Federal News Radio gets insight from government executives and experts on the issues they believe will be key for the federal community in 2012. And, we take a look back at some of the biggest trends from 2011 as part of our special report, 2011 and Beyond.

Survey: PIOs slowly creating a performance culture

An exclusive Federal News Radio online survey of federal PIOs finds agencies are using performance to improve their missions, but more than half of the Performance Improvement Officers wear multiple hats. Respondents also said they have strong support from their superiors and their agency is committed culturally to improve performance. Shelley Metzenbaum, the Office of Management and Budget's associate director for performance and personnel (pictured) said success in performance improvement across agencies has taken off recently. "This is not just being driven by OMB, but it is really being owned by the agencies," she said.

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Agency CFOs feel strain of impending budget cuts

Agency chief financial officers and deputy CFOs said their top three priorities and challenges all revolve around improving how their agency manages spending, according to an exclusive online survey by Federal News Radio. Agencies expect the 2013 budget request to include significant cuts in across-the-board discretionary spending. CFOs and deputy CFOs also said they are concerned whether their workforces are adequately trained to meet the job's growing demands.

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CIOs influence growing around mission, budget, survey finds

More than half of the CIOs and deputy CIOs who responded to an exclusive online Federal News Radio survey about their 2012 priorities said the recent Office of Management and Budget memo giving them oversight over commodity IT spending either will improve how they manage IT spending or codifies their existing authorities. More than two-thirds of the respondents said their agency's senior decision-makers value their input and 80 percent said those same leaders understand the value information technology brings to the mission.

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Acquisition workforce, contract management top CAO priorities

Improving contract management and workforce development and training the most important areas federal chief acquisition officers and senior procurement executives are focusing on in 2012.

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What federal employees should look for in 2012

Amid the partisan wrangling, near shutdowns and crises averted 2011 saw serious proposals to reduce the federal workforce, rework its benefits and retirement structures and lock in stagnant pay rates for another year or two. Here's what to look for in 2012.

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Defense bill signing, GAO non-opinion top news during holidays

The news didn't stop for the holidays and neither did Federal News Radio. Get a head start on the new year by catching up on the big stories that you may have missed.

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The Best of Mike Causey 2011

What were the most popular Mike Causey columns from this year? Here they are listed for you!

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2011 a year of congressional showdowns

The year can be summed up by a trio of showdowns, said Peter Schroeder, a staff writer with The Hill newspaper, in an interview on Federal Drive with Tom Temin. The near-government shutdown in April, the August debt ceiling showdown and the last-minute wrangling over the payroll tax cut.

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Kane named 'CHCO of the Year' for online training, performance evaluation work

The Energy Department is one of six agencies testing a framework aimed at revamping one of the thorniest issues in government: how supervisors evaluate employees. Chief Human Capital Officer Mike Kane led a working group of more than 100 union, management and government representatives who drafted the framework. He earned the "Chief Human Capital Officer of the Year" award from the CHCO Council.

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Federal words of the year: Freeze, shutdown, Congress

If you ask about federal employees what the biggest story of 2011, the words that cropped up the most were: freeze, shutdown and Congress, according to a Federal News Radio open-ended response survey.

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Federal News Countdown: Top stories of 2011

Federal News Radio's Justin Udo and Jolie Lee count down the top federal stories of the year.

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AFGE's strategy for 'good government' hinges on 2012 elections

With no end to lawmakers' fedbashing in sight, the American Federation of Government Employees is looking forward to 2012's presidential and Congressional elections. "Federal workers are a sane, responsible group of citizens. They vote in big numbers," AFGE President John Gage told Federal News Radio.

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Top federal budget stories of 2011

Certified financial planner Art Stein joined The Federal Drive with a look at how this year shaped up for federal employees' pocketbooks.

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Anti-fed sentiment likely to linger, but future not all doom and gloom

John Palguta, vice president for policy at the Partnership for Public Service, talks about the top issues federal workers faced in 2011. Some were good and some were bad.

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Federal HR managers faced obstacles in 2011

Human resources expert Paul Rowson joined In Depth with Francis Rose to discuss the challenges and changes faced by chief human capital officers and HR managers in 2011, as well as what they'll have to look for in 2012.

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Will agencies continue hiring reform progress in 2012?

Tim McManus, vice president for education and outreach at the Partnership for Public Service, joined In Depth with Francis Rose to discuss the progress agencies have made on federal hiring reform over the past two years.

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Major cybersecurity trend of 2011: Actually solving the problem

Alan Paller, director of research at the SANS institute. He joined In Depth with Francis Rose to discuss the major cybersecurity trends that took place in 2011 and what's on the horizon for 2012.

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Feds glad to bid adieu to 2011, but will 2012 be better?

Federal News Radio's Emily Kopp counts down the top federal workforce stories of 2011 and makes some predictions fo 2012.

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An IT, acquisition review/preview

Federal News Radio's Jason Miller offers his top stories of 2011 and predictions for 2012.

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Will 2012 be any better for federal workforce?

Reviewing the ups and downs of 2011, Colleen Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, expects more of the same in 2012.

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