Jane Edwards
A new survey by Deloitte and the Senior Executives Association has found that federal agency senior executives said they believe their agencies struggle to retain and attract highly talented individuals.
Deloitte said Wednesday it partnered with SEA to poll 753 career senior leaders from 26 federal agencies in June for the State of Federal Career Senior Leadership survey and found that only 22 percent of respondents said they believe their organizations are ready to retain skilled professionals.
The study also found that only 28 percent of respondents said they think their agencies implement platforms that work to facilitate knowledge-sharing activities among senior executives.
At least 75 percent of federal senior leaders said they believe there are career opportunities that await employees of all ages, while 59 percent of respondents said there are opportunities that seek to build up capabilities in leadership.
Federal executives also expressed concern that digital and cultural barriers appear to hamper government senior leaders’ readiness for the future workforce.
Deloitte and SEA offered several recommendations for senior government leaders to address challenges across transformational leadership, executive readiness and leadership pipeline areas.
Agency leaders should conduct evidence-based reviews to help identify individuals with leadership skills, develop programs that encourage exposure to various executives to help build up leadership capabilities and facilitate recruitment decisions through reassessment of the future workforce, the report added.
