Finding and Keeping Talent

Regardless of the location of a community or organization, its size, or the department or position that needs to be filled, local governments are all concerned about their ability to attract and retain quality employees. 

Whether the cause is the great resignation, the retirement of the silver tsunami generation, an ability to work remotely, or that entry-level employees don’t generally stay their entire career in one place anymore,  It's a problem.

There is obviously no one solution to attracting applicants, let alone hiring them. 

Here are a few strategies to consider:

• Post positions without a closing date and interview as applications come in. Leaving the position “open until filled” gives the flexibility to quickly engage with prospects.
• Consider which positions can be either fully remote or performed in a hybrid model.
• Establish an internship program in which participants are able to see the opportunities and a pool from which you can draw full-time employees.
• Re-evaluate your nepotism policy to see if more flexibility is warranted.
• Engage your current employees in finding new colleagues and consider rewarding them for that great new hire.

Once employees are in the door, you have to keep them.

• Establish career progressions so that employees are able to visualize what their future with the organization might be.
• If a high performer is leaving for a better compensation package, aggressively counteroffer

Most importantly, ensure you have a culture in which people want to work – where they have a sense of purpose, are engaged, can take risks, and feel part of the team.