The Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of Systems (OS) in
Baltimore employs more than 3,200 Information Technology
professionals skilled in a wide variety of specialties. As Social
Security has automated processes and improved efficiencies during
past years, the OS hired approximately 1,100 new IT professionals
and managers to serve the changing systems needs of the growing
agency.
Since 2001, the OS workforce increased from 2,800 to more than
3,200 employees today -- most are IT specialists. By 2015, 51
percent of the OS workforce will be eligible to retire, and another
12 percent could exercise early retirement. "With half of the OS
workforce over age 50, significant knowledge and technical
expertise could leave as our IT workers retire," says Jeannette
Harmon, executive officer with SSA's Office of Systems., "We knew
that it was essential to up-skill our current workforce and recruit
new workers with the necessary technical expertise critical to
maintain our systems now and in the future."
While the staffing and retirement data speak volumes about the need
to address the looming skills shortage in the OS, the entire agency
is also following through on a mandate from the Office of
Management and Budget to assess workforce skills and competencies
that are critical to accomplishing the agency's mission and
objectives. All federal agencies, including Social Security, must
assess gaps in critical skills and develop a plan and schedule for
closing those gaps. Agencies report progress to the Office of
Personnel Management, which monitors human capital planning across
the government.
Benchmarks, baselines, and 10 large gaps
During the initial assessment phase, OS leaders conducted research
and benchmarked with other government agencies. Discussions with
subject matter experts were conducted to understand best practices
in undertaking a skills inventory. With more than 250 managers, OS
leaders conducted a skills inventory to evaluate current skills and
competencies for the OS workforce and determine what skills were
needed in the next three years. Serving as a baseline benchmark,
the skills inventory measured more than 200 skills and 90
competencies for each IT professional in the OS. The inventory
quantified what OS leaders knew from anecdotal evidence: technical
skills, management expertise, and program knowledge were in short
supply.
By comparing baseline data from the inventory with the skills and
competencies identified as critical in the next three years, OS
leaders identified the 10 largest gaps. "While we initially focused
on the largest gaps, our leaders were careful to look at all gaps
from top to bottom as we knew the need for certain skills and
competencies would change over time," Harmon said. "We set into
motion an organization-wide plan involving training,
recruitment/staffing, and retention. Working closely with managers,
our training staff conducted assessments and created learning
strategies to address the largest gaps. And, as managers hired new
employees or replaced those who had left, they evaluated what types
of skills and competencies were lacking and actively recruited new
hires with those skills," she said.
In addition to the skills inventory, the agency created a long-term
process to strategically manage human capital. This process,
including the steps of targeting, assessing, planning, executing,
and monitoring, provides an opportunity for the OS to proactively
address skills shortages and demographic changes in the workforce
before significant gaps in skills and competencies occur.
Higher retention and smaller gaps
The OS compares data from year to year to understand if progress in
closing the skills gaps is occurring. Between 2003 and 2005, OS
data revealed a 46 percent decrease in the gap of critical skills
and competencies. The OS is making significant progress in
narrowing the gap between the skills that are leaving (through
attrition and retirements) and recruiting individuals into
positions with the necessary skills and competencies. The overall
retention rate for the OS has increased from 77 percent in 2003 to
91 percent in 2006.