Amid shifting workplace expectations, local government employers must adapt

Constrained by inflexible budgets, local government employers can’t compete with the lucrative salaries offered in the private sector. And while recruitment has always been a challenge for public employers, the last two years have been especially difficult. From January 2020 to the same month this year, government organizations lost around 600,000 jobs—more than manufacturing, wholesale trade and construction combined, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“What has changed is the value that the private sector is offering: high compensation, flexibility, and rapid career advancement. What workers, particularly younger workers, want has also changed,” reads a new report from Deloitte, “Government can win the talent race—Here’s how.” Younger workers are looking for flexibility in their jobs, independence and work-life balance.

While this evolution started a few decades ago, the pandemic accelerated trends. This transformation can’t be understated. After two years of Zoom meetings and telecommuting, remote and hybrid work situations have become expected across the board.

Amid these changes, employee turnover is unprecedented.

For example, the Texas state auditor reported a 38 percent turnover among state employees under 30 years old. And last November, the U.S. Department of Labor reported that 3 percent of all workers (or 4.5 million people) had quit or changed their jobs.

“For many, the pandemic prompted reflection about what is most important in their lives. Work, it turns out, wasn’t as important as many had thought, and people became less willing to center their lives around their job,” the report says.

The emerging talent crisis has prompted a response from industry advocates, especially given the influx of federal dollars that’s about to flow to cities and counties via the bipartisan infrastructure legislation and the American Rescue Plan Act.  In a joint statement, the National League of Cities, U.S. Conference of Mayors, National Conference of State Legislatures, International City/County Management Association and National Association of Counties called for a national strategy Friday “to invest in the nation’s workforce.”

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