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Federal employee exodus threatens operational stability

If federal employees resign in large numbers, government operations could face disruptions, affecting essential services, public programs and national stability.

Patrick Thibodeau
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Published: 31 Jan 2025

President Donald Trump's resignation offer to some two million federal employees could result in the loss of skilled personnel, difficulties in recruitment, declines in productivity and operational problems, according to experts.

The Trump administration said it will continue paying salaries through September for employees who accept the resignation offer by Feb. 6.

"This is a sledgehammer to the entire workforce," said Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, during a press briefing on Friday. "You could see significant numbers of food inspectors, air traffic controllers, veteran nurses and other high-demand professionals decide to leave."

"This is a horrifyingly bad way to manage," Stier added.  

 The administration plans to follow the resignation effort with a restructuring that will eliminate federal agencies and programs. Employees who don't accept the offer risk losing their jobs if their agency or program is dismantled. The White House has already ended telecommuting, requiring all employees to be in the office five days a week, as a move aimed to encourage some people to quit.

"You're losing stability," said Elin Thomasian, senior vice president of workforce strategy and consulting at TalentNeuron, a labor market intelligence firm, commenting on the potential outcomes of the resignation offer.

Already struggling to hire

Thomasian noted that the government already struggles to attract top talent due to lower pay and the lack of lucrative bonuses compared with the private sector. She said the government risks losing experienced employees, affecting critical operations and making recruiting even more difficult.

"You essentially are gutting your operating model," Thomasian said. 

The staff losses from resignations may also trigger a "secondary exodus," especially if members of their teams and managers exit the government. "If those people leave, others will follow," she said.

"Morale and productivity are definitely going to suffer because of the anxiety and the instability of what's coming next," Thomasian said.

Goldstein also pointed out potential legal issues, including the possibility of a disproportionate impact on protected groups like older employees, which could lead to discrimination claims.

"You could have potential legal challenges on the grounds that the buyout is not truly voluntary," he said. 

Patrick Thibodeau is an editor at large for Informa TechTarget who covers HCM and ERP technologies. He's worked for more than two decades as an enterprise IT reporter. 

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