Dean David T. Ellwood: “The Kennedy School has a simple goal: making the world a better place. … If ever there was a time when we need superb public leaders — in this case public sector leaders — this is it.”

File Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard Staff Photographer

Nation & World

Attracting stronger federal workforce

1 min read

While the private sector long ago streamlined its hiring processes for attracting talented new employees, the federal government is historically sluggish in that area. With as many as 30 percent of federal employees likely to leave their jobs in the next five years, the challenge becomes how to overhaul federal hiring practices to attract top-notch young people who can’t and won’t wait a year to see if they can enter government service.

In a question-and-answer session, Dean David T. Ellwood of the Harvard Kennedy School examines the problem and explains a School program that aims squarely at a solution.