Professional Staffing Strategies for Government IT Modernization

For governments to work efficiently to serve the needs of their people, they need to use current and modernized systems to collect data and administer services. In many cases, modernizing government systems has been a slow and lengthy process, but most governments are now recognizing the need to put data and software in the cloud, update their system security, and otherwise update and improve the way they use technology.

With the move toward these technologies, governments need staffing strategies that will support their transformation and be able to help with the modernization process. Government hiring has never been an easy process, but there are ways to streamline it, speed it up, and improve the caliber of talent the government can attract.

Assessing IT Staffing Needs for Modernization

Migrating data and systems to the cloud is probably the most important update needed for most antiquated government systems. Not only are on-site server racks large, slow, and difficult to repair when they fail, the upcoming generation of IT professionals are more comfortable working with cloud-based systems.

Governments are constantly cranking out new regulations to follow, and many of them have been about cybersecurity. This shows a real concern for making sure constituent data remains secure from hackers and cybercriminals. The right staff is necessary to comply with ever-changing regulations and safeguard the critical area of government IT staffing.

As governments make critical changes to their technology infrastructure, they will require staffing with current and relevant skills as well as staff offering up-to-date IT skills. It is important for governments to specify their needs clearly through posted job requirements. 

Attracting and Retaining IT Talent in Government

Government jobs are attractive to young workers because they typically pay well at entry level and offer generous benefits and paid time off. Government jobs also offer a predictable work environment and a consistent schedule in most cases. 

Besides these advantages, government jobs offer more security and a lower chance of layoffs or sudden firing than other IT jobs in the field. Governments can attract IT professionals to government positions by offering unique challenges along with work-life balance, which many younger workers value. 

Here are some strategies to attract top IT professionals to government positions:

Focus on work-life balance, health insurance and purpose: these are attractive to Generation Z as those workers enter the workforce in larger numbers. 

Offer ongoing training to keep skills up to date while fostering engagement and retention. If workers are finding purpose and fulfillment working to improve people’s lives in the government, they will be less likely to look elsewhere.

Emphasize student loan forgiveness programs, which offer younger workers the chance to have student loans forgiven after a set number of years of public service. Younger workers realize that their purchasing power has shrunk compared to their counterparts a few years ago and benefits like student loan forgiveness can help them catch up. 

Many government positions also have pensions or 401K matching, which can help with retention when employees are otherwise satisfied and engaged in their work. Government positions lack the stock options and bonuses that can make private sector IT jobs so lucrative and create tech millionaires, but they do offer a lot more job security and rewards over time that don’t come from the private sector. 

Upskilling and Reskilling Government IT Staff

Being part of the government has some advantages, and being taxpayer-funded usually means that ongoing training will be an important part of government IT positions. While taxpayer funding is by no means unlimited, and should not be, it does tend to expand to cover important priorities like educating workers and ensuring they have the right skills for their positions. 

The Biden administration has allocated billions of dollars to upskilling and technical training for government workers over the next several years. State and local governments can tap into these initiatives to get help with the costs of training their workers. In the military, a program called Quantum Leap aims to train 15,000 soldiers each year in technical skills. 

Leveraging Staffing Agencies for Specialized Needs

Staffing agencies can be an important resource for government recruiting when tech workers are needed. Staffing agencies that specialize in tech workers have talent pipelines that allow them to access top talent quickly, as well as the ability to source workers with particular skills. 

For instance, GDH helped a defense company that works on many government projects find 25 workers per week. A total of 200 workers in four months to support projects that required top notch deliverables–and workers with security clearances as well. GDH was able to cut the company’s time to fill positions by 43% and the cost of filling positions by 50%, while scaling hiring up and down as needed to fill various projects.  

Because of proprietary staffing strategies and methods, GDH was able to succeed in government recruiting in ways that the company never could have achieved on its own. In addition, GDH’s staffing help allowed more of the company’s resources to be redirected to other needs.

Conclusion

Professional staffing agencies provide needed help and expertise in sourcing and retaining IT staff in government because they can utilize strategies more effectively and focus solely on recruiting tasks. 

IT in government is necessary for modernizing systems so they work more effectively and comply with changing regulations. For help with your government IT staffing needs, contact GDH today.