Retaining and engaging young feds has been the drum beat in government for awhile now and will probably continue to be for the foreseeable future.
But one of the main stumbling blocks for agency leaders has been the pace of government change. Millennials are quick to adopt new technologies and programs. But the government is not. So how can managers deal with that in-balance? Tom Fox is the Vice President for Leadership and Innovation at the Partnership for Public Service.
He told Chris Dorobek on the DorobekINSIDER program that the pace of government change is speeding up a bit.
“All the uncertainty over the federal budget, the deep cuts are accelerating the pace of change. There really isn’t an option,” said Fox.
Tips to Engage Young Feds
- Be as transparent as possible. Even when you don’t know the answer, say that. Communication is key.
- Pay particular attention to what motivates millennials. It’s usually not pay, but advancement and learning opportunities.
- Invite them to the conversation.
- Provide mentorship opportunities. Many people would want to be mentors they just have to be asked. They don’t have to be formal programs, just time to converse.
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