TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager provide an update on the Recruitment, Hiring and Retention Study and provide proposals for implementation of needed changes as the study progresses.
DISCUSSION
As a result of rapid changes in the workforce resulting from increasing employee retirements, coupled with a smaller labor pool to fill those vacancies, it is becoming very difficult to attract and retain the quality workforce needed to provide essential City services. The City of Long Beach has begun to experience the challenges of this very competitive labor market. In addition, the City hiring and employment process, and the length of time it takes, may add to workforce difficulties.
Changes in the composition of the workforce coupled with increasing competition will require new and creative approaches to recruiting and hiring employees in the future. It is clear the City's traditional methods for hiring employees will have to change to keep pace with the changing labor market. Recognizing these challenges, the Mayor and City Council included a comprehensive study of recruitment, hiring and retention strategies as part of the Fiscal Year 2007 Budget. It will be important for the City Council and City staff to consider the recommendations from this study and begin making needed changes to current practices. These changes are necessary to provide the workforce needed to deliver critical City services.
City staff has hired an outside expert to review current work force demographics, map City hiring processes, evaluate the work environment, review best practice hiring and retention practices used in other public and private sector entities and recommend changes in current city practices. In an effort to prepare to make needed changes as quickly as possible, I am requesting regular updates on the status of the Recruitment, Hiring and Retention Study with implementation of needed improvements being made as the study progresses.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
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