Talent Management

Analytics to design force management policies for recruiting, developing, and retaining high-quality personnel.

Retention and Recruiting

Support for DoD recruiting

Recruiting

We support the DOD in its efforts to recruit the next generation of talented service members and civilians. Examples include:

  • Identifying demographic, economic and cultural factors that predict military enlistment.
  • Evaluating the Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) program for recruiting STEM talent.
  • Assessing national demographic and labor market trends for the Army National Guard.

IDA’s Retention Prediction Model
The model helps answer a range of questions. Examples include:

Army

Developing targeted retention incentives to help the Army retain high-quality junior officers.

National Guard

Supporting the Army National Guard in programming for future demand for training school slots.

Navy

Identifying factors correlated with promotions and departures of Navy officers.

Uniformed Services University

Measuring the return on investment for physicians trained at the Uniformed Services University.

Military Compensation Structure

Quantifying the predicted costs to the DOD of changing the military compensation structure.

Compensation and Benefits

Identifying Potential Improvements and Cost Savings

Recruiting

Examples:

  • Evaluating the effects of a single-salary system on military service members’ earnings, military readiness, personnel costs and tax revenue.
  • Estimating the cost of providing health care to DOD beneficiaries under an alternative benefit design.
  • Developing recommendations for pilot programs designed to assess proposed TRICARE reforms.
  • Examining the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on service members and families.
  • Assessing discount rates used to calculate lump-sum military retirement payments under the Blended Retirement System.

Research Spotlight

Recruiting

Analysis of a Salary-Based Pay System for the Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation (QRMC)

IDA’s contribution to the 2020 QRMC report included an analysis of the feasibility and implications of a single-salary pay system, as well as recommendations for alternative policy changes targeted at improving the efficiency and fairness of the military pay system.

See our report.