1、Bridging talent gaps:A postpandemic priority for state CAOsPrefaceState Chief Administrative Officers(CAOs)are the engines of state government.They administer and oversee critical services that enable agencies to serve residents.In some cases,CAOs also oversee IT and technology functions that reside

2、nts and businesses use directly.This can influence how individuals experience and perceive state government services(Exhibit 1).CAOs are rightfully being congratulated on how they have managed the exceptional circumstances they faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.State CAOs and their teams found new

3、ways to get their jobs done.As the crisis subsides,CAOs can apply the flexibility,innovation,and speed they showed during the pandemic to another,longer-term challenge:how to attract and retain high-performing talent.This aspect of human-capital management has become a major priority for CAOs as the

4、y contend with statewide talent shortages in the context of broader changes in the labor market.It is also an essential element in improving customer experience in their own services,including for procurement,IT,and technology.This white paper,a collaboration between the National Association of Stat

5、e Chief Administrators(NASCA)and McKinsey,focuses on the growing talent gap in state government.We look at hiring and retention strategies and the adoption of hybrid working models.We also assess talent management and the role of human-capital management in other CAO services such as procurement and

6、 IT.(For more about our methodology,see Box 1,“About the research.”)Web Exhibit of State Chief Administrative Officers oversee a number of critical services that allow agencies to serve residents.ProcurementEnsure that agencies have the goods and services required to carry out their missionHuman cap