In recent years, municipalities across North Carolina have encountered challenges in hiring and retaining their workforce effectively. From recruitment hurdles to retention issues, local governments are grappling with a complex landscape that demands innovative solutions. As municipalities continue to face these challenges, it is important to understand the causes and investigate policy and workplace culture changes that are slowly shaping the landscape.
Many of these employment challenges local governments are facing are not exclusive to local government employees. For instance, as new generations age into adulthood, they bring a new set of values and what work means to them that all employers must adapt to.
Also, the competition for skilled workers has intensified. Municipal governments are struggling to compete with private sector employers who can offer competitive salaries with attractive benefit packages. Qualified candidates are quickly recruited by businesses.
If this hurdle is surpassed and local governments are able to attract qualified candidates, then another set of problems sink in—retaining employees. Local governments are struggling to retain mid-career professionals who may desire career advancement opportunities or a better work-life balance elsewhere.
Additionally, the continuing retirement of baby boomers is creating a knowledge gap that municipalities, must address to preserve institutional knowledge which allows new employees to succeed and thrive.
What can local governments do to combat these issues?
One of the most common local government professions struggling with these issues is policing.
“Since 2020, we have seen a large decrease in the number of individuals that are looking to come into law enforcement as a profession,” said Bill Hollingsed, Executive Director of the NC Association of Chiefs of Police (NCACP). “There are a lot of things that have come into play over the last several years that it’s been harder to find good, quality, qualified applicants to come into the profession.”
One of the largest shifts in the ways local governments are hiring police candidates is “sponsoring” cadets in the Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) program.
In the past, individuals who wanted to enter the policing profession would pay their own way through North Carolina’s mandatory BLET program. Then, with that necessary certification under their belts, cadets could apply to various policing positions as a qualified applicant.
Today, municipalities are much more involved in the BLET process. Many cadets are scouted by police departments ahead of the program. Municipalities hire cadets and pay them a salary as they embark on the program. Their job security is dependent on successfully completing this training.
The difference is “we have to work harder to get qualified applicants into the law enforcement profession,” said Hollingsed. And this shift in the BLET process is one example of how some municipalities are doing so.
As previously mentioned, hiring qualified applicants is only one part of the problem. Local police departments must adapt to new-generation work cultures to get good candidates to stay.
“That goes back to taking care of our people, whether that is through officer wellness or through career development,” said Hollingsed.
Many police departments across the state of North Carolina are heavily invested in officer wellness. New strategies are being researched and implemented as a way to ensure police officers are happy and stay in their local-government careers.
Hollingsed cited a couple of examples he’s seen throughout the state, such as early warning systems.
“It’s not to notify us of a problem with an officer for disciplinary reasons, but to save that career … If we can intervene earlier, either through counseling or additional training to save officer careers, that is our goal in the long run,” said Hollingsed.
To support this effort, the North Carolina General Assembly awarded the NCACP with a $1.5 million grant in 2023.
Since then, the NCACP has been administering the grant across North Carolina police and sheriff’s departments who are interested in officer wellness.
“Anything that can help that agency increase the level of wellness, whether that’s physical or mental health, these grants will help those agencies get those programs up,” Hollingsed explained.
Outside of the policing profession, other municipal departments are facing similar issues and offering similar solutions.
Focus on employee wellness is happening across all jobs in local government. One way the League is supporting these efforts is through our Health Benefits Trust (HBT) Wellness Grants.
Members of the League’s HBT medical program are eligible to apply for a portion of the $100,000 allotted by the Risk Management Services Board of Trustees. Members can apply to host various wellness initiatives, such as: financial management classes, fitness classes or equipment, nutrition or stress management educational speakers, and much more.
The Central Pines Regional Council recently identified the need for enhanced employee wellness programs. In response, they applied for and received HBT’s Wellness Grant. With this funding, they conducted a Mental Health First Aid training day for its staff.
The League is proud to offer this support to HBT pool members who are looking for ways to improve employee wellness and, in turn, retention.
There are several innovative approaches being implemented across the state. By focusing on employee wellness, career development, and mentorship, local governments are adapting to the changing workforce landscape and building a more resilient and engaged workforce for the future. As these initiatives take root, they may serve as a model for other regions grappling with similar workforce issues, ultimately ensuring that local governments can continue to serve their communities effectively.
