How Do We Attract and Retain Millennials in the Federal Workforce?

Attracting and retaining millennials in public service jobs is proving to be a thorny problem. Managers and senior leaders across government are struggling with this issue and, in some cases, they are coming up short.

While many members of this generational cohort, defined as individuals born after 1980, are attracted to the mission-centered work of government, all too often, they don’t think of government service as a viable option. The recently released OPM report, Millennials: Finding Opportunity in Federal Service, finds that millennials only stay 3.8 years in government employment.

Part of the problem, according to the report, may be that millennials want to work for organizations that support creativity and innovation—something the government is often criticized for not doing well enough. Just one in three federal millennials said that creativity and innovation are rewarded in their organizations.

There are a few bright spots, though. Results from the 2014 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey reports that there are more than 336,000 people under the age of 33 in the federal workforce. Almost two thirds of millenials in the federal workforce are satisfied with their jobs, and 62 percent would recommend their organization as a good place to work. They also strongly believe that the work they do is important and that they have real opportunities to improve their skills.

More important, OPM is rising to the challenge by changing its recruitment focus from a lifelong career emphasis to one that positions government work as an opportunity to “build your resume.” Additionally, OPM is launching a number of initiatives designed to foster creativity and collaboration in the government. For instance, OPM has partnered with select agencies to pilot a program called GovConnect, which allows employees to take a few hours each week to pursue a project that they are interested in and that demonstrates promise but that is not part of their everyday work assignments.

The idea is to make government service overall more attractive to Millenials, who as a group put a high value on innovation and teamwork. To learn more, check out the Infographic: A Snapshot of Millennials in Government, or download the full report at www.fedview.opm.gov/2014FILES/FEVS\_MillennialsReport.pdf.