A Government Workforce in Need of Its Own Rescue

The report dumps on the General Schedule personnel system "for providing too little latitude to recruit top talent and reward exceptional workers, while also making it too hard to discipline poor performers."

Stier spoke approvingly of linking pay to performance, but with certain safeguards. Some agencies have installed pay for performance, to the fury of labor unions and workers.

Once the employees are hired, keeping them engaged is the next challenge. An engaged workforce -- with staffers who have a sense of personal accomplishment, pride in their work and belief that they are valued as individuals -- results in better service to the taxpayer.

But the bosses have failed to take to workforce engagement seriously. "It has not been viewed as an indispensable means for improving agency performance," according to the road map. Among other things, it recommends that managers "build a clear line of sight from an employee's work to accomplishments or broader objectives and the agency's mission" and develop a more efficient system of rewarding strong performances and dealing with poor performers.

Another element of an effective workforce the report identified, and one that has been noticeably in short supply lately, is strong leadership. Leadership consistently falls to the bottom of a list of workplace categories in agency rankings by the Partnership for Public Service and American University. "Employees in the federal sector are twice as likely as their private-sector counterparts to report that their leaders -- political and career -- do not have the leadership skills needed to do their jobs effectively," the report laments.

The road map has a number of recommendations, including: Provide technical experts advancement opportunities that offer greater pay and responsibility, but "without requiring leadership and management duties for which they may be ill-suited."

In other words, avoid the Peter Principle.

Is there a sure way to do that for elected officials?

Contact Joe Davidson atfederaldiary@washpost.com.