WashingtonExec
  • News & Headlines
  • Executive Councils
  • Videos
  • Podcast
  • Events
    • 🏆 Pinnacle Awards
    • 🏆 Chief Officer Awards
  • About
  • Contact Us
Latest Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_0OGr8ie5g&list=UULFQpADaPZpDb8HwwScpJ2OPQ
Podcast Episodes
LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
LinkedIn Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram YouTube
WashingtonExec
Subscribe To The Daily
  • News & Headlines
  • Executive Councils
  • Videos
  • Podcast
  • Events
    • 🏆 Pinnacle Awards
    • 🏆 Chief Officer Awards
  • About
  • Contact Us
LinkedIn YouTube X (Twitter)
WashingtonExec
You are at:Home»Execs to Know»A Look at Jim Lawler, ICF VP & Chief Human Resource Officer
Execs to Know

A Look at Jim Lawler, ICF VP & Chief Human Resource Officer

By WashingtonExec Staff WriterFebruary 1, 2018
Share
LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Jim Lawler, VP & chief human resource officer at ICF

On the podcast “Government Contracting Today,” Jim Lawler, vice president and chief human resources officer at ICF, spoke with host Louis Montgomery about his experience and the current government contracting environment.

Virginia is currently the No. 1 state for government contracting, a $450 billion industry. Lawler entered the industry by joining TASC Inc. as its chief HR officer. When comparing HR in the consumer industry and the contracting sector, Lawler says there’s no major difference at a strategic level.

Ultimately, “if you treat people fairly and consistently, you’ll be OK with regards to those expectations,” Lawler said.

Some of the major challenge the federal contracting industry faces are the shrinking talent pool and the significant backlog of security clearances. Those two hurdles, combined with the retirement of many veterans, have generated concern about the future of the GovCon industry.

“It gets tougher and tougher to attract and retain people, and we’re essentially driving up the price of labor,” Lawler said.

Despite these challenges, Lawler offered advice for new organizations seeking to differentiate and gain talent:

  1. Pursue a path of being a really great place to have a career
  2. Create a track record of retaining people by treating people fundamentally right
  3. Cultivate talent, give pathways to grow and go forward

Lawler attributes his career in HR to his psychological understanding of the importance of retention and what makes a workplace appealing to current and prospective employees.

When ICF was founded in 1969, it mainly focused on raising capital and investing in developing inner cities. As fate would have it, ICF was more successful in providing solutions to federal agencies. Its clients today span commercial and federal sectors, split roughly 50/50, allowing for more opportunities and a more diversified portfolio.

Since joining ICF in 2014, Lawler has been fundamental in numerous changes to benefit current and future employees. These changes included adjustments to the benefits plans, reframing compensation packages and modifying the performance review process. ICF plans to examine its plans for career growth next to ensure everyone has the right and equal access to promotion within the company.

ICF’s largest customer is currently the Health and Human Services Department, to whom ICF provides policy advisory work, training and technical assistance work and runs health-related analytics work, among other tasks.

ICF’s current workforce consists of 53 percent millennials. What sets them apart is that they want things previous generations wanted but were too hesitant to ask — whether it be more feedback, more opportunities, work-life balance, etc.

“Everybody wants those things,” Lawler said. “To me, the difference for millennials is that if you don’t provide that, they’ll go somewhere else.”

To hear more about ICF and Lawler, click here.

Related: ICF Wins Cyber Services Contract with Army Research Lab

 

Previous ArticleOn Assignment, Inc. to Acquire ECS Federal for $775M
Next Article WashingtonExec Video Interview Series: Marisa Daley of MIL Corp.

Related Posts

WATCH: Director William Lietzau on Establishing DCSA and Leading Transformation Efforts

Wray Varley on the Scalability, Inclusivity of Digital Realty’s Data Center Platform

Top CFOs to Watch in 2023: Cadmus’ Cindy Shephard

Comments are closed.

2023 WashingtonExec Pinnacle Awards are November 16, 2023
Trending

WATCH: Director William Lietzau on Establishing DCSA and Leading Transformation Efforts

September 21, 2023

Wray Varley on the Scalability, Inclusivity of Digital Realty’s Data Center Platform

September 21, 2023

Top CFOs to Watch in 2023: Cadmus’ Cindy Shephard

September 21, 2023

Top CFOs to Watch in 2023: Aeyon’s Jeff Pagano

September 21, 2023

Top CFOs to Watch in 2023: MAXISIQ’ Josh Montgomery

September 21, 2023
Quick Links
  • Executive Councils & Committees
  • Chief Officer Awards
  • Pinnacle Awards
  • Advertise With Us
  • About WashingtonExec
  • Contact

Subscribe to The Daily

Get federal business news & insights delivered to your inbox.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
Copyright 2023 © WashingtonExec, Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Powered by J Media Group

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.