WORKFORCE STRATEGIC PLAN - Marin County

Risk of RetirementsIt is estimated that 42% of the workforce will be eligible to retire within thenext five years. Although many employees are delaying retirement due tothe economic downturn, there is a critical need for succession planning andknowledge transfer within the County so that on-boarding of new employeescan occur in a systematic and thoughtful manner.“We need to conductsurveys on who isleaving and retiringto better plan for thefuture.” County Employee,Succession Planning FocusGroup, April 18, 2011Barriers to meeting staffing needsThe County faces both internal and external barriers to attract and hire new employees. Thehigh cost of housing and complicated transportation systems are barriers facing all Countyemployers. It is possible to collaborate with other employers and agencies to address theseissues through affordable workforce housing and better transportation systems. Internally,the County’s staffing processes and classification plans need to be revamped for moreflexibility and transparency and technology must be designed to keep up with emerging needsfor current and accurate data.Labor MarketAccording to the MEC/WIB report, the number of jobs in Marin County has decreased overallsince 2008 and peaking in 2010. While Marin County has a highly educated population, thereis competition for skilled workers throughout the region. These workers may also have anexpectation for higher wages, which presents a challenge when faced with diminishingresources and higher demand for services. Marin County also has an aging population,resulting in a segment of the potential workforce that does not have an interest in working.In addition, the high unemployment rate regionally, statewide and even nationally hasresulted in an increase in the pool of applicants, who may not always be qualified for theopen positions.Within the current County of Marin workforce, the County’s Equal Employment OpportunityPlan indicates the County is doing well overall in attracting women and minorities, but thereis a need to expand opportunities for promotion into higher level positions. There is also aneed to recruit, hire and support more women into traditionally male dominated jobs.Cultural/Generational/Societal DifferencesThere is a need to adjust to a workforce that isincreasingly diverse. Diversity is not only“We need to recognize and value thedetermined by traditional categories such as age,skills each generation brings to therace, and gender. Diversity also includesworkplace.”generational differences, lifestyle and work stylevalues and differences, employment expectations County Employee, Inclusionary Workforce –and goals, learning styles and abilities,Managing Generational Diversity Focus Group,educational levels and technological savvy. InApril 20, 2011order to build a successful workforce for thefuture, adaptations to the vast array of differences in applicants and employees is a challengeto be recognized and addressed in the workforce action plan.County of Marin Workforce Strategic PlanPage 8

BudgetsDiminishing financial resources present a particular challenge to the County if it is to continueto meet the ever-increasing needs of the community.State budgetThe governor signed the FY11-12 State of California budget on June 30. Overall, the finalbudget included cuts and increased revenue assumption. There were relatively few directcuts to County revenues. More significantly, the budget adversely impacts recipients ofCounty services, especially in Health and Human Services programs due to changes ineligibility rules, co-pays and grant levels. According to the budget plan, if State revenues fallshort of expectation then automatic “trigger cuts” will take place, resulting in cuts to Countyprograms. The most significant State budget impact is the “realignment” of public safety andH&HS programs to counties, placing additional burden on county budgets for provision ofservices. The uncertainty of the State budget may result in additional mid-year budget cuts.County budgetThe County is in the third year of a five-year long-term restructuring (LTR) plan to reorganizeand refocus services. The chart below illustrates an updated 5-year projected operating gap,which is roughly one-half of our initial 5-year LTR projection. The County faces a two-yearbudget gap of 10- 15 million, driven largely by flat property tax growth and higher benefitcosts. We will be working with departments in coming months to development newrestructuring policy options to close the two-year budget gap.Pension IssuesThe downturn of the economy has drawn attention to the high costs of and the unfundedliability for public employee pensions and post-retirement health insurance benefits. TheCounty of Marin Workforce Strategic PlanPage 9

County recognizes this challenge and continues to be guided by principles of fiscalresponsibility to our community and fairness to our employees.The County has implemented several steps to do so. Over the last year, the Countyredesigned its medical plans to be more affordable and sustainable. The County also recentlynegotiated a new retirement tier (2% at 61 ¼) for new miscellaneous employees.These steps were taken in addition to past efforts to control pension costs, such as cappingcost-of-living increases to 2% annually; requiring employees to pay half of the cost for anyCOLA adjustment and as well as half for enhanced retirement benefit formulas; and using theaverage of the highest three years of earnings for pension benefit calculation (as opposed tothe single highest year). In 2008, the County has also implemented a new, less costly,retiree health benefit plan (Plan 4), which reduced the County’s long-term retiree healthliability.The County is also investigating other options, which will require state legislation, to createmore sustainable benefit levels. These possible options include allowing hybrid (definedbenefit and defined contribution) plans, excluding certain types of pay to prevent pensionspiking, and of prohibiting retirement boards from granting ad-hoc COLAS without Countysupport.County of Marin Workforce Strategic PlanP a g e 10

foun·da·tion: a basis upon whichsomething stands or is supportedIn the past 10 years, the County of Marin has undertaken a number of initiatives and plansdesigned to:Improve organizational systems and servicesObtain regular feedback from employees and the communityEvaluate programs and plan for the future of the organizationThe initiatives and plans include those described in this report. They provide the foundationfor the 2011 Workforce Action Plan – the basis upon which it is supported and stands.The Strategic Plan - A Blueprint for Excellence in the Public SectorIn 1999, the County embarked on its first ever Strategic Plan. The Board of Supervisorsadopted the County’s first mission statement, set forth goals and values, and created aninclusive Countywide process to develop a plan to align, strengthen and modernize theorganization. In order to involve a key stakeholder population, focus groups were held withemployees at all levels of the organization with a purpose of identifying ways to make theCounty a better place to work.Key MessagesThe County needs to:Hear directly from its customersCreate and maintain a high level of employee jobsatisfactionEffectively communicateMeasure the effectiveness of programs and servicesThe Strategic Plan had 4 key strategies and 82 action items. Major outcomes included:Enhanced communication between the County Administrator and employeesEmployee surveysPublication of a County of Marin Report to the CommunityConsolidation of clinical health and mental health services into the Health andWellness CampusAn enhanced retirement tier for employeesTo read the Strategic Plan in its entirety, please click tegicPlan2001.pdfCounty of Marin Workforce Strategic PlanP a g e 11

Managing for ResultsIn 2004, the Board of Supervisors adopted the Managing for Resultsprogram, which was designed to measure the effectiveness andbenefits of County programs. The key strategy of the program hasbeen a focus on ways to “do the most important things well”.The emphasis has been to develop methods to identify the mostimportant priorities and align activities to reflect those priorities.Key MessagesDo the most important things wellAlign programs and services to prioritiesMeasure and track efficiency, effectiveness and impact ofprograms and servicesContinue to improve service deliveryInform the community of results and outcomesManaging for Results is an ongoing program. Each department isrequired to develop an annual Department Performance Plan inorder to:Identify and review departmental priority goals andinitiativesAlign departmental goals with Board of Supervisors' goalsand prioritiesDevelop performance measuresCreate a basis for annual evaluation of departmentalprogramsProvide the data to evaluate and, if warranted, to improve service deliveryTo read the Managing for Results report in its entirety, please click Docs/FY0910/FY0910MFRYearEndReview.pdfStrategic Workforce PlanIn 2006, the County of Marin launched a comprehensive workforce planning initiative withthree goals in mind:To maintain excellent services despite high staff turnoverTo provide positive environment for a diverse workforceTo target planning efforts and resources towards strategies with the greatest ability toadvance County and program goals.A workforce Planning Research Team was organized to review labor market and Countydemographic data and to identify areas of strength and vulnerability. This data was presentedCounty of Marin Workforce Strategic PlanP a g e 12

to the Board of Supervisors, Department Heads and Assistant Department Heads. Based uponits review, the team identified the following areas to be addressed strategically and that theCounty would need to:Ensure the County its competitive position in attracting, recruiting and retaining highquality staffBrand the County image as a “Premier Public Service Employer”Revitalize the County’s classification system and underlying job and organizationalarchitectureStrengthen supervisory skills and performance at every level of supervision andmanagementDevelop systems for learning and knowledge transferProvide a work culture receptive to new generation ofworkersKey MessagesThe County is facing wave of retirements of baby boomersNumbers of skilled workers in labor pool is decliningThere is a need to capture technical and historicalknowledge prior to retirementsThe next generation has different values and expectations ofworkplaceThe organization must be proactive to become “employer ofchoice”Major outcomes are ongoing. They include:A Telework Program established in July 2006 to reduce the organization’s carbonfootprint, to provide flexibility for employees and to attract applicants foremploymentRecruitment enhancements approved by Board of Supervisors in 2008, includingallowing departments to approve advance step appointments, enhanced relocationallowances, and initial sick leave balance for experienced applicants hired from otherorganizationsA review of the County’s classification and compensation system and a report onalternatives to the current system initiated and provided to the County Administratorin 2009A common framework of classification and organizational design written and providedto all managers and supervisorsAn Organizational Design initiative implemented as a key strategy for sustainingeffectiveness and performance with fewer available resources.To read the Strategic Workforce Plan in its entirety, please click /060308WorkforcePlanFinal.pdfCounty of Marin Workforce Strategic PlanP a g e 13

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Five-Year Report and Plan“In attracting adiverse workforce,leverage the pride incontributing to ourcommunity andproviding services toour residents.” County Employee,Inclusionary WorkforceEEO and DiversityPractices Focus Group,April 11, 2011The County is required by federal guidelines to prepare and submitan EEO Plan every five years. In addition, the County is committedto diversity in the workplace for both women and ethnic minorities.Therefore, the 2010-2015 report also includes an extensive EEOplan with specific action steps designed to achieve the County’scommitment to equal employment and diversity in the workplaceas well as eliminating any vestiges of discrimination. The Countymaintains statistical data identifying employees by gender andrace/ethnicity in each job category and by department. The datais used to identify when underutilization (the incumbency is lessthan the availability in the labor market) occurs in order to developa corrective action plan. While the overall workforce ethnicdiversity has increased from 10% to 24% since 1980 and womenmake up over 50% of the workforce, the report may show whererepresentation by ethnic minorities and/or women falls short ofthose overall statistics.Key MessagesThe County is committed to:Having a workforce reflective of the relevant labor marketMaking every effort to recruit a diverse candidate poolIdentifying and removing any artificial barriers to employmentContinuing to identify and address underutilization.Major outcomes are ongoing. They include:General and specific action oriented steps to address identified underutilization bygender, race and ethnicity within established occupational categoriesTransition from the use of EEO-4 job categories to the more widely used StandardOccupational Classification (SOC) system in classifying County occupationsPartnering with the Commission on the Status of Women to provide opportunities forcareer advancement for womenFocus on recruiting practices in departments and job categories where women andminorities are underrepresentedCreate ways to increase availability of women and minorities in the applicant pool forunderrepresented job classesTo read the Equal Employment Opportunity Five Year Plan in its entirety, please click /FiveYearEEOPlan.pdfCounty of Marin Workforce Strategic PlanP a g e 14

Management Partners ReportIn 2008, the County hired Management Partners, a consulting group, to review Countyadministrative functions including those of the Department of Human Resources. The reviewwas focused on how the structure, business processes and resources of the departmentsupported its mission, goals and strategic direction. It included an assessment of currentpractices, processes, organizational structure and staffing. The report was provided to thedepartment with 35 recommended action items.Key MessagesThe Human Resources Department should:Be organized to support key projects and a complex labor relations environmentIncrease staffing capacity in the Labor/Employee Relations and Classification andCompensation divisionsSimplify and streamline the Classification and Compensation SystemRegularly obtain and use feedback from customers to determine levels of satisfactionof servicesDesign and implement succession planningEnhance the use of technology for employee self-service and for more efficient servicedelivery.A three-year action plan was developed from these recommendations. Major outcomesinclude:Annual customer service interviews between the Human Resources Director and otherDepartment HeadsAddition of a staff position in theLabor/Employee Relations divisionIncrease the staffing level in theClassification and Compensation divisionby reassignment of existing departmentstaffUse of on-line applicant testingUpdate administrative supportclassificationsAssessment of the continued effectivenessof the 1980 National Organization forWomen (NOW) Consent DecreeTo read the Management Partners Report in its entirety, please click below: / click gementPartnersReport-July08.pdfCounty of Marin Workforce Strategic PlanP a g e 15

Employee SurveysThe County conducted employee surveys in 2006 and 2009. Out of 2,000employees, 1,233 participated in the 2009 survey. The object of thesurveys was to obtain feedback on:Understanding of mission and goalsCustomer serviceWork environmentEmployee supportDevelopment & trainingLeadershipCompensation and benefitsCommunication within the County“All voices should beheard in thedevelopment of anew structure-union,management andemployees.” Labor Representative,Classification andCompensation FocusGroup, April 27, 2011Key Messages (from 2009 Survey)Overall, County employees:Continue to find their work meaningful and are proud to make a difference in thecommunityLike working for the County and would recommend employment for County positionsFind workgroups are supportive, respectful, trusting and work well as teamsUnderstand the goals and priorities of their workgroups and know what the County istrying to accomplishKnow that the County values differences among individualsBelieve the County operates with integrityFeel supported in achieving work/life balanceBelieve there is a need for more accountability by both management and employeesBelieve there is a decreased opportunity for training and professional/careerdevelopmentWould like management to be more clear on the types of decisions employees canmake and provide more support for employees to be self directedNeed increased recognition of employee achievementRecognize a need for improved collaboration across County departmentsMajor outcomes include:Each department head receives results for his/her department on strengths andopportunities for improvementEach department is provided a top line report showing aggregate results for theCounty and departmentsOverall results show the need for countywide programsEmployee surveys will be ongoing and conducted every three yearsFor more details on the Employee Survey Report for 2009, please click /2009EmployeeSurvey.pdfCounty of Marin Workforce Strategic PlanP a g e 16

Long-Term Restructuring PlanThe County of Marin faces financial challenges that require even greater effort to live withinits means while continuing to achieve an effective level ofservices to the community. Given these challenges, it is likelythat the County cannot support the same level of services itcurrently provides. However, by developing a long termrestructuring plan, the County hopes to minimize the impactof service reductions by addressing structural budget issuesand improving business practices to adapt to diminishingresources.In January 2009, the Board of Supervisors approved a longterm restructuring process to help the County adapt to a newfiscal reality. The process engaged both members of thepublic and County employees for ideas and input. The LongTerm Restructuring Plan (LTR) has been a year-long process ofidentifying major trends impacting the County budget and apolicy guide to help the County adapt to changing conditionsin a deliberate manner. The Plan provides information and guiding principles, futurestrategies and policy options to address the long-term financial challenges.Key Messages:ooooooo

County of Marin Workforce Strategic Plan P a g e 4 Support our People - Demonstrate investment in employee development through programs, services, and initiatives. Promote a Positive Culture - Foster and support a