Imagine needing to call 911 in the middle of a medical emergency, only to be placed on hold because there are not enough dispatchers to take your call. Or perhaps a less urgent but still stressful situation: you have unexpected water damage in your home, and when you apply for a permit to repair your walls and floors, you find yourself in a months-long backlog of permit requests before you.
Whether it’s dialing 911 or applying for a permit, residents expect reliable, responsive, and high-quality service. Unfortunately, staffing shortages, unmotivated employees, or pay inequity tied to a local government agency’s compensation planning can directly impact everyday experiences for residents.
Not surprisingly, the impact of workforce stability and staffing on resident service delivery is only increasing. And to compound the situation, according to the Partnership for Public Service, hiring in government is harder than ever - less than 1 in 5 Gen Z workers are interested in public service. That’s a problem for agencies looking to maintain a stable, well-staffed, resident-focused work environment.
While compensation is often viewed as a cost center, in the public sector, it’s also a performance driver and a trust builder. The way agencies plan, benchmark, and manage pay doesn’t just impact recruitment and retention - it is critical in fostering stronger service delivery and higher community satisfaction.
Sharpen your skills in labor, compensation, financial forecasting, pension, and OPEB analytics with quick, interactive 30-minute sessions. Get expert tips, live Q&A, and helpful resources to support smarter decisions.
2nd & 4th Thursdays at 10a PST - Register now to save your spot!
October Topics:
October 9th - Benchmarking | Compensation Categories
October 23rd - Labor Costing | Salary Setup
Agency Spotlight
Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County, CA
"The implementation of the True Comp Labor Costing Module has brought about notable improvements in our negotiation process. Both the Board of Directors and legal counsel were highly impressed with its efficient methodology and time-saving features, particularly compared to our previous manual excel methods when costing out proposals. In addition to improved workflow, the module has demonstrated a higher degree of accuracy in labor cost calculations when benchmarked against our historical excel models. This increased precision has bolstered confidence in our labor cost calculations and minimized the risk of errors during negotiations. I would highly recommend this labor costing tool to agencies seeking a more sophisticated approach to negotiations."
-- Finance Director, Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County
