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New perspectives on human capital risk management:
The Tenured Workforce – a critical risk to consider
Background
Human capital, specifically the risk posed by skills gaps in mission-critical occupations, continues to
feature on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) High Risk list. As part of their ongoing series on
enterprise risk management, the National Academy of Public Administration (the Academy), in
partnership with Ernst & Young LLP (EY), hosted a panel on April 23, 2015, to raise awareness and share
insights on managing human capital risk. Featured panelists included: Anita Blair, Deputy Assistant
Secretary for Human Resources and Chief Human Capital Officer, U.S. Treasury; Robert Goldenkoff,
Director of Strategic Issues, U.S. Government Accountability Office; and Kevin Mahoney, Chief Human
Capital Officer, U.S. Department of Commerce. Karen Shrum, Senior Manager, Government & Public
Sector Practice of EY, moderated the panel.
The panel acknowledged that traditional strategies for bridging the skills gap have primarily focused on
two ends of the workforce spectrum: (i) attracting and appealing to incoming millennial federal recruits
and (ii) preparing and reinforcing the most senior levels, i.e., the Senior Executive Service (SES), in their
leadership roles.
The panel also acknowledged that a critical group has been excluded from the discussion. They
suggested that attention be focused on a distinct group of federal employees, namely those individuals
who have served in government for approximately 10 to 24 years. The panel referred to this group as
the Tenured Workforce. Acknowledging the criticality of the Tenured Workforce, panelists considered
three key questions:
► What are the characteristics of the Tenured Workforce and why is this group so critical to the
discussion surrounding the skills gap?
► What are the most significant risks associated with the Tenured Workforce and how do these risks
exacerbate mission-critical skills gaps?
► What are some creative strategies and solutions that can be applied to specifically address the risks
associated with the Tenured Workforce?
What are the characteristics of the Tenured Workforce and why is this group so critical to the
discussion surrounding the skills gap?
The Tenured Workforce, individuals with 10 to24 years of federal experience, comprises 32 percent of
the estimated two million federal employees. Approximately 18 percent hold supervisory positions.
Individuals in this group are likely to have “grown up” in the ranks of government, or may have joined
the government from private industry later in their careers. In either case, they are deeply skilled in their
professional and technical domains. They have practiced their profession for many years and have
learned the intricacies of their job through time and experience. They understand the political nuances
of their agencies and know “how to get things done.” They are the individuals who lead key projects,
train incoming recruits and advise senior leadership. Because of their significant skillset and knowledge
of the agency and government, these individuals tend to serve in an advisory capacity to leadership;
they also lead or participate in complex transactions and projects. They serve as mentors and are
influential in defining the culture of the organizations in which they serve. This group is the keeper of
the culture in an organization—they know how to get things done and are integral in helping others to
