics, effectively leading and managing government’s most critical resource—its employees—presents possibly the most pressing challenge of all. Human Capital Management: What Really Works in Government addresses this challenge by offering promising practices in leading and managing people working in government. The authors not only share innovative practices, but they also describe the details of implementation and offer practical advice on addressing likely obstacles. This advice is relevant for public agencies at all levels of government in the United States and most likely abroad as well.
The authors offer solid ideas on recruiting, developing, and retaining good people to conduct the important work of government. Their focus on people as our critical resource is well placed. The authors have carefully analyzed the strategies and tactics they helped design and implement to improve human resource policies and practices in a way that improves organizational learning and performance in a wide variety of settings in the federal government.
The lessons the authors offer ring true for any number of settings. The themes in their stories that call out for attention are the “high-touch” approaches needed for inspiration, interpretation, and innovation in leading and managing people.
People need inspiration from enlightened and empowering leadership. Leaders throughout the organization shape the organizational culture; their demonstrated commitment and support for effective human resource practices, and for their employees, are essential. Leaders set the stage for high-performing organizations through clear communications, expectations, incentives, and support for employees—starting with recruitment—and highly in-touch leaders are simply more inspiring.
In an era noted for the tremendous amount of data available within government, employees need training (and both technical and moral support) to ensure that they collect relevant and reliable data, as well as the skills and support to interpret and make sense of those data. Interpretation of data and translation of their meaning to make informed and enlightened decisions are essential to improve governmental performance—but this will not simply happen. Committed leadership and enlightened training are clearly necessary to ensure that important data are collected, analyzed, and used to improve performance.
Innovation in the way government does business is essential, and it is within reach. Innumerable innovative approaches to human resource policies and practices, as well as business processes, are being developed in governments across the world. But innovation is most likely to occur through person-to-person interaction, and employees need the space and trust to try new approaches. Fruitful interpretation of data and successful innovation can both be cultivated and nurtured by empowering and inspiring leaders. It always comes back to the people—the people who lead and the leaders they recruit and develop.
The authors of this book offer valuable contributions that can help public managers make progress on the issues facing government today.
—Kathryn Newcomer