Secretary Blinken Applauds Workforce Rebuilding Progress, Warns of Challenges

Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke at length recently about the success of the Biden Administration in staffing up the State Department.

In a speech at the Foreign Service Institute in Arlington, Virginia, Secretary Blinken noted that bringing in a qualified workforce is “at the heart of everything we’ve been trying to do for the last three and a half years.”

Secretary Blinken noted that the Civil Service team has expanded 22 percent since 2021, the biggest hiring surge in 20 years, and that the Foreign Service is currently the largest workforce on record.  

Employment among spouses and adult children of diplomats stationed overseas is also at a record high.

Secretary Blinken credited an influx of funding from Congress for the hires, and warned that without continued funding at similar levels from Congress, or if a new administration reverses course, some of these gains could slip.

“If we're serious about U.S. leadership in the world, we can't keep operating without knowing whether we'll have a budget for the next fiscal year, forcing us to impose harmful cuts and hiring freezes,” said Secretary Blinken.

The Secretary also credited the following changes with boosting the workforce:

·      Direct hire authority for critical positions, allowing State to bring on qualified candidates through a faster, less bureaucratic process

·      Finding candidates in key fields through fellowships and tailored recruitment programs.

·      Launching a paid internship program that’s already brought on 1,700 interns

·      Moving the Foreign Service applications process online

However, Secretary Blinken said State can do more to protect its workforce.  

“We need to offer more support, more flexibility, more room for advancement to win today’s competition for talent.  And make no mistake about it:  We’re in a competition for talent,” said Secretary Blinken.

The speech comes on the heels of the State Department unveiling its first-ever retention plan which includes more options for training and development, training for managers to combat workplace bullying, and offering more options for career growth.