John Palguta, vice president for policy at the Partnership for Public Service, has been selected as the recipient of the Warner W. Stockberger Achievement Award. The award is given annually to a person for notable contributions to public sector human resources management.
Palguta began his federal career with the U.S. Post Office in 1968 and later worked for the Civil Service Commission and then for the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). After retiring, he went to work for the Partnership for Public Service.
At the Partnership, Palguta conducts program reviews and analyses of human capital issues in the federal government, and as the Partnership’s VP for policy he assists federal government policy makers, managers, the Congress and others to develop solutions to the challenges confronting the federal government in its attempts to recruit, motivate and retain its workforce. Palguta’s work also provides data and analyses on problems and opportunities for change, and identifies and constructively communicates the strengths and weaknesses of the federal work environment.
Since joining the Partnership in December 2001, Palguta has helped it gain prominence as an institution noted for its innovation and thought leadership in support of the public service and effective government. In a collaborative effort between the Partnership and American University, Palguta was instrumental in developing “Best Places to Work in the Federal Government” initiative, which ranks more then 250 federal agencies and subcomponents based on employee surveys measuring job satisfaction and engagement.
This initiative has increased public interest in government as an employer and has also provided an incentive for federal managers to improve work environments—a key to improving organizational effectiveness. The rankings will now be updated annually thanks to the passage of a new statutory requirement championed by Palguta and the Partnership that requires an annual employee survey.
Palguta is active in the International Personnel Management Association and a past president of the IPMA-HR Federal Section. He is also vice chair of the Coalition for Effective Change. Among the many honors Palguta has received is his selection as a fellow by the National Academy of Public Administration—a distinction few other human resources professionals have earned.
