While hiring of government employees has largely rebounded since the pandemic, many jurisdictions still struggle to find qualified candidates for their vacant positions. Some jurisdictions cite increased competition with private-sector companies for the same pool of candidates. Others point to complicated application processes, confusing job descriptions and lack of clear communication with job candidates.

Every jurisdiction is unique, however, in the types of hiring challenges faced and the creative solutions implemented to resolve them. MOVE Magazine talked with four jurisdictions to see how they’ve changed their approach to recruiting and retaining employees.

MISSISSIPPI’S OUTREACH AND EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION

“Finding qualified candidates is harder now than it used to be. People aren’t applying for government jobs anymore,” says Lisa Chism, director with the Mississippi Department of Revenue Office of Property Tax, which oversees DMV operations for her state. “Since COVID, the way people think about work has changed.”

She attributes the declining interest to increased competition from private-sector companies and the reluctance of many job applicants to work in the office five days a week. “The first thing they ask is, ‘Can I work from home?’”

To ramp up recruitment efforts, the state formed the Professional and Quality Service Development (PQSD) Department two years ago. The team of three attends college career fairs and speaks to students in college classrooms about government job opportunities. Career fairs also have been held onsite at the state agency, which Chism says has resulted in two new hires in her department.

“When applicants came to us to talk about jobs, it wasn’t like an interview, but more informal and informative,” she says. An internship program also gives participants valuable work experience while they learn how the agency operates. Each intern is assigned to work in one area for three months. Chism says her agency eventually hired two of the first interns from the program.

The Mississippi Department of Revenue also began an onboarding program for new hires. During a one-year probationary period, all new hires are invited to a session to share their experiences working at the agency. “With their supervisor not present, employees are free to speak, and the facilitators then share that feedback,” Chism says.

The agency’s employee recognition committee organizes low-cost social events for employees, such as ice cream socials, popcorn Thursdays and hot dog lunches, which helps build morale. “People look forward to that little happy,” Chism says.

ALABAMA TOUTS JOB SECURITY

In Alabama, it’s often difficult to hire younger workers. Many are reluctant to work in government because private-sector companies can offer better salaries and benefits, says Colonel Jonathan Archer, director of public safety with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA).

“It’s the nature of our business in the civil service merit system,” he says. “Employees usually have to work several years in merit system positions before the compensation becomes more competitive.”

To find younger workers, Archer says the agency regularly recruits at college career fairs and through public safety talks in the community. Jobs also are promoted through various social media channels. Since the campus outreach programs began, he’s noticed an uptick in applications for state troopers and examiners.

Though ALEA reviews and updates its job classifications and salaries every other year to compete with other employers, Archer believes it’s the stability of government work that is the biggest selling point. He cites the number of single-parent employees whose steady jobs allow them to work around childcare schedules.

“We’re not connected to the stock market, and we’re not laying off workers or downsizing like private-sector industries,” Archer says. “We offer a comfort zone of employment.”

He also touts the long-term benefits, such as the agency’s retiree employment program. When merit system employees meet certain eligibility criteria, they earn a defined retirement benefit and can take advantage of the state’s part-time opportunities while they collect their benefits. “It keeps older employees engaged and provides them a flexible work schedule. They know the job, so they don’t need additional training,” Archer says.

One thing he’d like to add to the agency’s recruitment strategy is a formal internship program. While the agency hires a few interns every year, a more formal program would create a dedicated office and staff to facilitate the hiring process and oversee the interns’ progress. “It would increase intern volume and get them excited about working in government,” Archer says.

Rewarding Employees in North Carolina

When the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) administration offices moved from Raleigh to Rocky Mount several years ago, many employees opted to leave the organization rather than make the hour-long one-way commute to work. That left numerous job vacancies that had to be filled quickly, and the agency’s employee vacancy rate soared to 19%.

“We knew we were moving, so we developed partnerships with area businesses in Rocky Mount, including the Chamber of Commerce, which could help us refill those positions,” recalls Portia Manley, chief deputy commissioner with the NCDMV.

Further complicating matters was a competitive job market and negative public perceptions that DMV workers have lower pay, higher stress levels and longer work hours than private-sector employees. To address the pay issue, the NC Department of Transportation reached out to state legislators to request approval for additional funding, so bonuses could be offered to new hires and the existing employees who transferred to Rocky Mount.

The agency also made better use of social media and technology. Job descriptions were rewritten so they could be posted on various social media outlets, which Manley says delivered a higher return on qualified candidates than the agency website or word of mouth. The agency’s HR recruitment platform automated the process, so jobs are promoted across all social media platforms as soon as they are posted online.

Manley says the NCDMV is planning to launch a program for entry-level employees, allowing them to work in different departments for short periods to see how each operates. The 18-month rotational program likely will appeal to young adults who aren’t sure which section they want to work in.

“If, after a few weeks or months, the employee demonstrates a particular interest in a department, they can transition into a permanent role there. Otherwise, they rotate out to another area,” explains Manley.

Washington’s Focus on Diversity and Inclusion

“From the first contact with an individual, we try to create a sense of belonging,” says Marcus Glasper, director with the Washington Department of Licensing. From rewriting job descriptions and altering resume requirements to streamlining the application process, Glasper says every adjustment the department has made to the recruitment process was intentional to eliminate barriers to employment. For example, job announcements were rewritten to remove industry jargon, change education requirements and explain in clearer detail what’s involved with the job.

“We found that people with business experience in the field were equally, if not more, qualified than those with four-year degrees alone,” Glasper explains. Job postings now include verbiage about valid work experience in lieu of education, which has opened up the candidate pool.

Glasper’s department also eliminated requests for resumes and cover letters for people applying through the state’s job portal, except for those applying for higher-level positions. “The resume and cover letter were not only redundant to the online application form but were often a barrier to employment because some candidates didn’t have a resume or had difficulty uploading it. Meanwhile other candidates were using mobile devices to apply for jobs,” Glasper says.

One common complaint from candidates was the lengthy wait time for a response about their application, which sometimes ran weeks. Candidates often dropped out because of the lack of communication. To counter this trend, a three-day maximum response time was imposed.

“Even if they aren’t being considered for the job they applied for, they hear from our department about why they aren’t being considered,” says Glasper. Applicants then are invited to share feedback about their experience and join the department’s listserv to learn about future opportunities. The communication keeps candidates engaged and encourages them to reapply for different department jobs.

“We need to think about applicants as customers and consider their experience of how they come into our organizations,” Glasper says.

As hiring trends change, jurisdictions will need to continually evaluate their recruitment efforts to attract and retain qualified employees for the long term.