The federal government contracting landscape is shifting rapidly due to recent policy changes in Washington. These include the President's executive order to end diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, a memorandum freezing hiring across federal civilian agencies, and efforts to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) while urging mass resignations within the federal workforce. These decisions are having an immediate and significant impact on federal customers and the contracting teams that support them.
As a federal government contracting company, providing your employees with clear and purposeful guidance is more important than ever. Lack of communication—or communicating without clarity and direction—can create confusion and anxiety. Here are key strategies to ensure your messaging effectively guides your teams through this uncertain time.
What to Tell Your Contracting Teams to Do
Even if you’re uncertain as a company, your employees need to have an idea of what’s expected of them:
- How should employees proceed? Should they continue business as usual, or are there specific directives they need to follow?
- Is there a transition plan? Do policy changes have an impact on the continuity of your employees’ work? If so, what does your transition plan entail? If you don’t have a transition plan yet, what steps is company leadership taking to develop one? When can employees expect more information?
- Clarify the chain of communication. Reinforce that managers are the primary point of contact for updates and guidance. Ensure that your company equips managers with the information they need to support their teams.
- Encourage appropriate workplace discussions. Employees should be advised to:
- Refrain from policy change, political, and other non-work-related conversations—especially on government furnished equipment.
- Maintain professionalism and sensitivity when engaging with government counterparts. They are your customers and are navigating these changes, too.
