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U.S. Department of Agriculture: Need for Improved Workforce Planning

RCED-90-97 Published: Mar 06, 1990. Publicly Released: Mar 06, 1990.
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Highlights

GAO reviewed the Department of Agriculture's (USDA) personnel management, focusing on the effectiveness of its workforce planning efforts.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Agriculture To assist agencies in building a quality workforce to meet current and future challenges, the Secretary of Agriculture should make workforce planning a mandatory agency activity.
Closed – Implemented
In March 1993, the Secretary of Agriculture issued a policy that: (1) establishes a mandatory foundation for workforce planning; and (2) ensures that workforce planning is integrated with workforce diversity planning and accomplishments.
Department of Agriculture To assist agencies in building a quality workforce to meet current and future challenges, the Secretary of Agriculture should develop workforce planning guidelines to, at a minimum, include the elements described in this letter to ensure that agency-level plans are well developed and provide consistent and uniform agencywide data.
Closed – Implemented
On October 13, 1994, the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 was signed into law. USDA has begun its 5-year effort to implement the act and reorganize and streamline the department. USDA expects to reduce its staff by 13,000 by 1999.
Department of Agriculture To assist agencies in building a quality workforce to meet current and future challenges, the Secretary of Agriculture should identify resources within the Office of Personnel to develop a workforce planning framework and to carry out monitoring activities.
Closed – Implemented
On October 13, 1994, the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 was signed into law. USDA has begun its 5-year effort to implement the act and reorganize and streamline the department. USDA expects to reduce its staff by 13,000 by 1999.

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Topics

Human Capital
Agricultural programsDecentralizationFederal employeesGeneral management reviewsEmployee trainingStaff utilizationManagement information systemsPersonnel managementPersonnel recruitingTraining utilization