GAO and Human Capital Reform: Leading by Example

To stay aligned with current and future needs of Americans, government agencies need to rethink what they do, how they do business and who should do that business—federal workers, contractors or some combination of the two. Human capital reform will be central to these transformation efforts. This article examines how the U.S. Government Accountability Office has undertaken a range of initiatives designed to strengthen its workforce and better position the agency for the future. These include basic changes in such areas as recruiting, training and development, job classification, pay and benefits and employee empowerment.