Local Government Manages Australia (LGMA) has published a report into the findings of its Management Challenge Pre-Challenge Task which was held in an attempt to better understand the influences the departure of critical personnel from local government organisations.

 

105 teams were gathered by LGMA and asked a single central question in attempt to redress the issue:

 

“What does your council need to put into place to challenge and engage critical staff and prevent them from leaving?”

 

The report identifies the main causes of employee departure from local government bodies as such:

 

  • Job satisfaction/career progression
  • Workplace dynamic/management conflict
  • Family pressures/work-life balance
  • Health issues/retirement

 

The two key issues in relation to staff tenure related to those who stayed less than two years and those who were approaching retirement age. There was an indication from most participants in the Pre-Challenge Task that large numbers of staff at participating Councils – upwards of 60% in most cases – leave within the first two years of service.

 

The report contains a number of best practice examples of separate local government bodies in attracting and maintaining employment of critical staff.

 

The report found that councils around Australia are increasingly deviating from normal practices to attract and retain staff. The report identifies competition from both other public institutions and the private sector as a major hurdle in maintaining critical staff. As such, the report identifies the following examples of best practice

 

  • A variety of leave options from paid study leave, grandparent leave, salary sacrificing additional annual leave
  • Flexible working arrangements ranging from working from home, flex time, transition to retirement
  • Wellbeing initiatives such as exercise and sporting regimes, subsidised gym memberships, personal health checks and innoculations, Employee Assistance Programs, massage and meditation
  • Remuneration and recognition schemes. Insurance benefits, celebratory boards of achievement, retirement seminars, parking, additional long service benefits, increased superannuation contributions from council, subsidies to complete a course of study- not necessarily related to the job role

 

The report also finds that the majority of councils recognised that communication has a major influence on staff morale and internal communication systems were an area for improvement. A good communication culture avoids siloed communication and ensures that the Senior Executive team and managers can clearly relay the organisational vision to staff.

 

The report listed a number of suggestions for improvement in internal communications

  • CEO’s blog, intranet, webcam and video conferencing. Buddy systems for new employees. Compulsory monthly ‘Team Briefs’
  • Having lunch with the Executive team for small groups; Executive team to meet the staff on a regular basis and not just their direct reports
  • The re-worked Intranet site should include a Council calendar which includes social club events, community events organised by Council and other events – not necessarily just formal Council meetings.
  • Schedule monthly 15 minute one to one meetings for all staff with their Group Manager. More regular communications from the CEO on Council issues. This would keep staff informed of issues facing Council and the management team and help to dispel rumour and gossip
  • Annual staff feedback survey59. Create Alumni’s as a method of staying in touch with former staff who have gone overseas as well as a recruitment tool. It may not prevent people from leaving but it may provide an avenue for them to return at a later date as more experienced and valuable professionals.
  • Access to council computers and software is not available to all staff. In this electronic age this creates a communication gap and makes it difficult for some staff to communicate with other members of staff
  • Engage in ‘courageous conversations’ by having real and meaningful conversations with critical staff. These are open and honest, two way conversations discussing the positive and the negative and providing challenges.
  • The Chief Executive to shadow staff for a day performing their duties, learning what they do and establishing connections and leading cultural change by example


The full report can be found here