Report - Government Executive

Inclusion
Identifying groups and their concerns is a key first step to involve stakeholders. A centralized
assessment that solicits and consolidates component stakeholder input would be expected to
provide useful information about:
• Individual organizational cultures;
• Organizational structures and work processes;
• Idiosyncrasies of component workforces; and
• Other conditions that might factor into DCIPS design features and approaches to specific
implementation activities.
OUSD(I)’s outreach efforts did not account for many important features of component readiness.
Specifically, first-line supervisors are key stakeholders who face significant changes to their job
due to DCIPS. There is no indication that their needs, impact, and training requirements were
assessed sufficiently prior to system implementation.
The intelligence components reported on their readiness to OUSD(I), but these reports focused
on such items as trainings completed. They did not address the elements identified above or
other important aspects of readiness, such as the workforce’s understanding of the system or the
ability of supervisors and managers to assume the additional responsibilities required for
successful implementation.
Federal agencies with successfully implemented performance management systems provide
useful examples of stakeholder involvement. For one, researchers who studied NGA’s adoption
of performance-based compensation credit early and ongoing stakeholder involvement with
creating employee acceptance of the program. 133 To inform the design of the NGA system, the
agency sponsored focus groups to assess employee concerns and needs. In addition, 20
employees from across the agency formed a steering group and were responsible for developing
recommendations.
Following development of the design framework, 100 NGA employees organized into eight
teams to develop new HR practices. They provided input on pay bands, performance
management, career development, pay pool administration, and other system design aspects.
Aggressive employee outreach and ongoing solicitation of feedback helped generate support for
the transition, created champions who were sources of reliable information, and helped identify
special circumstances and issues that could otherwise have impacted implementation
negatively. 134
The following examples provide additional best practices for stakeholder involvement:
133 Risher, Howard and Smallwood, Andrew, “Performance-Based Pay at NGA,” The Public Manager, Summer
2009, pp. 25-26.
134 Ibid, pp. 26-27.
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