Office of Naval Research Total Force Manpower Management

Abstract

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: As the Office of Naval Research continues to face external pressures to increase efficiency and reduce the size of its total workforce, the Command needs a more formalized, coordinated, proactive manpower management effort to effectively leverage its resources. This project compares internal, external and academic perspectives on total force manpower management to facilitate the development of a recommended Total Force Manpower Management construct. The research team identified five key needs from the internal interviews and developed a set of recommendations that, once implemented, will enable ONR to more strategically manage its total workforce. Key Need Recommendation ONR needs a centralized Total Force Manpower structure. Amend the ONR organization chart to create an Office of Manpower Management (OMM) reporting to the Talent Manager. ONR needs a current, reconciled total force database. Expand the data collected during the Zero Based Review to establish and maintain a Position Management Database (PMD) that can be reconciled with existing systems of record and feed the Intelligent Workbook. ONR needs a more strategic focus on Total Force Manpower. Expand the functions of the existing Talent Management Board (TMB) to provide policy guidance for total force manpower issues and coordinate with leadership to issue a Total Force Manpower Strategic Plan. ONR needs to maintain and improve the effective control elements of the current construct. Expand the Personnel Management Plan to include multi-year targets for all workforce types (total force). ONR needs to more formally leverage manpower expertise across the Command to ensure alignment, visibility, and communication. Establish a Position Management Board (PMB) to formalize the interactions between ONR’s total force subject matter experts and to provide a more defined review process for total force personnel decisions. The recommendations, summarized in Appendix A, propose alterations to ONR structures, processes, and data management tools. Implemented independently, any of the proposed recommendations can move ONR incrementally toward the desired end-state. Implemented together, these recommendations provide an integrated approach to manpower management that will allow the Command to more strategically align its human capital resources with the accomplishment of its mission.