Re-wiring Government Recruiting

The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics has reported that the median age of the average civil servant is 45 a major concern as about 40% of the US population is projected to reach retirement age in the next ten years. With recruiting efforts lagging behind to staff positions with younger age groups attracting and selecting potential employees is difficult, even more so for government positions due to the many layers of screening required.

On average time to fill a position is 24.9 working days, for government the average is 36.7 working days and the number of positions continues to increase. The primary target for filling positions in almost all industries has been millennials, but when it comes to government they are not biting. Large companies who offer extensive benefit programs, and up to the minute technology with a recognizable brand are more appealing to a talented young 20 something than a dusty office with piles of paper, aging technology, and plenty of red tape.

Number of Job Openings for Government employees from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.a.htm

Current Concerns 

In the past, government organizations received a great reputation for excellent retirement plans and health insurance, but this perception has fallen. Gen X and Millennials are still looking for quality benefits, and the age group is a prime target when trying to recruit new and educated employees. The two groups may differ, but a prime focus is family, community and creativity according to a study conducted by the Council of Economic advisors. Based on these factors, a discussion needs to be had about how Government agencies are attracting talent from these ages groups. 

Non-government organizations frequently display their brand, culture, and commitment to their employees when recruiting. Part of this is the employee centered culture revolves around incorporating unique benefits that most other organizations do not have, or creating an environment that lends to a greater work-life balance.

Building a Better External Recruitment Plan

An advantage most government agencies already have is that they already offer a comprehensive benefit package. Incorporating popular low-cost benefits into a current benefit package, employee job satisfaction and organizational appeal improve. Generally, when selecting and recruiting employees from younger demographics benefits are important, however, so is the culture of an organization. Looking for employees who will be a good fit to the culture of an organization should be a goal of recruitment, this may even mean doing a culture audit to determine what the culture of an agency is, as many have no clue how to even describe their culture. 

Employees who are happy in their current position are a great ally when it comes to recruiting new talent - good news spreads fast. By using word of mouth as a recruiting technique you are more likely to find potential employees who likely share some of the great qualities of existing employees.

Other changes to consider include, building employee engagement programs that are built into the organizational philosophy. Being receptive to employee suggestions and needs is recognized as an effective technique for attracting and retaining top talent in not only the millennial and Gen X pools of potential employees but across other target groups as well.

From personal experience I know that the great benefits and flexible schedule options offered by government agencies has been majorly appealing and encouraged me to apply to positions. Being able to say with certainty that my health insurance will cover most medical expenses, and to know the exact amount that my employer is contributing into my retirement fund is comforting. The problem with this approach as a primary approach, is the perceived lack of flexibility in government agencies on other benefits.

As changes in the workforce come in the very near future, recruiting and training a new workforce becomes increasingly important. While attracting millennials may not be a top priority for your agency currently, it should be on the radar. 

Molly F. Pruitt is a Rollins College Hamilton Holt Human Resources Management Masters program student with experience in human resources, as well as, marketing. I have previously been published in "I4 Business magazine," as well as in the University of Central Florida quarterly magazine, "The Accelerator."