Veterans Benefits Administration: Better Collection and Analysis of Attrition Data Needed to Enhance Workforce Planning
Highlights
By the year 2006, the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) projects it will lose a significant portion of its mission-critical workforce to retirement. VBA has hired over 2,000 new employees to begin to fill this expected gap. GAO was asked to review: (1) the attrition rate at VBA, particularly for new employees who examine veterans' claims, and the agency's methods for calculating attrition; and (2) the adequacy of VBA's analysis of attrition data, including the reasons for attrition. To answer these questions, GAO analyzed attrition data from VBA's Office of Human Resources, calculated attrition rates for VBA and other federal agencies using a governmentwide database on federal employment, and interviewed VBA officials about their efforts to measure attrition and determine why new employees leave.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Veterans Affairs | To ensure that VBA collects and analyzes information on the reasons for attrition, particularly for new employees, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs should direct the Under Secretary for Benefits to develop a strategy for the systematic collection and analysis of attrition data. This could include the calculation of attrition rates, analysis of the reasons for leaving, and estimation of the costs associated with new hire attrition. |
Closed – Implemented
The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) reported in June 2003, that it had implemented electronic exit surveys, which would allow the systematic collection of attrition data and make it possible for VBA to systematically analyze the reasons for attrition. In addition, in May 2003, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) approved the use of an existing system as a primary source for VBA and other VA administrations to conduct human resources and workforce planning reports and analysis.
|
| Veterans Benefits Administration | The VBA should integrate the results of its attrition analysis into its workforce plan. |
Closed – Implemented
In 2005, the Veteran Benefits Administration issued its Workforce and Succession Plan for FY 2005-2008, which includes attrition analyses and associated action plans for various positions, including job series 996 for the veterans claims examiner position.
|