Position management begins with a clear organizational structure that supports alignment between staffing and mission objectives. A well-designed staffing chart, combined with strategic planning considerations, ensures optimal resource allocation and organizational effectiveness.
Key Insights
- Establishing an organizational chart helps visualize reporting relationships and assess whether positions align with the agency’s mission and hierarchy.
- Key planning considerations include identifying required work and skills, optimizing supervisory ratios, and incorporating career ladders, leaders, and bridge positions to enhance efficiency and morale.
- Support effective position management by evaluating available resources, identifying training needs, and considering temporary or part-time staffing where appropriate.
This lesson is a preview from our Federal Position Management Course and Certified Federal HR Business Partner (cFHRBP) Level III Certificate Program. Enroll in a course for detailed lessons, live instructor support, and project-based training.
Let's look at the last section in Module 3, Key Position Management Considerations in the Planning Process. And so, there are many key factors that you must consider in the position management process. A good starting point for effective position management is to have a staffing slash organizational chart.
It serves as a good starting point. And you want to be able to ensure that the report shows the levels within the management hierarchy. And so, you want to be able to assist the managers and HR in evaluating if the positions line up with the mission.
Assist the line managers and HR staff in planning for the optimum level of organizational effectiveness. And so, I want you to look at the following example of a staffing slash organizational chart below. It lists a human resources officer at a GS-14.
And under that immediate office is the staff assistant GS-12 and the secretary GS-6. Then there are two sections in the chief employment section that are led by the GS-13 and the secretary GS-5. And under that chief employment section, there are two units, Chief Staffing Unit A and Chief Staffing Unit B. Those are headed up by a GS-12 human resource specialist.
And then it lists all of the positions that fall under it. And so, in the other section, there's a chief payroll section at grade nine. The chief of payroll has a secretary at grade five.
And under that chief payroll section is a chief payroll unit that's led by a grade seven and has a list of civilian pay technicians and time and leave clerks that report to that lead civilian pay technician. And so, that's a good example of an organizational chart and what it should look like when you're planning to do a position management review. Along with a staffing and organizational chart, to be effective in the planning process, you will need some additional considerations.
You want to determine the organization's mission and purpose for existing. You want to identify the kind of work to be accomplished, which includes the knowledge and skills required and the types of positions needed to do that type of work. That's called job analysis, and we'll discuss that in a later module.
You want to concentrate the highest grade of work into the fewest number of positions. You want to determine the right span of control, which is the supervisor-to-employee ratio. You want to use work leaders and team leader positions when practical or warranted.
You want to identify and incorporate the most effective work processes to include equipment, procedures, methods, and techniques that will get the job done effectively and efficiently. You want to establish and use career ladders when feasible. We know that career ladders promote employee morale and ensure the longevity of qualified people in their positions.
You want to establish some technical and bridge positions to relieve the higher graded positions of lower graded, more routine work. You want to determine the availability of space, materials, equipment, and supplies to carry out the work. It's nothing worse than not being able to do your job effectively because you won't have the right supplies, materials, and equipment.
You want to identify the training required. Training is always a necessary fact in any position management review. There may be individuals who need to be brought up to speed when processes and procedures change or when the requirements change.
And so training is always required. Establish temporary special project offices if new work is short-term or time-limited. And you want to use temporary and part-time employees or DTLEs, and you can consider contractors when that is practical.
So those things will aid in the things that you must consider in the planning process when you're doing a position management review
