Requested Agenda Date:
5/9/2023
Requested Agenda Title:
Title
Informational Presentation on the Reorganization of the Public Works Operations Division an Enterprise Fund
Body
Requested Agenda Item Description: Salt Lake County Public Works Operations has had challenges hiring and retaining personnel. This has led to concerns about meeting its contractual requirements with the municipalities we service. In August of 2022, Public Works Operations (PW Ops), an enterprise fund, in collaboration with Human Resources, began a full evaluation of the division concerning employee retention and morale, recruiting new talent, diversifying the workforce, and providing overall long-term stability of PW Ops. A retention and new hire bonus of $2,000 was implemented in October of 2022 as a stop-gap measure to provide PW Ops with the necessary time to evaluate the division wholistically and thoughtfully. A review of PW Operations has not been conducted since 2016 and was used as a launchpad for the team to assess the division starting in Fall of 2022, given that the current job market conditions have significantly changed, particularly concerning blue-collar workers. In short, employees desire better opportunities to learn and grow in an organization, with upward mobility and a career path beyond just a job with an emphasis on financial incentives. As a result, PW Ops proposes restructuring our agency to include the reclassification (job titles and job descriptions) for 67 of the 103 positions in the division, with potential pay increases for 87 positions along with a more competency-based system versus years of experience organization model. The reclassification will allow for more upward mobility and compensation based on skills and certifications. As employees’ complete certifications and proficiency on certain aspects of their job, they will advance to the next level without waiting for positions to open. HR, Public Works Operations managers, and the director of Public Works Operations have met on many occasions to facilitate a structure for these changes. Management is excited to move forward with this transition and believe it is a much-needed change.
Requested Action: Discussion - Informational
Presenter(s) (with titles): Lisa Hartman, Associate Deputy Mayor. Crystal Hulbert, Division Director of Public Works Operations. Sharon Roux, Division Director of Human Resources
Time Needed: 10 MINS
Is this Item Time-Sensitive and/or Requesting a Time-Certain? No
Requesting Staff Member: Crystal Hulbert, Division Director of Public Works Operations
Are Supporting Documents Needed for this Agenda Item Request? Yes