In a large agency, it can be difficult to tackle systemic challenges. To improve organizational efficiency, the Executive Leadership Team created the Solutions Response Cadre to facilitate cross-boundary problem-solving to resolve some of the agency’s most complicated matters.  

In September 2025, the Solutions Response Cadre, a cadre of facilitators and project managers, was launched to guide subject matter experts from problem solving to solutions within 2- to 8-week timeframes, depending on a topic’s complexity. The cadre brings together the right people—across line, staff, regions and disciplines—to form a solutions response team to focus intensely on solving problems. The cadre leads the team in mapping interconnections, identifying root causes and co-creating practical solutions.

To date, Solution Response teams have tackled six priorites  that led to immediate benefits. One of these was reducing the seasonal hiring timeline by up to two months by bringing together leaders and professionals from Human Resources, the Chief Information Office and the field. The solutions response technique identified a pre-offer bottleneck—mandatory security awareness training. Together, the cross-disciplinary team was able to re-sequence the hiring and onboarding process so that training can be completed during the first week on the job. This solution cuts weeks off the hiring time and will be implemented in the coming weeks.

Increasing organizational efficiencies is important to the agency, and the seasonal hiring solution is the first of many the Solutions Response Cadre intends to provide. Bringing together different viewpoints leads to better decisions, stronger trust and solutions that stick because they are built by the organization's experts.