Government Accountability Office

Dhs Strategic Workforce Planning: Oversight of Departmentwide Efforts Should Be Strengthened Government Accountability Office

With more than 240,000 employees doing diverse jobs, DHS?s workforce supports the department?s multiple missions to prevent terrorism and enhance security, secure and manage the nation?s borders, and ensure resilience from disasters, amongst others. Strategic workforce planning focuses on developing long-term strategies for acquiring, developing, and retaining an organization?s total workforce, including federal staff and contractors, to meet the needs of the future. GAO has previously identified workforce-related challenges faced by DHS components. In light of these ongoing challenges, GAO was asked to review DHS?s strategic workforce planning efforts. This report assesses whether DHS has incorporated strategic workforce planning leading principles into the department?s management of strategic workforce planning efforts.