On behalf of the Partnership for Public Service, Hart-Teeter conducted two September 2002 focus groups among federal government employees slated for inclusion in the proposed Department of Homeland Security. Key findings included the following:

• Lack of information leaves federal workers with more questions than answers about the proposed department’s impact on them.
• Federal workers recognize the importance of fostering employee morale and human capital during a transition.
• Attitudes toward the proposed Department of Homeland Security are divided.
• Federal workers warn that plans for the new department must balance short-term and long-term gains.
• Job security remains a primary motivation to work in the federal government, and as a defining characteristic of the federal workplace, it limits the appeal for young workers.