Human
Resources for
Local
Government:
Compelling
Challenges
Mohamad Alkadry, Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Director
Master of Public Administration Program
Department of Public Administration
Florida International University
Agenda
 Local
Vs. Federal (National/Central) in the United
States
 Key Challenges



Aging Workforce and Succession Planning
Accommodating the Female Talent
Competing for Talent
Local Vs. State & Federal
Distribution of Government Workers in the US – 2011
UNIVERSE: 22 Million Workers
Federal
13%
State government
23%
Local government
64%
Distribution of Government
Workers in the US – 2011
UNIVERSE: 22 Million Workers
Local
government,
excluding
education
28%
Local
government
education
36%
Federal, except
U.S. Postal Service
10%
U.S. Postal
State
Service government
3%
education
11%
State
government,
excluding
education
12%
Federal Vs. State Powers
Federal Only
Print money
Declare war
Establish army
& navy
Enter into
treaties with
foreign
governments
Regulate
commerce
Establish post
offices & issue
postage
State Only
Establish local
governments
Issue licenses
Regulate
intrastate
commerce
Conduct
elections
Ratify
Constitution
amendments
Public health
and safety
Shared Powers
Setting up
courts
Creating and
collecting
taxes
Building
highways
Borrowing
money
Making &
enforcing laws
Chartering
banks &
corporations
Spending
money
Imminent
Domain
Human Resources
In the United States, local and regional governments can
hire a workforce that matches community needs and
budget constraints





Hiring and firing government workers in service sectors
Filling open positions as needed
Setting the job qualifications
Determining salary levels and supplement salaries on a
performance basis
Determine the number of positions of government employees
at the local level.
Education of Employees
100%
9.4
7.2
Post Grad
14.5
90%
80%
70%
18.9
9.4
17.7
50%
19.9
30%
26
Assoc
Degree
24
9.8
22.6
30
31.6
26.2
11.5
Some
College
40%
20.8
Bachelor's
Degree
9.3
60%
19.6
25.2
9.7
16.2
19.4
High
School
20%
10%
12.7
14.3
0%
Total
Private
< High
School
22.7
18.5
22.3
2.8
3.1
4.7
PA: Federal
PA: State
PA: Local
The Aging Workforce and
Succession Planning
Age Distribution
100%
90%
25.8
23.9
38.9
80%
34.2
36.1
50+
70%
60%
24.6
24.1
40-49
25.8
50%
27.4
30.1
40%
22.4
22.6
30-39
20.9
30%
20%
10%
27.2
29.4
<30
21.9
19.4
11.6
19.2
14.6
0%
Total
Private
PA: Federal PA: State
PA: Local
Succession Planning
Assessment of
Key Positions
Identification of
Key Talent
Key
Elements
Development
Monitoring & Review
Assessment of
Key Talent
Generation of
Development Plans
Source: BYU HRD
Succession Planning
1. Assessment of Key Positions:
• What are the competencies and experiences needed to
qualify for each key position?
2. Identification of Key Talent:
•
Identified by their management’s assessment of their
performance and potential for advancement.
3. Assessment of Key Talent:
•
For each person on the radar screen, primary development
needs are identified focusing on what they need in order to
be ready for the next level.
Source: BYU HRD
Succession Planning
4. Generation of Development Plans:
• A development plan is prepared for how we will
help the person develop over the next year.
5. Development Monitoring & Review
• An annual or semi-annual succession planning
review is held to review progress of key talent and
to refresh or revise their development plan.
Source: BYU HRD
Challenges

Sophisticated Human Resources process of
identifying future need, identifying new talent and
preparing the new talent for future need

Correlation between HR Department size and
local government size

$$$ vary by local government – Fellowship
Programs, professional development

Pool varies by local government

Fluid Workforce

Centralization Vs. Decentralization
Recruiting Female Talent
Figure 2.3. Percentage of 25-29 year-olds who
attained University Degrees (1971–2009)
Male (Bachelor)
Female (Bachelor)
Male (Masters)
Female (Masters)
35
35
27
27
8.7
8.8
33
32
32
25
25
30
28
25
24
23
21
21
20
25
24
24
23
26
19
14
4.1
4.9
1971
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
6.2
4.7
2000
7.3
7.8
7.6
5.1
2005
5.1
2006
5.0
2007
5.3
2008
6.1
2009
Challenges
Women
continue to occupy lower
positions in local government at higher
proportion
Women continue to be segregated in
certain agencies but not others
Women continue to be segregated in
certain occupations
Challenge: How do we make all local
government jobs, at all levels, and in
all departments competitive to
women?
Women Representation in
State and Local Governments
73%
73%
HEALTH
27%
25%
UTILITIES & TRANSPORTATION
19%
21%
STREETS AND HIGHWAYS
% Women New
Hires
19%
17%
SANITATION & SEWAGE
78%
78%
PUBLIC WELFARE
33%
29%
POLICE PROTECTION
NATURAL RESOURCES
35%
47%
75%
74%
HOSPITALS & SANATORIUMS
11%
9%
FIRE PROTECTION
63%
63%
EMPLOYMENT SECURITY
42%
39%
CORRECTIONS
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Competing for Talent
Regional
Inequalities in human resources
based on size of municipality and ability to
pay competitive wages
Smaller units of
government have less
opportunity to build expertise – employees
often perform multiple jobs in small
municipalities