Fed Thread

Reading Between the Numbers: What federal workforce data can and can’t tell you

What can workforce surveys tell federal leaders that they won’t hear in a staff meeting? And what happens when employees stop believing their feedback will actually lead

Flattening out or hollowing out? The push to cut federal management

Do fewer managers mean more efficient government? In this episode of Fed Thread, Dr. Michelle Sutter, executive director of the Senior Executives Association, discusses

AI Goes to War: Verifying the call at machine speed

AI can analyze information at machine speed, but when stakes are high enough, should it ever get to make the call before humans can verify it? On this episode of Fed Thr

Where’s your PIV card, HAL? What happens when AI gets an employee ID

What happens when AI stops being just a tool you use and starts acting on your behalf? An AI agent can access data, interact with applications and take actions. But if i

One Size Fits Government? The challenge to outfit the federal workforce

What happens when “one size fits most” meets a federal workforce of tens of thousands of real people? Uniforms and protective gear have to work at scale, but traditional

Before You Hit Send: What to do when workplace issues escalate

When a workplace issue escalates, most federal employees only see the tip of the iceberg. On this episode of Fed Thread, federal HR expert and Founder and CEO of HR Armor

Winning the Fight before the Crisis: What would it take to end veteran suicide?

What would it take to end veteran suicide? On this episode of Fed Thread, John Eaton, Complex Care Vice President at Wounded Warrior Project, explains what prevention lo

The Bullseye on Your Back: What happens when federal work makes you a target?

The information you give away online may be doing more than generating spam calls. For some federal employees, it can help someone find where you live, identify your fami

No Mulligans Allowed: Federal retirement choices you can't do over

Retirement may feel like the finish line, but some of the biggest federal retirement decisions need to be made well before you get there. On this episode of Fed Thread,

Hiring Up, Headcount Down: Is the federal workforce rebound real or repair?

Federal hiring is up 26 percent this year, yet headcount continues to fall. So is the federal workforce recovering, reinventing itself—or just trying to staunch the bleed

When trauma comes with the job: Understanding PTSD and mental health in the federal workforce

How do you know when it’s just a tough experience and when your job is causing you real trauma? On this episode of Fed Thread, Faust Ruggiero, psychologist, author and c

The Outsourcing Dilemma: Can getting help make government helpless?

Government can’t do everything itself. But what happens when outsourcing goes beyond operations, and the very judgment and institutional knowledge it needs to oversee the

Feds in Film: When Hollywood nailed government—or whiffed

Hollywood loves a good federal thriller, but how much of what we see on screen accurately portrays government behind the scenes? On this episode of Fed Thread, entertain

When doing your job isn't a defense: What feds need to know about professional liability insurance

Federal employees often assume that if they’re acting on behalf of the government, it will have their back if something goes wrong. But what happens when the government’

Another Org’s Treasure: Uncovering the market for federal talent

Public service and mission-driven work are not exclusive to the federal government, and many organizations that offer these roles are intent on hiring people with federal

Uncle Sam’s image problem and the feds caught in the middle

Americans may distrust government, but they don't necessarily distrust the people who work for it. While the Partnership for Public Service found this year that just 27

What if prior success is one of the biggest threats to your mission?

That’s cautionary wisdom that Mike Ciannilli, retired NASA Test Director and Landing Recovery Director, wants other feds to think about. In his last government role as NA

The Breakthrough Problem: Can government innovate without creating bigger risks?

What happens when technology moves faster than government can govern it? AI is transforming biological research by accelerating drug discovery, protein design and pandem

What happens to a mission deferred? When priorities change, but the people don't

What happens when the mission changes, but the people doing the work stay the same? For federal employees, a change in administration or organizational priorities can m

Move your money or let it ride? Staying in the TSP after retirement

You’ve spent decades building your TSP. Now that you’re retired, should you move some of it, all of it, or let the money ride? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, and