Quality of Government-wide Classification and Position Management Practices

The quality of governmentwide classification and position management practices was surveyed. Position management refers to interrelated management actions in organizing work to accomplish an agency's mission. It is a systematic approach to determining the number of positions needed, skill and knowledge requirements, and the grouping and assignment of duties and responsibilities among positions. Confusion exists over the definition, scope, and implementation of position management in the government. Position management systems have not contributed significantly to cost effectiveness in government personnel management because: (1) guidance and training in position management are inadequate; (2) federal managers are not movitated to adopt good management practices because of certain disincentives and because they are not held fully accountable; and (3) controls, such as personnel ceilings and average grade limitations, inhibit or contradict effective position management decisionmaking. The Chairman of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) should: (1) continue and, if necessary, expand CSC efforts for a feasible position management system to determine the necessary components, how it should function, and how it relates to other personnel management systems; (2) increase CSC efforts to encourage and assist agencies in establishing and operating position management systems; and (3) collaborate with the Office of Management and Budget to develop position management guidelines which clearly state managers' duties, responsibilities, and authorities for establishing and reviewing these systems.