TITLE
Recommendation to receive and file the 2018 City of Long Beach Workforce Demographics Report. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
On February 7, 2017, the City Council requested the City Manager to report back on workforce and applicant diversity data, on an annual basis, until such time an online dashboard is implemented. The 2018 City of Long Beach Workforce Demographics Report (Report) was transmitted to the City Council via memorandum on March 18, 2018 (Attachment). The Report provides an overview of the City’s workforce by age, gender, ethnicity, salary, and EEO job categories, both by department and citywide. The Report also provides recruitment data for classified applicants, including Police Officer and Firefighter recruits.
Workforce Demographics and Hiring
Since the release of the 2017 Gender, Age, and Racial/Ethnic Diversity Report, the City has:
• Increased staffing levels by 8 percent through strategic succession planning and streamlined efforts to decrease timelines for filling a vacancy;
• Increased total ethnic minority representation in the workforce from 59 percent to 62 percent;
• Increased total ethnic minority representation in Police Recruits from 60 percent to 70 percent;
• Increased representation of female applicants for Police Recruit by 6 percent;
• Since 2017, increased ethnic minority representation in top management from 28 percent to 46 percent; and,
• Decreased the pay gap between women and men for permanent full-time employment from 81 cents to 85 cents, a 4-cent increase.
Overall, the City workforce is becoming younger, with representation in the 20-29 age bracket increasing from 17 percent to 22 percent. In 2018, 38 percent of the City’s workforce was considered millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996). With 16 percent of the City’s workforce at, or near, retirement eligibility, there are unique opportunities to continue increasing diversity.
Status of Online Dashboard
Priority projects such as LB COAST, City Hall move preparations, hiring improvements, audits, and department workload have impacted the timeline for this project. The Technology and Innovation Department is diligently working with OpenGov, the vendor used for BudgetLB, to build an online dashboard that will allow data on employee demographics to be easily visualized through interactive charts and graphs (similar to those on the City of Portland’s and City of Boston’s websites). Staff anticipates going live with the dashboard no later than January 1, 2020.
This matter was reviewed by Principal Deputy City Attorney Gary J. Anderson on April 22, 2019 and by Budget Analysis Officer Julissa Jose-Murray on April 19, 2019.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action on this matter is not time critical.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal or local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
ALEJANDRINA BASQUEZ
DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER