Although employer branding has been around for years (Simon Barrow of TMP Worldwide’s UK subsidiary defined the term back in 1996), it hasn’t quite received presidential attention. In fact, government agencies, however, in spite of encouragement from OPM, have been slow to make it a priority. But all that’s about to change. In October, Harvard’s Kennedy School along with University of Maryland and OPM held a closed door meeting with members of the administration and Congress. OPM Director John Berry is taking key ideas garnered from the gathering to the president.  As reported by The Washington Post, one of the hot topics is that “Uncle Sam should do a better job branding and promoting his work. “

Agencies have their own reasons for being and need their own unique brands. The Post article states it well: “The Army and the Marine Corps know how to do it. Certainly money is a motivating factor for recruits, but the military, in part through TV commercials, has successfully branded itself as a place where young men and women go to become mature adults with a clear sense of mission. You can't say that about your average civilian agency.” [Emphasis supplied]

That’s right the rumors are true: the federal government has fully acknowledged that it can no longer tolerate outdated hiring processes. Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management John Berry says in an interview with Wired.com, “Many of our policies and practices are – I wouldn’t go so far back as the 19^th century, but certainly the 1950s in terms of their approach. Our hiring, for instance, has become so cumbersome and so complicated that it is a nightmare…we need to make that simpler…allowing people a fair shot at a federal job.” And while Gen Y might enjoy retro for costume parties, today’s younger job seekers prefer a job seeking experience that blends with today’s transparent, anytime, anywhere environment.

Director Berry believes that these young people have much more to offer the feds than just a replacement for baby boomers, whose retirements remain uncertain due to the economy. “When Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, the average age of the federal workers who were at Mission Control – the people who got him there safely and got him home – was in the late twenties,” Barry said. “We’re not the first generation to try to involve young folks…the government did it very effectively in the 60s, and those people produced miracles.”

A draft plan (PDF) written by OPM to make the federal government the model employer is currently online and comments from the public are encouraged. The four overall strategic goals include, recruiting and hiring the most talented, providing the tools necessary to help federal employees succeed in their careers, hold leaders and workforce accountable for results and reward those with exemplary performance. Do you think the government is on its way to being “America’s best employer?”