The People Behind the Count

When most Americans think about the U.S. Census Bureau, they picture field workers going door-to-door during the decennial count or the valuable statistics the Bureau produces. What remains invisible is the complex human resources operation that supports thousands of employees across the country – the backbone that makes the Bureau’s vital work possible.

Behind every successful statistical program and census operation is a team of dedicated professionals who need to be hired, trained, paid, and supported throughout their careers. Managing these critical human resources functions requires sophisticated systems that can handle everything from recruitment to retirement.

The Challenge

By 2014, the Census Bureau faced a growing problem with its aging human resources systems. The Bureau’s Core Human Resources system was becoming increasingly outdated, struggling to keep pace with evolving federal HR requirements and unable to provide the modern features employees and managers expected.

The existing system relied on outdated technology that was difficult to maintain and enhance. It couldn’t easily integrate with other Bureau systems, creating information silos that hampered efficiency. Routine HR processes required excessive manual intervention, forms often needed to be printed and physically signed, and reporting capabilities were limited.

With the 2020 Decennial Census on the horizon – which would require a massive temporary workforce – modernizing the Bureau’s HR systems became not just desirable but essential. The Bureau needed a solution that could:

• Streamline everyday HR processes for permanent employees
• Support modern workforce management practices
• Provide better visibility into workforce data
• Integrate seamlessly with other Bureau systems
• Scale to support both everyday operations and decennial ramp-up
• Meet federal security and compliance requirements

Our Approach

Prime Source Technologies partnered with the Census Bureau to implement the Census Human Resource Information System (CHRIS) – a comprehensive solution based on Oracle PeopleSoft technology but extensively customized to meet the Bureau’s unique needs.

“We didn’t want to just replace technology – we wanted to transform how HR services were delivered,” explains our Project Manager. “This meant understanding the Bureau’s processes in detail and designing a solution that would improve the experience for HR specialists, managers, and employees alike.”

Our approach focused on four key areas:

1. Understanding the Human Element

Our team began by spending time with HR specialists, managers, and employees to understand their daily challenges and needs. Through workshops and interviews, we mapped existing processes, identified pain points, and gathered ideas for improvement.

“The Census Bureau has unique workforce requirements that commercial off-the-shelf systems don’t address,” notes a senior PST consultant. “For example, they need specialized capabilities for managing survey statisticians, mathematical statisticians, and geographers – job categories with specific qualification requirements and career paths.”

2. Designing an Integrated Solution

Rather than implementing a standard PeopleSoft configuration, we designed a customized solution that addressed the Bureau’s specific requirements while maintaining compliance with federal HR standards.

The CHRIS system incorporated:

• Position Management: Tools for creating and managing positions based on organizational needs
• Personnel Action Processing: Streamlined workflows for the full range of personnel actions
• Performance Management: Customized processes aligned with federal performance requirements
• Leave Administration: Comprehensive leave management including specialized federal leave categories
• Reporting and Analytics: Robust capabilities for workforce analysis and required federal reporting
• Self-Service Features: Modern interfaces allowing employees to update information and access HR services

3. Creating Seamless Connections

A critical aspect of the CHRIS implementation was ensuring smooth integration with other Bureau systems, particularly the Decennial Applicant, Personnel and Payroll System (DAPPS) and the Census Hiring and Employment Check (CHEC) system.

“For the Bureau to operate efficiently, these systems need to talk to each other,” explains our integration specialist. “We developed sophisticated interfaces that allowed data to flow appropriately between systems while maintaining security and data integrity.”

4. Supporting Change Management

We recognized that implementing a new HR system isn’t just a technical challenge – it’s a human one. Our team developed comprehensive training materials, conducted workshops for HR specialists and managers, and created resources to help employees navigate the new self-service features.

“Change is hard, especially when it affects something as personal as how you interact with HR,” notes our Change Management Lead. “We worked closely with the Bureau’s team to ensure everyone understood how the new system would benefit them and felt comfortable using it.”

The Results

The CHRIS implementation has transformed human resources operations at the Census Bureau, delivering significant benefits:

Modernized HR Operations: Paper-based processes have been replaced with digital workflows, dramatically reducing processing time for personnel actions and eliminating manual data entry errors.

Enhanced Self-Service: Employees now manage their personal information, access pay statements, view benefits, and handle leave requests through an intuitive online portal, reducing administrative burden on HR staff.

Improved Decision Support: Managers have access to comprehensive workforce data and reports, enabling better resource planning and more informed personnel decisions.

Seamless Integration: CHRIS works in harmony with other Bureau systems, creating a connected ecosystem that supports both permanent staff and the massive temporary workforce needed for decennial operations.

Regulatory Compliance: The system ensures adherence to complex federal HR regulations, with automated checks and balances to prevent compliance issues.

Greater Efficiency: HR specialists can focus more time on strategic activities and employee support, rather than routine paperwork and data entry.

“CHRIS has changed how we work in fundamental ways,” says a Bureau HR Manager. “Tasks that used to take days now happen in hours, and we have much better visibility into our workforce data. This helps us be more strategic in how we support the Bureau’s mission.”

Beyond Technology: A Cultural Shift

The implementation of CHRIS represented more than just a technology upgrade – it sparked a cultural transformation in how the Bureau approaches HR services.

The shift to self-service empowered employees to take more control over their HR information, while better data access enabled managers to make more informed decisions about their teams. HR specialists evolved from primarily transactional roles to more strategic partners in workforce management.

This cultural change has been particularly valuable during the complex operations surrounding the 2020 Decennial Census, when the Bureau needed to rapidly scale up and then down while maintaining continuity in its core operations.

Looking Forward

The CHRIS system continues to evolve, with Prime Source Technologies providing ongoing support and enhancements to address changing needs and requirements. Recent improvements include additional mobile capabilities, enhanced analytics, and refined workflow automation.

As federal HR practices continue to evolve, the flexible foundation established with CHRIS positions the Census Bureau to adapt quickly and continue delivering excellent service to its workforce.

“Our people are our most valuable asset,” notes a senior Bureau official. “Having modern, efficient HR systems helps us attract and retain the talented professionals we need to fulfill our mission of providing quality data about America’s people and economy.”

The CHRIS implementation demonstrates how thoughtfully designed technology can transform essential government functions, improving efficiency while enhancing the experience for everyone involved – from HR specialists to managers to individual employees.