Mechanics of Federal Restructuring

• Published in: The Public manager (Potomac, Md.) Vol. 44; no. 1; p. 53
• Main Author: Winchell, T E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Alexandria Association for Talent Development 01.04.2015
• Subjects: Accountability; Administrative procedure; Authority; Budgets; Consulting firms; Cost; Employee involvement; Employees; Federal government; Guidelines; Handbooks; Human capital; Labor costs; Leadership; Morale; Performance management; Reorganization; Strategic planning; System theory; Workforce; United States > US
• ISSN: 1061-7639; 2381-4160

Federal managers are tempted to propose restructuring as the best means to address issues of dwindling budgets, customer complaints, or poor employee morale. OMB Circular A-11 outlines requirements for aligning strategic plans and budget submissions. Restructuring costs must be funded using existing authorizations -- unless past budget and program submissions have been approved that provide sufficient staff and funds to support restructuring. If employees cannot identify how information flows in the new structure and who has authority to make critical decisions, they will develop unwritten workarounds to accomplish tasks. Indeed, basic systems theory requires that concurrent with restructuring, transparent administrative procedures must be established that clarify where work comes from (inputs), what they are expected to do with it (throughputs), and where they send it (outputs). To successfully implement a restructuring, each manager must be willing to invest the necessary time and effort. Consequently, restructuring initiatives should start with an end-to-end plan for proposing and accomplishing the work.