Introduction
Government waste is a real concern for taxpayers and public servants alike. The DOGE approach—Digitize, Outsource, Gamify, and Eliminate—has been promoted as a way to streamline operations, reduce inefficiencies, and improve service delivery. While it’s a powerful tool for modernizing how government functions, it must be implemented with caution. Otherwise, we risk creating more waste—by cutting too quickly, rehiring unnecessarily, or eliminating vital services that eventually have to be rebuilt.
Why Speed to Show Promises Kept Isn’t Always Efficiency
It’s tempting to think that the faster we cut, the more money we save. But real efficiency comes from making strategic, not reactionary, decisions.
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Firing, then rehiring: Letting go of staff too quickly can backfire. Governments often find they need the very expertise they cut—only now it’s more expensive to bring back because an individual may have found other employment, feel insecure about continued RIF upon returning or just too angry to return.
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Eliminating, then reinstating functions: Some departments or services are quietly essential. Removing them in the name of efficiency can cause operational breakdowns that are even costlier to fix.
What’s Needed: Thoughtful Implementation
To make the DOGE approach work without hurting the workforce or public services, governments must:
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Assess Before Acting
A deep review of each function is key. Is the service truly redundant, or is it just poorly managed? Could it be digitized instead of eliminated? -
Engage Stakeholders
Employees often know where the inefficiencies are. Involving them in the process not only creates better solutions—it also builds morale and trust. This would be particularly useful in health provision services such as Medicare, Medicaid or Veteran Administration health services. -
Pilot Programs First
Try digitizing or outsourcing one department or function before scaling it up. This allows for course corrections and better resource planning. -
Track Long-Term Outcomes
Cutting a service might look good in the budget this year, but what about next year? Evaluating the long-term impact helps avoid wasteful reversals.
Respect for Workers Matters
Public employees aren’t the enemy—they’re part of the solution. Restructuring should be handled with respect and care. In many cases, retraining and reassigning employees to new digital roles is more cost-effective (and humane) than layoffs and rehires.
Conclusion
The DOGE approach holds real promise for making government more efficient. But speed without strategy can lead to short-term gains and long-term losses. By applying the method with thoughtfulness, patience, and respect for the people involved, we can truly cut waste—without creating more in the process.
