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Audit Reports

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May
27
2022
Report Number:
21-255-R22
Report Type:
Audit Reports
Category: Human Resources

U.S. Postal Service Knowledge Continuity

 

Background

The U.S. Postal Service uses Corporate Succession Planning to identify and develop top-performing employees to become future executives. In addition, a variety of leadership development programs align with competency models to develop upcoming leaders, including Managerial Leadership, Advanced Leadership, Executive Leadership, and Executive Foundations. The overarching program of employee knowledge development is referred to as the learning continuum. During fall 2020, the Postal Service initiated a series of phased organizational changes to improve its ability to implement strategies and drive success.

What We Did

Our objective was to determine whether the Postal Service ensured that it did not lose critical knowledge when employees transferred within or left the organization (due to retirement, resignation, reduction in force, or other reason). For this audit, we judgmentally sampled 14 Postal Service district and division sites nationwide to visit (both in person and virtually) based on both high and low turnover rates.

Report Recommendations

# Recommendation Status Value Management Response OIG Response USPS Proposed Resolution
1

Assess whether a standard knowledge continuity plan would enhance institutional knowledge for non-executive employees and implement it as appropriate.

Closed $0 Disagree
2

Establish and issue guidance to management within each functional area for consistency when developing and identifying top performing non-executive employees.

Closed $0 Agree
3

Enhance the process to measure the success of leadership development courses after completion.

Closed $0 Agree
4

Update Management Instruction, EL-384-2014-1, Corporate Succession Planning, to reflect current agency systems and standards, and establish a schedule to review on a regular basis.

Closed $0 Agree