Engineering workforce planning and workload management in the US Army Corps of Engineering

Abstract

Throughout the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the process of workforce planning and workload management remains a challenge. The purpose of this research was to understand the tools available to assist with these functions, determine how these functions have been performed in the past, collect best management practices from leaders in the organization and engineering industry, analyze current processes and limitations, understand impacts of the current working environment on planning and management, and identify ways to improve mission delivery, prevent employee burnout, and more evenly distribute workload. The researcher used qualitative methods, including literature review, action research, and semi-structured interviews, to perform the research. The responses provided during the interviews were analyzed to determine common themes – most critically, that there is no single tool identified that could perform both workforce and workload management functions and that all parties, whether part of USACE or private sector firms, were performing these tasks differently.