Defense Department workers no longer required to submit DOGE’s weekly production reports
The Defense Department has announced that civilian employees will no longer be required to submit a weekly bulleted list of their accomplishments, a practice that had been mandated by the Department of Government Efficiency. Instead, employees are now asked to submit at least one idea by Wednesday to help improve efficiency or eliminate waste within the Defense Department.
This decision comes after other agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health, have also started to end the practice of weekly reports. The requirement for employees to justify their employment by listing five things they did the previous week was part of an effort led by billionaire Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to streamline operations within the federal government.
Musk, who recently announced his decision to step back from DOGE and focus on his companies Tesla, SpaceX, and the social media platform X, had initially mandated that federal employees send weekly reports of their accomplishments to the Office of Personnel Management and their managers. Failure to comply would be considered a resignation.
Initially, agencies like the Defense Department, the State Department, and the FBI had instructed employees to hold off on submitting the reports. However, the Office of Personnel Management later clarified that the reports were voluntary.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth later issued a memorandum instructing all Pentagon civilian employees to submit the weekly emails requested by DOGE. It is important to note that officials at the agency stated that they had no plans to take any action based on the emails they received.
In conclusion, the decision to end the requirement for weekly reports reflects a shift in approach towards efficiency and accountability within the federal government. Employees are now encouraged to focus on generating ideas that can lead to improvements and cost savings. This move aligns with the broader goal of streamlining operations and eliminating waste in government agencies.
