First and foremost: thank you for continuing the mission. To our valued partners in federal service, we see the extraordinary pressures and uncertainty you continue to face.
The government shutdown lasted 43 days and multiple sources project a cost of well over $10 billion. Those record-setting figures are joined by the impact to federal employees: roughly 1.4 million employees worked without pay, hundreds of thousands faced furloughs or potential layoffs, and a host of disruptions across critical services across agencies, courts, and transportation.
Returning to heightened demands is the reality for teams across functions like FOIA, audits, investigations, litigation, and workforce management. How can you reasonably do that? Let’s start with an honest look at the pressures.
The Unprecedented Challenge: What the Data Shows
Disruptions have impacted federal employees at a rate much higher than all employees. According to the Federal News Network, it has resulted in increased stress and loneliness, as well as declines in employee engagement.
New data from Gallup demonstrates the toll that federal employees experience.
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Major workplace disruptions are nearly triple the national average. Twenty-nine percent of federal employees say their workplace has been disrupted “to a very large extent,” overshadowing the 10% of U.S. employees who say the same.
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Layoff and elimination concerns are more than twice the national average. Twenty-four percent of federal employees are “extremely” or “very” concerned that they will be laid off or having their position eliminated in the next 12 months, compared to 11% of U.S. employees.
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Federal employees are less likely to be “thriving” and more likely to be “struggling” and “suffering.” In past years, there has been a large gap between those who are “thriving” and those who are “struggling” — but the next graphic shows the convergence.
The impact extends to hundreds of thousands of families. It’s especially true for working caregivers, according to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
5 Realistic Strategies for a Strong Return
It’s hard to imagine what it’s like for you — for anyone — to endure the circumstances and then try to go back to “normal” life at work. After all, workers have been through what one U.S. Census Bureau employee called a “living hell,” in an article from the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) that depict just a few of the 1.4 million stories that could be told.
Here are some steps to help stay focused on what you need to do.
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Prioritize Ruthlessly and Create Tiered Systems
Decide what tasks must happen now and what can wait. A tiered system with categories like "Must Do," "Should Do," and "Can Wait" helps teams focus on critical work while protecting statutory obligations.
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Identify Legally Mandated Tasks: Start with court deadlines, statutory FOIA timelines, and critical investigations that cannot be delayed.
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Create Tiered Categories: Use a “Must Do,” “Should Do,” and “Can Wait” system to structure priorities and manage workload.
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Document Decisions: Keep a clear record of prioritization choices to protect yourself and your team if questions arise later.
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Communicate Boundaries: Explain to stakeholders what can and cannot be accomplished with current resources.
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Leverage Technology To Increase Capacity
Technology helps teams work faster and with fewer errors. Look to automation so staff can focus on high-value work.
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Automate Repetitive Tasks: Automate intake, use pre-defined workflows/templates to simplify and automate legal hold notifications, data processing, investigation case routings, FOIA intake, and audit reminders.
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Use AI-Powered Tools: Utilize AI and analytics for targeted review, predictive sorting, and redaction suggestions to reduce manual effort.
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Protect Team Morale and Plan Re-Engagement
Returning staff may be tired, stressed, or anxious. Supporting morale and planning phased re-engagement helps teams regain momentum.
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Hold Regular Check-Ins: Keep meetings short and focused on both workload and well-being.
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Celebrate Small Wins: Acknowledge progress and surface process improvements to rebuild confidence.
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Plan a Phased Return: Document unfinished work and outline steps for smooth handoffs as operations ramp up.
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Focus on What You Can Control
Concentrate on tasks and decisions that are within your influence. Controlling these factors reduces stress and improves productivity.
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Set Weekly Priorities: Focus on a short list of key outcomes for the week and delegate remaining tasks.
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Use Standard Procedures: Leverage SOPs and templates to reduce daily decision fatigue.
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Capture Lessons Learned: Update playbooks to prevent unnecessary rework when staff changes occur.
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Practice Sustainable Self-Care
Sustaining performance requires energy, mental focus, and balance. Daily routines, boundaries, and small rituals make a meaningful difference.
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Protect Physical Health: Make time for exercise and ensure adequate sleep.
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Maintain Connections: Stay in touch with supportive colleagues and friends.
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Set Boundaries: Separate work stress from personal life to preserve mental balance.
Quick Team Playbook: Actionable Tips for Rebooting Work
Key tips for teams to navigate workload, priorities, and efficiency after disruption.
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eDiscovery / Litigation Teams
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Prioritize Deadlines: Focus on court-ordered deadlines and statutory obligations first.
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Leverage AI: Use AI tools to reduce manual review burden.
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Coordinate Stakeholders: Communicate with opposing counsel and courts on capacity constraints.
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Focus Risk: Prioritize matters with highest financial or legal impact.
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FOIA / Open Records Teams
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Meet Statutory Timelines: Prioritize statutory deadlines and court-ordered productions.
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Batch Requests: Group similar requests for efficient processing.
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Automate Workflows: Use templates and automated intake to handle high-volume requests.
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Communicate Proactively: Alert requesters to potential delays.
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OIG Audit Teams
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Focus Mandates: Address semi-annual reporting and congressionally mandated audits first.
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Document Work: Keep work-in-progress records to enable quick resumption.
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Maintain Audit Trails: Preserve compliance documentation even with reduced capacity.
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Coordinate Clients: Communicate realistic timelines with audit clients.
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Investigations Teams
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Triage Complaints: Prioritize hotline complaints and leads by severity and legal requirements.
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Secure Evidence: Preserve and protect evidence for active cases.
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Maintain Chain of Custody: Document all evidence handling.
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Focus on Time-Sensitive Cases: Protect whistleblower and urgent investigations.
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Workforce Management / EEO Teams
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Prioritize Complaints: Address time-sensitive employee issues and statutory deadlines first.
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Document Everything: Keep required case records for compliance.
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Protect Privacy: Maintain confidentiality of sensitive employee information.
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Focus Legal Risks: Address matters with potential liability proactively.
Where To Go From Here
Returning is challenging. Start by assessing priorities, leaning on tools and processes that make your work more manageable, and checking in with your team regularly.
You don’t have to navigate it alone. We’re here to help. You can email us at government@casepoint.com or call your customer success manager for support. If you’re not a customer, we’d love to demonstrate how our technology can help you become more efficient and effective.
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Returning From the Shutdown: 5 Practical Strategies To Manage Your Workload
