May 12, 2026
Today we sit down with an HR company, Workday,
to see if it can transfer the success it has had in the commercial world into
helping federal agencies reach ambitious goals.
Matthew Cornelius works for Workday, but
he has spent mor than a decade working in a wider variety of federal agencies. The
interview covers topics like the shift
towards skills-based hiring, the challenges of outdated HR systems, and the
need for comprehensive workforce data.
One concern is that the applicant can
report skills. One candidate’s Python experience may differ greatly from
another’s.
Presidential administrations have
encouraged the concept of skills-based hiring. However, this is a subject that
is difficult to implement. For example, it can clash with the standard GSA classification
system. Today’s AI skills are changing so rapidly, it would be almost
impossible for an HR person to understand what skill sets are important.
Cornelius has firsthand experience in federal HR systems that are dated. He references using Excel spreadsheets that can have issues with version control and backup.
One great place to start is to use a system than can give an HR manager a “birds eye” view of the skills of their current employees. He emphasizes the importance of communication, empathy, and leveraging modern HR technology to improve federal HR processes and outcomes.
