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In 2021, President Joe Biden signed an executive order directing a comprehensive reimagining of how the federal government encourages diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility among the federal workforce. The phrase "diversity, equity, inclusion and inclusion" is often misunderstood, but the Biden order brings forward policy and establishes pathways for DEIA goals to be achieved at agencies.

As part of Government Executive's State of the Federal Workforce event recently,I spoke to Dr. Janice Underwood, Director of the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility at the Office of Personnel Management. In this episode, you'll hear a conversation about the ways that the federal government is implementing the Biden EO on diversity, equity and inclusion.

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On November 30, the Senate voted 92-3 to confirm Robert Storch to lead the Defense Department's office of the inspector general. The Pentagon had only acting IGs since early 2016, including Glenn Fine, who was removed front hat position by President Donald Trump in the spring of 2020.

GovExec reporter Courtney Bublé is covering the Defense Department IG story. She joined the podcast to discuss vacancies, IG offices and what Robert Storch has ahead of him.

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The recent acquisition of Twitter by billionaire Elon Musk has been controversial. Layoff, resignations, loss of advertisers and an overall unpopular culture shift has brought up more questions than answers about the future of the social media giant.

There are lessons in the situation for managers and leaders. If you find yourself talking over an organization or team, what can you learn from Musk's mistakes? How do you support your organization through change? Does your company value employee feedback without objection? How do you demonstrate that you trust your employees? Business leaders need to ask themselves these questions if their organization is making employee experience a priority.

Kathleen Quinn Votaw is the CEO of TalenTrust) she joined the program to discuss Musk's acquisition, leadership and how managers can guide their teams through big change.

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As a government shutdown looms in a few weeks, there is increased pressure on lawmakers to make deals on appropriations bills. As the end of the year approaches, it also means that the clock is ticking on Congress and the White House to act on a pay raise for feds in 2023.

GovExec reporter Erich Wagner covers the federal workforce. He joined the podcast to talk about the next steps needed for feds to get their pay raise before the year ends.

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As the month turns over, we're into the December holiday season. Most organizations eschewed traditional, in-person holiday parties since the COVID-19 pandemic began nearly three years ago, but more organizations are bringing them back for 2022. A host of safety and legal issues can face companies that have in-person events, though.

Michael Schmidt is a labor and employment attorney with Cozen O'Connor. He joined the podcast to talk about holiday parties and how organizations can stay on the right side of safety – and the law – this holiday season.

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Every so often, small government advocates call for the elimination of various federal agencies like the Department of Education. In a new post for his series "That Time," Tom Shoop outlines the first time members of Congress called for Education's elimination… a scant one year after it was established.

Shoop is editor at large and the former executive vice president and editor in chief at GovExec Media. He joined the podcast to discuss his "That Time" post about the Education Department.

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The COVID-19 crisis created a massive shift in the way Americans think of mental health. For many, the fear of catching a dangerous virus created a level of anxiety that was previously unheard of. As a result, many agencies and employers were forced to adjust, making remote work the norm. Mental health is complex and looks different for each individual. Managers and organizations have had to adjust to this new reality as conversations about mental health became a bigger part of workplace culture. Managers have to ask questions: What steps should you take to adjust? If an employee is requesting time off, or is simply asking for help, what's the process?

David Barron is a labor and employment attorney at Cozen O'Connor. He joined the podcast to discuss to how employees can request reasonable accommodations and how employers can offer support.

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The "Great Resignation" has not affected everyone equally across the American workforce. According to data from Leanin.org, the gap between women and men in senior roles quitting their jobs is the largest it's ever been. Things like burnout and workplace stress have affected women leaders quite a bit since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Barbie Winterbottom is a Forbes council member, HR and talent acquisition expert and the author of the book The Five Imperatives. She joined the podcast to discuss how women are experiencing the pandemic in the workplace.

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It's Open Season for the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, so participants have until December 12 to choose a health plan for next year. While not everyone may be in the market to change plans, it's worth looking into what is available and what will work best for feds, annuitants and their families.

Kevin Moss is a senior editor with Consumers' Checkbook. Checkbook's 2023 Guide to Health Plans for Federal Employees will be available on the first day of Open Season, Nov. 14. He joined the podcast to discuss health plan options.

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Next month marks the third anniversary of the first identification of the COVID-19 virus and the pandemic continues to take the lives of thousands of Americans each week. While President Joe Biden recently said that the pandemic no longer controls our lives, the administration has asked for more money and an extended emergency declaration. With the cold winter weather and the holiday season upcoming, the threat of COVID-19 looms over the U.S. still.

Courtney Bublé writes the Coronavirus Update on GovExec.com. She joined the podcast talk about the state of COVID-19 funding going into the new year and other stories she's been covering.