Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability
Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability

How Florida Compares: An Approach for Analyzing Government Staffing Levels

Report 98-13, September 1998

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Report Summary

  • Florida's staffing levels rank relatively low when compared to other states. Moreover, the staffing levels for most types of government services tend to be comparable with other states. Florida's state agency staffing levels exceed other states' primarily in the public safety and justice services area. When local government full-time equivalent (FTE) positions are added to the analysis, Florida shows higher-than-average staffing levels in the natural resources services area.1 These levels must be interpreted with caution because they are linked to unique social, economic, and political factors in the state that have created demands for labor in these service areas.
  • Although the census data analysis shows that Florida has relatively low staffing levels, the data cannot be used to determine whether Florida has the appropriate level of staff. Assessing whether staffing levels are appropriate requires a detailed analysis of efficiency that is dependent on more specific information about performance, staffing, and costs. The ability to assess the reasonableness of state agency staffing levels is particularly critical under the PB² initiative. However, one weakness in the current initiative is that prior to 1998, agencies were not required to develop measures for administrative and support activities. At present, decisions concerning staffing levels suffer from a general lack of pertinent information. The state's major sources for staffing information, the personnel classification system and the personnel information system, do not currently provide the type of information needed to accurately and uniformly assess staffing. Moreover, the state's accounting system does not collect costs by PB² programs or by activity.

Related Reports
  1. Progress Report: DMS Adopts OPPAGA'S Workforce Recommendations; However, a Strong Outsourcing Contract Is Imperative
    Report 01-33 July 2001
  2. Bringing Administrative and Support Functions Under Performance-Based Program Budgeting
    Report 99-01 August 1999
  3. Program Evaluation & Justification Review Workforce Program Administered by the Department of Management Services
    Report 98-01 July 1998
  4. Review of the Performance of the Department of Management Services' Workforce Program
    Report 97-54 February 1998
Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
government, government support