(From Human Resource Executive Online) -- Continued and repeated proposals to change federal pay and benefits will ultimately have an impact on recruitment and retention efforts, says Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry.

"We are not at the edge of the cliff yet, but I do not know where the edge is, and we are in the fog," Berry said during the Federal Managers Association training conference. "My hope is that people with goodwill and good reason will proceed with caution."

Berry said it is important to step back and assess what impact the current pay freeze for federal employees and revisions to retirement benefits for new employees will have on recruitment and retention before making further changes.

"If we do this haphazardly ... or try to do it all at once, we will obviously go over the cliff," he said.

Berry also said it is more important than ever to ensure employees feel connected to their agency's mission.

Federal viewpoint survey results show that federal employees are motivated by the work they do, he says in a follow-up interview. So, as part of efforts to improve performance management and employee morale, agencies should set clear goals that are connected to the agency's mission so employees understand how they contribute.

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