战略与国际研究中心-The-Department-of-Homeland-Security-Unity-of-Effort-Initiative_7页_353kb

DHS Unity of Effort Initiative Summary

Core Content

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Unity of Effort Initiative, introduced in April 2014 by Secretary Jeh Johnson, aims to enhance the department's efficiency and effectiveness by promoting a unified approach to decision-making and operations across its various components. The initiative seeks to deepen understanding of the DHS mission space and empower its components to better execute their roles.

Main Challenges

The initiative faces three primary challenges:

1. Cultural Resistance: There is a strong resistance to a unified approach across the department's diverse components and offices. Despite efforts to integrate operations, the cultural divide remains a significant barrier to cohesive decision-making.

2. Training Resource Shortages: The department struggles to provide adequate training for its personnel, especially new political appointees and mission support staff. The high-paced environment and limited resources hinder the development of necessary skills, particularly those outside the national capital region.

3. Career Development Gaps: DHS has a high turnover rate among employees, driven by poor morale, a dysfunctional work environment, and the lure of private sector opportunities. The outdated classification standards for the Security Administration job series (GS-0080) and lack of rotation mechanisms further exacerbate these issues.

Key Recommendations

The roundtable discussions led to seven principal recommendations for improving the unity of effort initiative:

1. Focus on Change Drivers: Identify and develop individuals who can lead the cultural and operational transformation within DHS. These leaders should be encouraged to stay in government service and enhance their skills to support the department's missions.

2. Robust Intra-DHS Exchange Program: Implement a program allowing employees to rotate between different components and offices, similar to the military's joint training model. This will improve understanding of inter-component missions and foster collaboration.

3. Private-Sector Rotations: Explore the potential for employees to rotate into private-sector homeland security companies, provided they commit to returning. This can enhance expertise and provide insights into industry practices.

4. Amend GS-0080 Classification Standards: Review and update the job series classification to reflect modern skill requirements and promote flexibility. This could lead to a more competitive and defined pay system for homeland security professionals.

5. Formal Engagement with Civil Servants: Create more structured opportunities for career civil servants to contribute ideas and experiences to senior leadership. A small advisory council could facilitate this by allowing diverse perspectives to be shared directly with leadership.

6. Periodic Training Seminars: Develop training programs for new political appointees to ensure they understand DHS strategies, requirements, and operations. This will help reduce friction and improve collaboration between appointees and career staff.

7. Informal Forums: Encourage the development of informal interaction platforms where employees from different agencies can build relationships and foster a culture of cooperation. These forums can help identify key players and promote early buy-in for new initiatives.

Conclusion

The unity of effort initiative presents a significant opportunity for DHS to overcome long-standing challenges and create a more integrated and effective organization. Success will require sustained leadership, cultural transformation, and investment in both training and career development. While change in government bureaucracies is slow, incremental steps toward a unified mission and improved morale can lay the groundwork for long-term success.

References

1. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, “DHS Releases Second Quadrennial Homeland Security Review,” June 19, 2014.
2. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, “2014 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey,” agency ratings.
3. Partnership for Public Service, “Best Places to Work in the Federal Government,” agency rankings.
4. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, “Budget-in-Brief, Fiscal Year 2014.”
5. Jerry Markon, Ellen Nakashima, and Alice Critics, “Top-level turnover makes it harder for DHS to stay on top of evolving threats,” Washington Post, September 21, 2014.
6. Howard Risher, “Front-Line Morale Problems are Threatening Homeland Security,” Government Executive, September 30, 2014.
7. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, “Budget-in-Brief, Fiscal Year 2014.”
8. Partnership for Public Service, “Best Places to Work in the Federal Government.”
9. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, “2014 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey.”
10. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, “Budget-in-Brief, Fiscal Year 2014.”
11. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, “2014 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey.”
12. Partnership for Public Service, “Best Places to Work in the Federal Government.”
13. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, “2014 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey.”
14. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, “Budget-in-Brief, Fiscal Year 2014.”