July 18, 2025

By Scott Kupor, Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management

This is the first edition of a new weekly blog I’m calling Secrets of OPM. Yes, it’s a nod to my old life in venture capital. But the point here is the opposite of secrecy. My goal is to open up the federal workforce to the people it serves – the American taxpayer. Every Friday (I hope), to share a behind-the-scenes look at what’s happening at OPM, what we’re focused on, and why it matters to you.

I was sworn in this week as Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. While I’ve spent most of my career in the private sector, I’ve always believed in public service. I’m a proud Texan (yes, you will see me in the office wearing cowboy boots – luckily, I am less of an anomaly here in DC than I was in Northern California), a big country music fan, and someone who has spent his career helping technology startups grow smartly and sustainably. One lesson I’ve learned is company success depends on the quality of its workforce. Human capital isn’t just an input; it’s the foundation of everything that makes an organization tick.

I take this job seriously because the federal workforce matters both in what it delivers today and what it costs future generations. I believe in fiscal responsibility, efficiency, and real accountability. Our children and grandchildren deserve a government that spends wisely and operates at its best.

We also need a government that can be maximally competitive in terms of recruiting and retaining great people. This week we issued a governmentwide memo reaffirming every federal employee’s right to request reasonable accommodations for religious purposes. This memo encourages the use of telework, flexible schedules, and leave to meet reasonable religious needs while maintaining efficient agency operations. We’ve done this previously in other areas – e.g., making sure that federal workers whose partners are stationed in military bases outside of their home office or in cases where employees require medical-related accommodations. It’s part of OPM’s broader effort to restore fairness and common sense to federal HR practices.

Last week we also received the Supreme Court decision that upheld President Trump’s Executive Order and enabled federal agencies to move forward with necessary workforce reductions, or reductions-in-force (RIFs). A brief word on RIFs, having managed through them in my private sector career. I know they’re difficult – it means telling people who have contributed to the success of the organization that through no fault of their own, the organization simply cannot afford to keep them in their job. And the implications are real – employees have families and communities who rely on them and financial responsibilities to manage. So, we take these things seriously and thank everyone who is affected for their dedicated service to the country.

Unfortunately, however, the government simply cannot afford to be all things to all people. RIFs are not personal; they’re about aligning our workforce with the mission needs of each agency and ensuring taxpayer dollars are used responsibly. A leaner government isn’t a lesser one. Operational efficiency – in my book – means both delivering a great service to the American people and doing so at the lowest cost possible. My job, and OPM’s mission, is to help agencies get the right people in the right roles, at the right time, to serve the American people better; and we can do that honorably and respectfully.

By the way, it’s worth noting that several agencies have already decided to scale back their original RIF plans. That’s in large part thanks to the Deferred Resignation Program, originally an OPM initiative, that gives employees time to transition out voluntarily. It’s the kind of smart, respectful workforce management that reduces disruption while still meeting agency goals.