Former CBP CHCO muses on career

Technology as a tool, not an end, in human resource management

By Max Cacas
FederalNewsRadio

In the 30 years since Bob Hosenfeld began his career in federal human resource management, he’s seen lots of change in the field. What was once called “personnel” is now called “human capital management” in both the private and public sector.

Hosenfeld retired from his position as Assistant Commissioner for Human Resource Management at U.S. Customs and Border Protection last October, and since then has hung out his shingle as a consultant.

He’s now a vice president for strategic initiatives for STG International in Alexandria, Virginia, a company that claims at least 50 federal agencies as clients. He now provides his expertise in federal agency human capital management to many of those clients.

On an upcoming edition of WFED’s “Ask the Chief Human Capital Officer” program, Hosenfeld talked about one of the biggest and most important changes to his profession:

The single largest, or most significant change in the area of human capital has been technology. Before, there were cards, and a lot of the process was manual. Now, everything is technology based, which allows you to not only do things quicker, but actually allows you to do a lot more process and organizational analysis.

Hosenfeld is quick to point out that in many agencies and businesses, there are too many people who think technology alone will solve any given problem.

“Sometimes the technology can drive changes in policy,” he explained, “and conversely, sometimes the regulation can drive the technology, so I believe that its a partnership of the technology and policies that have driven change in the human capital environment.”

Hosenfeld also says in almost all federal agencies, chief human capital officers now sit at the boardroom table with the cabinet secretaries and other senior managers, making it easier for human capital issues to be part of the management of the agency.

Hear the entire “Ask the CHCO” program with STG’s Bob Hosenfeld this Thursday morning at 11am Eastern time on Federal News Radio 1500 AM, and online anytime at federalnewsradio.com.

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On the Web:
STG International – www.stginternational.com

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