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5
DEVELOPING THE WORK FORCE
Over the past several years, automation at the Social Security Administration (SSA)
has begun to have visible and tangible effects on the work force. Continuing efforts to
modernize over the next several years will bring more changes affecting the operations of
the agency. These changes will continue to have an effect on the agency's work force both
in the skills required and its geographical distribution.
Nothing is more important to the mission of the SSA than the development of its
human resources. Without careful attention to the human needs of the organization, no
Systems Modernization Plan is likely to succeed. A human resources plan for the agency
must consider the skills required of its work force, the training and education needed to
meet those requirements, and the motivation of the staff. The plan must include both
technical and programmatic personnel.
FORCES OF CHANGE
Demographic changes in the U.S. population will have a dramatic impact on the
SSA. Its workload will increase substantially over the next two decades as the baby boom
generation retires and the life span of retirees lengthens.
The agency will also feel the effects of other demographic changes. The classical
family unit, with a father employed full time and a mother who stays at home to care for
the children, is largely a thing of the past. Increases in the number of working wives,
multiple marriages, single parents, and persons employed in multiple or part-time jobs add
greatly to the complexity of the agency's workload. Current automation does not deal
adequately with such complexities; future improvements in information systems are called
for, particularly in the organization of the database.
The potential additions to the SSA's work force also differ from the traditional
working population. The vast majority of new workers entering the U.S. work force in the
United States will not be white males; rather they will be women and members of racial
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so
minority groups (William B. Johnston and Arnold E. Packer, 1987). The new employee's
needs may be quite different from the typical career employee of the past in terms of
educational and cultural background, career aspirations, and personal priorities. The SSA's
management, along with management in all employment sectors in the United States, faces
the challenging task of adapting to the new work environment and using the full talents of
the emerging work force.
Through the implementation of sophisticated automation systems, it is possible for
an organization to maintain or improve service even should the skill level of its new
incoming nontechnical workers decline. However, uz order to brim sophisticated automation
systems fh~ wit e new nontechnical workers to perform sat~isfartori~ Ed w~lprovide for
fled self-devek~pment, a more skim arm motivated technical work force is needed
In assessing the development of the work force over the next decade. several factors
must be considered. ~
1 , e ~
first. the work content and workplace will evolve raDi~lv in an
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electronic environment, replacing paper-based systems. Second, the composition of the
work force will change, both at the operations level and at the technical level, driven by the
changing demographics of available workers. The implications of these changes will be felt
in both the management of human resources and in the education and training needs of
employees at all levels of the SSA.
EFFECTS OF AUTOMATION
The effects of automating SSA's core systems, as originally envisioned in its systems
modernization program, have been most noticeable in the past 2 years. The transition from
the district office to the telese~vice centers is the most notable change. Automation of the
programmatic systems, primarily in Title II (e.g., Old Age and Survivors Insurance)
activities, has provided the essential and prerequisite support needed to establish the
teleserv~ce operation. This automation has affected the SSA in two major ways. First
— — — ~ — ~~ ~ 7
_ ~ _ ~ _ _ e e ate _ e ~ _ _ _ e
because some ot the workload ot the district offices was shifted to the teleserv~ce centers,
the work force at the district offices was reduced over time. Second, the productivity of the
work force and its potential to serve clients better have improved for routine Title II
activities. As automation proceeds, the staff, both at the district level and at the teleservice
centers, will work in a less structured environment and will require greater interpersonal
skills in dealing with nonroutine client problems.
Early efforts to automate focused primarily on programmatic support of Title II
activities, but future efforts should extend to the more complex matters associated with
claims and determination of disability for both Title II and Title XVI (e.g., Supplemental
Security Income) programs. The goal of efforts to automate should be to develop systems
to support virtually all high-volume activities within the agency.
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51
Productivity
Although much of the development work has been under way for the past several
years, most of the automation of the core systems will be completed over the next 3 to 5
years. The results will allow fewer people to do the work that is currently done, and
routine work will require fewer employee hours. Although the workload is expected to
increase in clanns, administration, and teleservice, fewer SSA employees should be needed
overall. Automation will certainly eliminate the need for some manual tasks and increase
the productivity of the staff. The geographical distribution of the work force and the tasks
it performs ace likely to change significantly because of teleservice and automation.
Most of the new systems will generally not ~automate" major functions in the classical
sense of doing away altogether with the need for clerical labor. The new systems will
instead add to the efficiency and the quality of service provided by the staff. Many of the
detailed functions that today are performed manually or with the aid of calelilators will he
performed Dy fine computer. Such information as benefits schedules and tables, now
memorized or maintained in manuals, will be available from on-line terminals. Routine
procedures will be implemented more easily by expert systems capable of following a
complex set of rules established by knowledgeable practitioners in the agency. The major
effect of this change will be the need for fewer knowledge workers in the district offices.
However, the number of complex cases is expected to increase, and handling them with
fewer district-based knowledge workers could present a service problem if not properly
thought through.
All of the benefits of automation should certainly not be taken in the form of work
force reduction. Improved productivity and the tremendous power of an information system
to support the staff will permit the SSA to provide higher-quality service (e.g., faster
handling of claims and improved access to assistance for those needing help). How the
benefits of automation will be distributed is essentially a policy issue. A well-designed
system should provide a variety of benefits, not just reduced staff requirements.
Technical Workers
In addition to the transition taking place in programmatic services, rapid and
relentless technological advances affect the systems modernization technical staff itself
New systems requirements and developments will continue to place greater demands on the
SSA's technical work force, which will need to be up to the task of performing a dual
role--keeping current systems operating smoothly, and planning and designing for the future.
During the last few years the SSA's systems have undergone major changes, from a
tape-based batch orientation to a disk-based system that supports on-line data queries, but
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52
much must be done to move the SSA's processing on-line. Accommodating demographic
changes in the client population will add the further complication of a need for integrated
systems that will allow the processing of claims involving multiple family unit relationships
with greater complexity. Knowledge of relational databases arid the skills required to
develop knowledge-based systems to support future stages of SSA's systems modernization
will be vital to the success of the agency. Major efforts in the area of privacy, security,
distributed systems, and advanced software development techniques will be needed. The
successful development of user-friendly and robust systems will require highly skilled
engineers and programmers.
Personnel with superior technical skills, still relatively low in number and in most
cases highly paid, are currently in short supply at the SSA, which will have to compete for
people with these skills now and in the future. However, recruiting technical staff with
contemporary skills is only the beginning, and the SSA may not be able to hire all the
talented employees it needs. Therefore, special and frequent training must be a mandatory
ingredient of the total Systems Modernization Plan, not just an adjunct. Such training
includes management education as well as ample opportunity for hands-on experience.
No doubt outside contractors will be needed to supplement the SSA's technical
work force with ongoing responsibilities to solve problems, develop strategic approaches,
identify needs, transfer technical knowledge, and engender government-wide confidence.
The Workplace
Automation is expected to substantially change the SSA's work environment.
Redistribution of the workload among the processing centers, regional offices, district
offices, teleservice centers, and headquarters will be possible. This will allow SSA's
managers to adjust the number of offices and their locations, giving the agency new
flexibility in organizing its work. The planned automation will support work done at central
locations, such as the teleservice centers, or even in private homes, to provide services to
immobile clients. Specific tasks could also be performed in employees' homes, thus
allowing the SSA greater flexibility to move workloads to where the knowledge workers are
located and to accommodate the needs of a new work force. The rate at which such
changes occur will be determined by the progress made in systems modernization.
COMPOSITION OF THE TECHNICAL WORK FORCE
The composition of the SSA's technical work force is likely to change in the next 10
years. During the initial phase of technical growth, the supply of technical personnel was
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Ssmall. Most of the people hired had only basic commercial data-processing experience, and
further training was provided in-house and on the job. However, more professionals are
now entering the work force with university degrees in computer science. Up to now the
demand for software professionals has outstripped supply. According to recent indications,
this situation may be easing. More computer science graduates are applying for openings
at colleges and universities because they were unable to find suitable positions with
computer vendors, systems houses, and technical companies. This is not to say that good
software designers with experience will be easy to find in the near term, or ever, but it does
suggest that better-trained entry-level professionals may become more available to
.. .. . . . . ... ..
Also, many OI me eXperlenCeO
available as a result of the scaling
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appllcatlon-orlenten institutions such as the 55^
programmers and systems analysts who are becoming
down of defense-related contracts may find the SSA's systems problems challenging.
New employees from these two sources will have different views of systems and
computer capabilities than do most of the current staff at the SSA. They will be more
comfortable with modern computing methods and less knowledgeable about or
understanding of some existing SSA procedures. Having two distinct types of technical
employees in the SSA work force could be either a problem or an opportunity. It could
lead to frustration if new employees are shoehorned into participating in tasks that are a
poor match for their background. It could also lead to the assembly of groups that can
implement innovative new projects. Of course, there should not be an impenetrable barrier
between the two types of personnel. The SSA currently has some experienced staff
members who would welcome innovation and some new personnel who would be more
comfortable working on existing projects and focusing on gradual improvements.
EDUCATING AND TRAINING THE WORK FORCE
The operational work force will either be reduced by the impact of automation and
budget constraints or be held constant by political pressure to maintain current levels of
employment. In the latter case, service to the public should improve. Because
approximately 25 percent of the SSA's employees (about 15,000 people) can be expected
to retire in this decade, the majority of the SSA's work force during the l990s is already
employed at the agency. But as the agency enters the t~venty-first century, new workers in
significant numbers may be entering the SSA. To accommodate these new incoming
workers the agency must plan on providing the training and education to prepare and equip
them to do their jobs.
During the 199Os, information technology will continue to move from the computer
center out to the workplace and change the way the agency does its business and how
workers do their jobs. This transitional period will also require increased worker training,
1
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54
not just for using new technology but for new work assignments and different job
responsibilities. Providing education and training for the current work force will challenge
SSA managers as they move automated systems into production and introduce new
technology throughout the agency. The current work force will require substantial
transitional training, and hands-on training with the assistance of learner-paced training
packages should be considered. The development of "help" screens within the applications
themselves can greatly facilitate learning. The SSA should incorporate strategic initiatives
into the agency's Systems Modernization Plan that serve to stimulate and motivate the
work force.
Training the technical staff presents a special challenge. The SSA should give special
attention to how the required new skills can best be developed within the current staff.
High-quality technical personnel greatly value the opportunity to upgrade their skills. The
SSA can attract and motivate technical staff by offering exceptional opportunities for them
to develop their skills by working on a variety of challenging assignments and taking
~ . ~ ~ ~ ~ .
is O ~ ~ ~ ~
advantage or formal training. Such investments in human capital are highly valued by
technical professionals and can even offset lower salary levels. To take advantage of this
approach, the SSA's managers must develop explicit glans and Procedures for providing the
needed career development opportunities.
Automation often has the reputation--sometimes deserved--of eliminating the need
for human skills and reducing the richness of jobs. That can happen, but it certainly does
not have to be the case. Modern information systems can enable the agency to create an
enriched environment that allows its workers to become more client-oriented, to handle
more completely a variety of client needs, and to deal with a variety of interesting and
vital client relationships. An environment must be created in which the technology provides
an opportunity for personal growth and a way to give superior service to clients. All
employees should be encouraged to empower themselves by learning new systems at their
own pace so that they can provide more in-depth and broader programmatic support to
clients.
The SSA's value system of promoting and practicing fair, equitable, and responsive
relationships with its employees and clients should be particularly helpful during the
transition process and should be a constant theme in daily operations and employee
training, which now needs to include the role of automation and its benefits to employees
and clients.
O
CONCLUSION
The SSA must continue to view its employees as a critical component of the agency's
mission, deserving of a very high priority. To assure that this significant success factor is
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Sc
not in any way overlooked, the committee suggests that the SSA include recruitment,
training, and retention of agency workers as an integral part of the information systems
plans and agency strategy.
The SSA must meet societal expectations for quality service. Accurate and timely
information, a natural by-product of well-designed information systems, is essential to
promoting and maintaining an image of quality and perhaps materially to improving it.
Maintaining Commissioner King's first goal of compassionate and courteous service requires
that all modernization efforts consider the effects on the agency's workers and improve their
ability to provide such service. Because this is such an important ingredient in the success
of the systems modernization, the committee recommends that
the SSA establish an Office specifically oriented toward and
charged with the responsibility of managing the human
resources transition.
This office would craft a strategy for recruitment, training, and retention of
employees. It would also establish mechanisms to ensure that human resources
considerations are fully taken into account in all information systems design and
implementations.
REFERENCE
William B. Johnston and Arnold E. Packer. 1987. Workforce 2000: Work and Workers for
the Twenty-First Century. Indianapolis, Ind.: Hudson Institute.
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Representative terms from entire chapter:
district offices
