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Local government leaders need to have a sense of urgency about the challenges and changes ahead.
Organizational transformation is needed and requires leadership.

MANAGING A DIVERSE WORKFORCE

A multi-generational and increasingly diverse workforce offers both opportunities and challenges. Older
workers bring experience and know-how to the job, essential to high performance. Younger workers
bring energy, new ideas, and technology savvy, attributes that are equally important. With four to five
generations already coexisting in the workplace, local managers need to be cognizant of the similarities,
differences, and nuances of each generation and find creative ways to accommodate them. Managers
also need to build trust and communicate effectively to gain everyone’s commitment to organizational
goals.

Themes that emerged from interviews with local government managers, academics, and HR experts and
from a literature review conducted for this project include:

? Transforming local government human resources policies and practices is at the heart of
building the workforce of tomorrow and requires commitment from the top.

? Next generation workers are motivated by more than money. They want opportunities to do
something worthwhile, so they will examine an organization’s values and culture when
considering a position.

? Flexible work practices can enhance retention for workers at all career stages. Younger workers
expect the flexibility to work anytime from anywhere to get the job done—and older workers
appreciate such flexibility as well.

? Technology will shape how work is organized, the nature of employment relationships, how
employees communicate with each other and constituents, and the skills needed for many jobs.
Younger employees are drawn to employers that provide the most up-to-date technology.

? Developing the next generation of leaders is vital to building and sustaining a talented workforce
of tomorrow.

? Graduate and undergraduate students responding to a survey administered by the Center for
State and Local Government Excellence (SLGE) for this project offered similar themes:

? Most students have a favorable opinion of local government, are likely to pursue local
government career options, and are attracted by the opportunity to make a difference in the
community and people’s lives.

? Students who said they aren’t likely to pursue local government career options cited too much
bureaucracy, constraints on what can be accomplished, not enough creative flexibility, slow
hiring processes, and a greater interest in the non-profit sector.

? More than 50 percent of respondents said they expect to stay in a local government position for
five years or less (compared with an average tenure of 7.1 years for local government
employees between 2000 and 2014), and a majority said they plan to work in a variety of
sectors throughout their careers.

? Internships provide important work experience to students seeking local government jobs. 50
percent of students are already in internships and 19 percent are seeking those opportunities.

? Professional development is a top priority for students, particularly employer-paid conferences
service on committees and task forces, and external training opportunities.