Fifth, evaluating the contribution that the workforce plan makes to
strategic results measures the effectiveness of the workforce plan and
helps ensure that the strategies work as intended. This involves two
activities: determining (1) how well the agency implemented its
workforce plan and (2) the contribution that the implementation made
toward achieving programmatic goals. These activities can also improve
the effectiveness of workforce planning strategies and the overall
workforce planning process by identifying shortfalls in performance and
other improvement opportunities that can be incorporated into the next
planning cycle. For example, the Social Security Administration (SSA)
evaluated the results of its early retirement efforts to design future
retirement programs that would shape the staffing levels available to
attain the agency's goals.