Message from the Director

The last few years have been particularly challenging for the Federal workforce due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic has left an indelible mark on how we work, bringing telework and remote work and other developments to the forefront, forever changing what we know as the workplace.   

OPM remains steadfast in its work to recruit, retain, and support civil servants across the Federal government, and to remove any barriers to equal opportunity as the workforce continues to adapt to change and evolve for the future. As the largest employer in the United States, the Federal government can serve as a model employer for other sectors to follow. OPM is harnessing this opportunity by working with Federal agencies to evaluate and implement promising policies and practices from public and private sectors to redefine the future of the Federal workforce and positively impact the lives of the millions of workers across the Federal government and other sectors.  

Accomplishing this depends in large part on continuing efforts to improve the Federal employee experience and the ability of Federal human capital professionals to glean meaningful insights from OPM’s human capital data, enabling them to make informed decisions, measure effectiveness and optimize workforce policies, programs, and services to meet the challenges the workforce faces. As such, OPM will need to take substantive steps, consistent with Federal law, to 1) increase data competencies and mobilize human capital professionals not only at OPM but across the Federal government, to collaborate and exchange ideas, techniques, and products to drive effective workforce policies, programs, and services, and 2) strategically leverage its human capital data assets, increasing their usability while also protecting personnel and other sensitive data.  

I am honored to introduce OPM’s first Data Strategy which lays out a bold vision for a data-driven future and outlines our FY23 – FY26 priorities to lay a strong foundation of people, data, technology, and governance for long-term success. I am thankful for the extraordinary team of OPM leaders, staff and agency partners who worked together to illuminate challenges and opportunities that will propel the use of data for policymaking and improving the Federal employee experience. Furthermore, the team worked to craft a strategy which represents OPM as a whole and has far-reaching impacts across the Federal landscape.   

OPM staff has already begun this work and I am excited about the prospect of working with our workforce and partners to leverage data to drive the implementation of workforce flexibilities, expand the Federal talent pool and bring about positive change for the Federal workforce.  

Kiran A. Ahuja
Director, OPM