Workforce Planning and Professional Development Task Force - Final Report

Chapter 2 - Workforce Framework and Analysis

Chapter 1 explained the purpose of the Task Force, and the methodology and processes used to evaluate workforce needs of the agency. This chapter applies that process by looking at what the agency's needs will be in the future, where it is today, and the "gap" it needs to close to get to the future state.

This chapter of the report covers the following areas:

1. Information and Data Collected
2. Determination of Future Workforce Needs
3. Current Workforce
4. Gap Analysis

This marks the first time that the FHWA has attempted to carry out a systematic and comprehensive workforce planning process.The Task Force commenced with reviewing current literature on workforce planning.The Task Force then obtained information through informal presentations at meetings for "experts" in workforce planning such as Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST), National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA), and Department of Defense (DoD).The Task Force found there were few models for conducting such an analysis, but felt it was important to at least begin a process that the entire agency could build upon.The process that is presented in Chapter 4 builds upon this first effort and provides a means for the agency to undertake this on a continuing basis.

This chapter sets the stage for the initiatives presented in Chapter 3; the workforce planning process contained in Chapter 4; and the list of implementation actions in Chapter 5.

2.A. Information and Data Collected

2.A.1.Employee Outreach

In order to make the results meaningful to all the employees, the Task Force was committed to extensive outreach.The major objective of this outreach was to keep stakeholders informed of the Task Force's efforts, along with explaining its purpose, and obtaining input for development of work products.

Key messages that the Task Force wished to convey included:

• Employees are key to FHWA's success.
  
  
• The need is now to address the current and future work environment, program, and workforce changes.
  
  
• The workforce planning process should be flexible in order to address the changing conditions in the work environment, the FHWA programs, and the workforce.
  
  
• Workforce planning affects all employees.

The Task Force used various mechanisms to accomplish this outreach including:listening sessions and comments via email to receive direct input; e-mail notes highlighting monthly meeting outcomes; formal presentations at various national and regional meetings; focus groups, web site, articles, briefings, and background surveys to inform and create discussion; and finally individual discussions.

As noted, the listening sessions were used to receive employee input.Forty-six sessions were held across the country both in the field and in headquarters.See Appendix B for a list of the listening sessions.Each respective office developed its summary report to capture the true flavor of the comments.To make use of the input, the comments were divided into four groupings: workforce/succession planning; recruitment, hiring and retention; professional/career development; and quality of life.

Workforce/Succession Planning - Issues identified include:

• define leadership skills,
  
  
• provide clear direction of the agency,
  
  
• develop a workforce management system,
  
  
• specify clear promotion policies,
  
  
• establish goals with State, and
  
  
• restructure staffing between field and headquarters.

Recruitment, Hiring and Retention - Issues identified include:

• appropriate use of contracting services,
  
  
• mobility is good but should not be essential,
  
  
• close pay gap,
  
  
• shorten the time of recruitment process,
  
  
• make use of various bonus options, and
  
  
• target mid-career professionals for specialist positions.

Professional/Career Development - Issues identified include:

• need to cross-train,
  
  
• support staff want job security,
  
  
• training has been inconsistent,
  
  
• leadership skills need to be taught at all levels,
  
  
• identify core competencies of positions,
  
  
• need for interpersonal/communication skills at all levels, and identify more ways to increase networks among the field personnel.

Quality of Life - Issues identified include:

• make use of virtual offices,
  
  
• telecommuting is not really exercised, and
  
  
• employees want flexibility in the workplace.

See Appendix C for a more extensive list of the issues raised with some degree of repetition. This list briefly summarizes how the Task Force addressed these issues.Note that the Task Force considered that another committee or an office would address some issues.

2.A.2.External Outreach

To receive input from FHWA's external customers/partners on the agency's future state, the Task Force held a focus group with State DOT officials, one of FHWA's primary customers/partners in the delivery of FHWA programs.While input from other customers/partners was considered, since the purpose was not to determine FHWA's vision, mission, or strategic plan, the Task Force decided to limit its external outreach to State DOTs.However, shorter term, more detailed workforce planning as discussed in Chapter 4 should include a much broader cross section of the agency's customers/partners. The input indicated that the following needs for service from FHWA would be especially important in the future:

• Knowledge management (considered largest gain in importance by 2010),
  
  
• Developing and implementing new technologies in infrastructure and operations,
  
  
• Leadership role in providing a national perspective to Congress and others,
  
  
• Increased technical assistance in new technologies such as ITS and traditional skills to improve program performance,

The participants indicated that perceived changes in FHWA business are so great that new forms of technical assistance more comprehensive than those presently envisioned may be required. They anticipated needing FHWA assistance for handling increases in many conflicts and trade-offs between capacity and safety; air quality and driver convenience; mass transit and road maintenance; freight and travelers; and others.

There was a general feeling that FHWA's recruitment and retention efforts should emphasize the skills it most values and needs. According to the results of the external outreach, all of the recruitment and retention suggestions from FHWA internal outreach appeared to have potential value in improving FHWA's staffing situation. No single category of recruitment or

retention tools dominated.Financial incentives, educational opportunities, enhanced benefits, and procedural changes all showed up in top, middle and bottom sections of the ranking in the external input.

A report on the results of this external outreach is contained in Appendix D.

2.A.3.Data Collection

One of the challenges facing the Workforce Planning and Professional Development Task Force in carrying out its charge was the need for data on the current composition of the workforce.Some of the data were available through the current human resource information system, but some critical data items could be gathered only by requesting the information from the various segments of FHWA.The Task Force, in planning for a meaningful database, noted that FHWA's current human resources information system did not break down position series into specific categories and specialties.The Task Force strongly felt that such a breakdown of data is needed for meaningful analysis of FHWA's skills and turnover for workforce planning.

On September 11, 2000, FHWA initiated a workforce data gathering process, asking each unit to provide key data for each full-time permanent position.Positions were put into one of four categories: Generalist/Program Specialist, Technical Expert, Administrative Support, or Executive.These categories are defined in Chapter 1.The position categories were further divided into position specialties, such as Materials, Hydraulics, Planning, etc.This forms the basis, not only for current workforce analysis of key skills, but for vast improvement in data gathering and tracking in the future, since FHWA's data gathering process is directly linked to the DOT Central Personnel Management Information System (CPMIS).As each new position is added to the system, current data are entered, and the overall workforce data are "refreshed."

FHWA is already making use of workforce data in the CPMIS, including position titles, series and grade, years to retirement eligibility, and length of service in the Federal government.In addition, the Task Force gathered data on the number of years in each specialty, turnover within the last three years, and whether the turnover was for reassignment/promotion, retirement, or resignation.

The data collected are discussed under the Section 2.C., Current State.

2.B. Determination of Future Workforce Needs

Workforce planning begins with a determination of what the future roles will be, and what type of workforce is needed to accomplish these roles.The Task Force's determination of FHWA's major functions and the type of workforce needed by the year 2010 is contained in Appendix A, "FUTURE ROLES and WORKFORCE of FHWA in 2010".As noted below, future needs categories are the size of the workforce; the talents, skills, and competencies of the workforce, in both technical and interpersonal areas; and FHWA's programs and processes.

2010 FHWA Programs

The Federal Highway program continues to be a major component in advancing the surface transportation system in the United States.The FHWA niche in the transportation industry is: (1) aleader in providing and implementing a national perspective on the management and operation of the transportation system, (2) its ability tofacilitate Federal requirements, (3) itsdevelopment and/or standardization of system features that arekey to a safe and continuous system, (4) national coordinator of highway standards to improve highway safety and enhance interstate commerce,(5) management of international transportation and economic issues, (6) the focal point of long term/high cost research, (7) its ability toprovide technical services for Tribes and Federal agencies to improve transportation access to and on Federal Lands, (8) its ability todeploy new technology, and (9) its ability toprotect and enhance the environment.

The focus of the program will be: (1) to provide a limited number of major new or capacity expansion facilities to adjust transportation infrastructure for areas of growth, (2) to provide support in the delivery of major reconstruction on interstate and urban freeways, (3) integration of system/modal planning, (4) integration of system improvements to national and state economies including travel and tourism economies; (5) strong environmental planningconsideration in the transportation planning process, (6) integrated operation of transportation facilities, (7) improved safety and operations of facilities, and (8) deployment of new technology.

2010 FHWA Role

The FHWA's role in 2010 will be one of leadership in maintaining a continuous transportation system that stays current with the public's needs and values.The FHWA will accomplish this role through: (1) expanded leadership in developing and implementing new technologies in infrastructure and operations (services), (2) oversight of all Title 23 programs (little, if any, reduction of Title 23 oversight is expected), (3) increased technical assistance both in new technologies and in traditional skills to meet customer and partner expectations and improve program performance as mandated by the Governmental Performance Results Act (GPRA), (4) expanded leadership in integrating the environment and intermodal transport in transportation planning, (5) continued leadership in quality management through the application of Baldrige criteria, (6) continued leadership in policy promulgation as an independent reviewer/arbiter to obtain a nationally equitable, coherent transportation service, and (7) continued leadership in establishing design standards and systems architecture for safe and efficient operations.

Based on the 2010 view of FHWA's programs and roles, the Task Force recommended staffing scenario is shown below:

 ("0" = no change relative to current allocation of resources; "++" = increase in allocation of resources)

(See Chapter 1 for definitions of the four agency functions.)

The Task Force believes that the level of effort in the two functional areas of Oversight and Policy Analysis & Development would be similar to that of today.However, for the functional areas of Program Assistance and Advancing State-of-the-Art, the Task Force believes that additional resources will be needed.

The need for some additional staffing is supported by the following assumptions:

• Given the increased transportation customer base, the proliferation of transportation programs and the continued focus on donor/donee state equity, staff demands for evaluation of alternative policy options, policy development, and policy promulgation are expected to at least remain constant in the future.
  
  
• The demand for improved oversight will remain the same or decrease, except on complex, high cost projects, where a slight increase is expected.
  
  
• Given a parallel loss of expertise and staffing at the State level, the need for continued and improved technical and program assistance at the Division level is expected to increase at least to the level of the program increase.Improved assistance to meet customer needs is critical.
  
  
• If FHWA is to improve the overall performance of the services it provides as mandated by GPRA, FHWA needs to moderately but selectively expand technical expertise to fill current vacancies, provide minimum back up and meet new and expanding market areas.This will require some minor increases at each organizational level.

If FHWA is to improve its program delivery, and enhance its development and deployment of new technology while holding oversight and policy promulgation constant, a modest increase in generalist and technical specialist positions is warranted.Increases could be spread over several years to ensure continued productivity gains.Such increases would also help to focus on emerging program issues related to safety, ITS, communications technology, environment and intermodal planning.Distribution should be based on an in-depth analysis of the Work Force Plan and should be prioritized to cover the most critical needs first; for example, a critical vacancy in an essential area of technical expertise.

The staffing requirements to fulfill the 2010 FHWA mission and roles will consist of a broad mix of program knowledge in all areas.Skills mix will include increases in specialties needed to support internal administration, improved traffic operations, and facility management. These specialties include environmental coordination, planning, and information management and electronic technologies, especially communications technologies. Personnel with experience and training in basic program delivery will increasingly be in demand to provide assistance to States and others in the management of systems.A mix of generalists and technical specialists will be necessary at the Division level to support increasingly decentralized State operations. As the program grows in size and complexity, increases in both technical and program assistance staff will be necessary.

To keep up with the increasing rate of technological changes, technical skills will be acquired through fundamental training with continued retraining on specific knowledge areas.The FHWA will need staff committed to continual retraining and flexibility.

More emphasis will be placed on technical exchange and networking meetings.Communities of practice will be essential for knowledge sharing and advancing the state-of-the-art through documentation of best practices.Development of future national experts can be achieved through staff exchange programs and assignments or support positions with national experts.

Employees will need greater interpersonal skills to conduct interagency coordination, to foster team building, to work with multiple and new partners, and to plan and manage diverse work activities. Public speaking, marketing, etc. will be required as a result of the continuing increase in the number of agencies involved in the delivery of the programs and the increasing interaction between agencies due to joint activities.Employees will need this broad band of knowledge to administer an increased number of programs.Broader responsibilities will require an expanded range of technical, business and professional skills.The FHWA program will also require improved customer service skills as expectations of the need for the Federal processes to add value are heightened.Interpersonal skills will have greater importance in evaluation/selection/promotion of employees.Also, technical staff must be more flexible in the future.They will be called upon more and more for temporary assignments, quality improvement teams, and learning assignments.

For additional discussion on staffing requirements in 2010, see Appendix A, "FUTURE ROLES and WORKFORCE of FHWA in 2010."

2.C.Current State