As a member of the federal workforce, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management touches nearly every aspect of your career, from how you were hired to how your retirement benefits are calculated. So when OPM turns the lens on itself, it’s worth paying attention.
In a March 17 blog post titled “Pulse Check,” OPM Director Scott Kupor shared the results of the agency’s latest internal employee survey, and what he had to say offers a candid look at where the agency sees itself heading.
The Idea Behind the Pulse Survey
Kupor opened with a straightforward analogy: just as individuals use fitness trackers and annual checkups to monitor their physical health, organizations need regular measurement to stay on track. OPM’s quarterly pulse survey is designed to do exactly that: assess whether the agency is focused on the right goals, managing for accountability, and living up to its stated cultural values.
One encouraging sign: survey participation jumped from 36% in the previous round to 66% this time around, a meaningful increase that suggests employees are more engaged in the process.
What OPM Says It’s Working On
Kupor outlined three priorities the agency is focused on:
Fixing the federal hiring pipeline. OPM acknowledged a striking statistic; only 7% of the federal workforce is early career, compared to 22% in the private sector. The agency says it is working to improve the applicant experience, introduce pooled hiring across agencies, and replace candidate self-attestation of skills with more formal, structured assessments.
Building a high-performance culture. This is an area where OPM’s own survey data flagged room for improvement. The agency said supervisors need to provide more consistent feedback throughout the year rather than showing up once at annual review time. Kupor also addressed accountability directly, both for underperforming employees who need clear improvement plans and for high performers who deserve real recognition and differentiation.
Stewardship of taxpayer dollars. OPM reiterated its commitment to technology modernization, process improvements, and eliminating lower-priority work across government.
What the Survey Results Actually Showed
According to Kupor, the areas where OPM scored well included organizational clarity; employees generally understand what the agency is trying to accomplish and how their work connects to it. Cultural values around teamwork, customer service, and fiscal responsibility also scored positively.
The areas flagged for improvement centered on performance management, specifically, the consistency of feedback, accountability for underperformers, and meaningful recognition for top performers. These are longstanding challenges across the federal government, but the agency’s willingness to put the data in writing is notable.
Why This Matters
OPM sets the tone and the rules for how the federal workforce is managed. When the agency talks about building a high-performance culture, improving hiring, and strengthening accountability, those conversations eventually translate into policy changes that affect federal employees across every agency.
