In 2011, the Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCO) Council and OPM created a joint working group that focused on identifying and closing critical skill gaps in the federal government. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) had identified strategic human capital management (SHCM) as a high-risk area on its perennial high-risk list, urging OPM and individual agencies to take a more strategic and efficient approach to recruiting, developing, and retaining individuals with the necessary skills to address their respective missions and respond to emerging challenges.