The White House will release its 2019 budget plan on Feb. 12, including plans for restructuring agencies, reducing costs and realigning management. One significant recommendation was that agencies should eliminate one or more layers of management – a change that will have far-reaching implications.
Speaking to GovExec, Howard Risher says that although the transition to greater autonomy would not be easy, the change should lead to improved performance. Risher is a consultant focusing on pay and performance, who managed the project that led to the passage of the Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act and the transition to locality pay.
He compares the transition to the changes in the private sector during the 1990-91 recession, when corporations were forced to cut costs. “Flattening organizations reduces bureaucracy and hierarchical management; organizations become more responsive to their markets and stakeholders,” Risher said. “Corporate leaders learned they could delegate responsibility and trust their people.”
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