It has been a turbulent spring in Washington. Even though
policymakers averted a shutdown, the 2012 budget will likely pose
significant challenges for hiring managers. Pay and hiring freezes have
only been the beginning of a process that will likely reshape the
Federal government. Talk looms about buyouts, force reductions and
changes in retirement plans. Yet the big problems of the economy,
national security, healthcare, energy, education, infrastructure and the
environment will continue to demand the very best people. In this
uncertain setting, what messages will resonate with a generation eager
to serve?
If a government agency sells itself to job seekers on security,
stability and life balance, they may find that these old buzz words no
longer ring true. On the other hand, budget issues can serve as pointers
to the creation of an authentic employer value proposition. The
conflict over allocation of resources calls on all components of
government to justify and express their unique worth. TMP has discerned
four new branding realities that can help you stake out your position.
Each offers good news and a challenge. We suggest that agencies use this
period the way corporations do: an opportunity to revisit their brand
and discover what they truly represent.
Reality #1: Contrary to popular misconceptions, many Federal
employees, including entry level, already feel “overworked.” Legislative
priorities might well intensify this situation in coming years.
In April, Federal News Radio’s Mike Causey commented about a trend
that is leading to greater attrition in the Federal workforce: “The
government is on a kick to recruit the best and brightest and, in the
words of the President, make the public service ‘cool again.’ While
going about it, officials might want to take steps to make sure that,
once under the civil service blanket, the new hires aren't worked to the
point where they last only a couple of years as Feds.”
Causey adds, “Turnover rates for government (7.6 percent) are lower
than the private sector where it is just over 9 percent. But when you
look at certain agencies with high burnout rates, the private sector
looks like a sea of calm.”
The good news: You can safely put to bed the image
of the Federal employee as clock watcher. The clock that they are
watching may stretch from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Moreover, many find
themselves on 24/7 alert, going into the office or traveling on
weekends.
The challenge: If the main thrust of your
brand is “work-life balance,” you may want to rethink the attributes
that draw your most engaged employees. If legislation and budget cuts
reduce the Federal workforce, there is little you can do about the
remaining employees working longer and harder. You can, however, look
for candidates and honor employees who can align their personal goals
with agency mission. That alone will not stem attrition. But it can help
employees have a perspective about work-life balance. While
acknowledging the value of family, friends and recreation, they can also
understand the reasons behind the demands on their time. They connect
their higher motivations with the deepest purposes of the agency.
Reality #2: Never a unique branding attribute, “stability” is losing its value in recruitment and retention.
TMP has recently been hearing several similar refrains echoed
throughout our government clients’ workforces: “One of the reasons I
came here was stability.” “I never thought a government job would be
insecure.” The tone contains surprise and even elements of fear and
anxiety. Since the concentration on the Federal deficit is becoming a
fixture of the government landscape, employees are experiencing a
changing workplace reality, which is never comfortable.
The good news: While economic stability is an
important brand attribute, it is one that your agency shares with all
other Federal employers. The current climate gives you an opportunity to
revisit your employer value proposition: What are the psychological
benefits that you offer? What draws your most engaged employees? The
chances are that attributes such as challenging work and mission rival
economic stability as attractors to your workplace.
The challenge: The Federal government is now
confronting a branding situation similar to what American businesses
have felt in the last few economic downturns. The end of the Cold War
and defense drawdown of the early 1990s led defense contractors to
question what business they were in and how they might transfer
technologies to civilian purposes. The burst of the Dotcom Bubble left
the existing companies wondering who they were and what they were doing.
The current recession has similarly stirred soul searching within the
private sector about how they can gauge and meet customer demands. TMP
recommends that agencies take a very foundational approach to developing
their value proposition, discovering the uniqueness they provide to job
candidates, employees and all stakeholders. In doing so, agencies will
understand their own “singular staying power” that grounds them in the
service to the nation and, hence, is the origin of their stability.
Reality #3: Whether it causes a perfect storm or blocked
succession, the retirement timetable can pose a bigger challenge than a
“mass exodus.” In an uncertain economy, boomers seem in no
great hurry to retire. Now that the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) has acknowledged that changes to Federal retirement plans are “on
the table,” they may even prolong their tenure.
The good news: Agencies can continue to benefit from
boomer experience. They can develop solid mentoring programs that will
cushion the shock if there happens to be a perfect storm of mass
retirements and the lack of available replacement positions. In this
way, agencies can use this time to develop plans that will ensure
successful continuity of mission.
The challenge: Difficulty arises when Generation Y,
eager for rapid advancement, finds itself in an agency top heavy with
boomers. The younger employees, who have a generational proclivity to
move on, can naturally feel that they do not have a place in the agency.
As an antidote, agencies might take a broader view of the career path
that they offer. For example, some agencies are beginning to draw a
“career path without walls.” An employee realizes that working at the
agency leads to opportunities not only within its structure, but
throughout the private and non-profit sectors. Some agencies, like IRS
and FCC, have long assumed as a matter of course that employees may take
a crisscross path that encompasses all horizons. In this way, your
agency becomes the base camp for the further journey, and often
employees return after getting outside experience.
Reality # 4: Generation Y shops employers by brand, i.e. by reputation. What?
Do you mean so-called “Generation Why,” questioning and deconstructing
everything? Consider the results of two recent studies:
- A study conducted in February among more than 8,000 postsecondary students, shows that 87 percent from the class of 2011 plan to go to the source and submit their application directly to a company.
Presence on campus is important as 70 percent said that they planned to
take advantage of the campus career centers. The research, done by I
Love Rewards, an incentive marketing company, and Experience, Inc.,
which provides career services to 4.2 million students and alumni,
concludes, “It stands to reason that a corporate branding strategy that
takes into consideration the values of Gen Y is likely to bring more
applicants through the door.” Furthermore, economic realities are not
dampening the quest to find a job with a company that aligns with their
needs, e.g. salary, advancement and challenging work. In fact, the data
reveals that the current crop of students is much more optimistic about
an economic upturn than their parents’ generation.
- A study conducted last year by the New York University Stern School
of Business and the L2 Think Tank among 450 Gen Y high-earners from
around the world concluded, “Gen Y loves brands.” The data, which is
supported by similar marketing research shows that 65 percent of females
and 61 percent of males consider themselves “brand conscious.” In fact,
only one percent of females and three percent of males do not consider
themselves brand conscious.
The good news and the challenge: Since most
government agencies are probably not on the initial list of students,
branding has not diminished in value. In fact, it seems to be
increasingly more important. If you have high awareness, you need to
determine if your default brand measures up to the promise you wish to
convey. If your awareness is low, you have a “green field” to establish a
brand that aligns your values with those of the next generation of
leaders.
For more information on how you can brand in challenging times, please email John Bersentes at john.bersentes@TMPgovernment.com or call him at 703-269-0092.
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