Federal workers across the United States have received a directive to document their weekly accomplishments or face potential resignation. This initiative, orchestrated by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), aligns with the Trump Administration's ongoing efforts to enhance federal workforce efficiency and accountability. The communication requests employees to summarize last week's achievements in five bullet points, ensuring no classified information is revealed. Recipients were instructed to submit these summaries to their managers by midnight on Monday.
The request bears similarity to a previous mandate by Elon Musk following his acquisition of Twitter in 2022. Musk's influence extends beyond the private sector, as his team has enacted significant changes to U.S. federal infrastructure, endorsed by the White House. Musk's involvement in reducing government spending has been met with frequent praise from President Donald Trump, who commended Musk's cost-cutting strategies and encouraged further assertiveness in curtailing government expenditures.
"As part of the Trump Administration's commitment to an efficient and accountable federal workforce, OPM is asking employees to provide a brief summary of what they did last week by the end of Monday, CC'ing their manager. Agencies will determine any next steps." – Office of Personnel Management
The task of documenting weekly productivity may impose additional pressure on federal employees, particularly in light of recent dismissals. In recent weeks, thousands have been terminated from agencies such as the IRS, the Pentagon, and the Federal Aviation Administration. The OPM has confirmed the authenticity of these emails, underscoring the administration's focus on reducing workforce size and government spending.
Elon Musk's statement exemplifies the severity of this new protocol:
"Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation." – Elon Musk
President Trump has consistently expressed approval for Musk's measures, viewing them as instrumental in achieving a leaner federal government. He has publicly stated his belief that:
"The work of federal employees was inadequate because they did not come into the office." – President Donald Trump
The Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), although not an official entity, has played a pivotal role in these developments. With Musk steering an external campaign to aggressively slash government spending via budget cuts and personnel reductions, Trump's administration continues to focus on diminishing public sector expenses.