The upcoming Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency initiative prompts strategic changes within federal agencies.
According to CNN, federal employees are actively modifying job descriptions and performance reviews to protect positions from potential cuts under the scrutiny of Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy's DOGE initiative.
Federal workers are particularly focused on removing references to policy-making duties and diversity-related terminology from official documentation. The changes come as a preemptive measure against the initiative's stated goals of reducing the federal workforce and implementing significant budget cuts of at least $1 trillion.
While DOGE lacks direct authority to implement changes, its recommendations are expected to carry substantial weight with lawmakers. The initiative, led by tech billionaire Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, will operate from within the White House despite being an external entity.
Senior staffers from multiple agencies report that these modifications are not part of a coordinated effort across the government. Instead, individual managers are taking the initiative, sometimes under guidance from top agency appointees, to protect both personnel and critical government functions.
The return of Schedule F, a Trump-era executive order that was previously canceled by President Biden, has heightened concerns among federal employees. This order would remove many protections for civil servants in policy-related positions, making it easier to terminate their employment.
One federal employee revealed the following approach to protecting positions:
People are definitely reimagining how to communicate what they've done and do to try and escape scrutiny.
The changes extend beyond simple terminology adjustments. Workers are particularly concerned about the potential use of artificial intelligence to identify specific buzzwords in job descriptions, which could lead to indiscriminate cuts without proper evaluation of role importance.
Jason Briefel, representing the Senior Executive Association, confirms that federal agencies are making strategic adjustments, particularly around DEI policies. These changes mirror similar adaptations occurring in the private sector, reflecting a broader trend in organizational communication.
Federal employees express concern about DOGE's approach to government restructuring. Many fear the initiative will employ what they describe as a "hatchet not a scalpel" approach to cuts, potentially eliminating crucial positions based solely on terminology rather than function.
The situation has created particular anxiety around roles that legitimately use terms like "equity" or "diversification" in financial or operational contexts, completely separate from DEI programs. Workers fear these positions might be targeted due to keyword matching without consideration of their actual functions.
These concerns are amplified by Trump's campaign rhetoric characterizing civil servants as members of the "deep state," suggesting a potentially adversarial relationship between the incoming administration and career federal employees.
Federal employees across multiple agencies are modifying job descriptions and performance reviews to protect positions from potential cuts under the upcoming DOGE initiative. These changes focus particularly on removing policy-making references and diversity-related terminology as the federal workforce prepares for the return of Schedule F and increased scrutiny under the Trump administration. The initiative, led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, aims to recommend significant workforce reductions and budget cuts, prompting strategic adaptations within government agencies to preserve critical functions and personnel.
