Written By

Michael (Mike) Vajda

Project Manager
More of their insights
Shared Services Concept
July 10, 2025

Advancing Federal Workforce Efficiency Through Shared Human Resource (HR) Services


An Integrated Approach to Technical and Adaptive Challenges
By Mike Vajda, Michael Rogers, Alicia Rule, Sharon Ginley

As federal agencies face rising demands for efficiency, transparency, and accountability, Shared Human Resources (HR) Services have emerged as a powerful strategy to modernize workforce operations. When implemented thoughtfully, shared services can deliver substantial benefits—streamlining processes, improving service quality, reducing costs, and enabling HR professionals to focus on mission-critical advisory work. However, these benefits require more than new systems and standardized processes. Successful transformation demands a holistic approach that addresses both technical and adaptive challenges—and integrates them into a single, cohesive strategy.

Technical challenges are clear-cut and typically resolved through expertise, planning, and technology. These include:

  • Designing and implementing new service models
  • Standardizing processes
  • Automating transactions
  • Clarifying governance and workflows

Adaptive challenges, on the other hand, are people-centered and complex. They require shifts in behavior, mindset, and culture. These include:

  • Resistance to change
  • Role identity shifts
  • Tensions between centralized and decentralized models
  • Maintaining morale and engagement

Many efforts falter because they treat these challenges separately, handling technical work through implementation and relegating adaptive work to a siloed “change management” effort. These challenges are deeply intertwined and must be addressed through an integrated, mutually reinforcing approach.

Real transformation involves navigating interconnected technical and adaptive hurdles:

  • Resistance to Change (adaptive)
    Emotional responses to loss of control or increased complexity.
  • Ambiguity in Roles and Responsibilities (both)
    Confusion arises when roles are unclear—either in design (technical) or in practice (adaptive).
  • Technology Gaps and System Complexity (technical)
    Poor design or lack of usability undermines adoption and trust.
  • Employee Disengagement (adaptive)
    Repetitive tasks, unclear value, and limited career progression can lead to low morale.
  • Federal HR Rule Complexity (technical with adaptive impacts)
    Rigid policies challenge both standardization efforts and employee expectations.

Success requires blending technical solutions with adaptive leadership treating both as essential components of the same transformation journey. The following strategies address both dimensions:

  1. 1. Define and Document Roles
    • Technical: Establish clear SOPs, SLAs, and accountability structures.
    • Adaptive: Co-create responsibilities with stakeholders to build ownership and reduce resistance.
  2. 2. Invest in Modern, User-Centered Technology
    • Technical: Deploy intuitive, automated self-service tools.
    • Adaptive: Apply user-centered design to build trust and encourage adoption.
  3. 3. Strengthen Workforce Engagement
    • Technical: Rotate tasks and monitor workloads to sustain performance.
    • Adaptive: Offer career development and recognize contributions to boost morale.
  4. 4. Build a Culture of Partnership
    • Technical: Enable data-sharing and feedback through dashboards and performance metrics.
    • Adaptive: Foster collaboration between program offices and service centers.
  5. 5. Lead Change Thoughtfully
    • Technical: Use phased rollouts, pilot testing, and readiness assessments.
    • Adaptive: Maintain open communication, surface concerns, and celebrate early wins.

Shared HR Services can transform federal HR delivery—but only when technical systems and human dynamics are aligned. Sustainable change requires a clear vision, robust technology, disciplined processes, and above all, deep engagement with the people whose roles, routines, and relationships are evolving. A practical starting point is centralizing common transactional functions—such as personnel actions, benefits administration, and onboarding within shared service centers. Successful implementation of these core services lays the groundwork for expansion into more complex areas like classification and staffing. Also consider the life cycle of work, where interdependent processes like classification and position changing personnel actions handoff; possibly implementing partial processes in shared services while the move of more complex function is pending a future implementation.

Whether an agency is procuring commercial services, leveraging a federal service center, or modernizing internal operations, long-term success depends on addressing technical and adaptive challenges as an integrated whole. Engaging leaders and implementers with direct experience in both domains is essential for building momentum and delivering lasting results.