OPM wants to woo young workers. Can internet memes overcome Trump’s cuts to the civil service?
An agency spokeswoman said that a four-person communications team — all under the age of 30 — is spearheading the effort to make OPM’s social media more appealing to younger potential hires.
The US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is revamping its social media strategy to attract young workers to the federal civil service. This effort comes as the Trump administration has proposed cuts to the civil service, making it a challenging time to recruit new talent. By leveraging internet memes and a youthful communications team, OPM aims to present a more relatable and appealing image to potential young hires.
This move is significant because the federal workforce is aging, with many employees nearing retirement. According to the Partnership for Public Service, the average age of federal employees is 47, and 20% of the federal workforce is eligible to retire within the next three years. Attracting younger workers is crucial to ensuring the continuity and effectiveness of government agencies. OPM's strategy may help counterbalance the negative perceptions of working in the federal government, which can be seen as bureaucratic and unappealing to some younger job seekers.
As OPM continues to implement its social media strategy, it's worth watching how effective it will be in attracting young workers despite the proposed cuts to the civil service. The success of this effort may depend on the administration's willingness to reconsider its plans for workforce reductions and reforms. Additionally, OPM's approach may influence other government agencies to adopt similar strategies, potentially leading to a broader cultural shift in how the federal government presents itself to potential employees.
Originally reported by govexec.com. IRSNews adds analysis for government & civic readers.