Employee Experience in the Municipal Sector

With challenges related to attraction and retention in recent years, ensuring a positive employee experience has never been more crucial for municipalities. Employee experience encompasses all the interactions an employee has with their organization, from recruitment to retirement. It includes technology, workplace culture, and professional development opportunities, to name a few.

In the municipal sector, employee experience is crucial for attracting and retaining skilled employees, improving service delivery, and fostering innovation and continuous improvement. However, the municipal sector faces unique challenges in creating and maintaining a positive employee experience, including budget constraints, workplace pressures and criticism, and evolving expectations of the newer generations of municipal staff.

Challenges Affecting Employee Experience in the Municipal Sector

1. Budget Constraints

One of the primary challenges in municipal employment is budgetary limitations. Unlike the private sector, municipalities operate within fixed budgets that may not always allow for competitive salaries, extensive benefits, or exciting workplace amenities. Limited funding can also impact training programs, professional development opportunities, and investment in modern workplace technology, all of which are crucial to a positive employee experience.

2. Workload Pressures and Criticism

Municipal employees are responsible for providing essential services that directly impact the community. This responsibility often comes with high expectations from the public and elected officials. Employees may experience stress due to workload pressures, staff shortages, and increased demands for transparency and accountability. Additionally, municipal employees frequently face significant criticism from the public, all of which negatively impact the employee experience.

3. Evolving Expectations of Newer Generations

The municipal workforce is aging, with many experienced employees approaching retirement. Younger professionals entering the municipal sector expect greater flexibility, opportunities for rapid career growth, competitive compensation, and access to modern technology. If these needs are not met, the employee experience will be negatively impacted.

Best Practices to Improve Employee Experience in the Municipal Sector

Although municipalities often face budget constraints, solid business cases can be made for competitive compensation and benefits, professional development programs, and modern technology during annual budget processes. Workplace aspects such as open communication and transparency, workplace culture, and flexibility often don’t have budget impacts and should be continually monitored to ensure the most positive employee experience.

Regarding the challenges of workload pressures and criticisms, municipalities should have processes in place for continually evaluating workloads and addressing staffing levels. Employees need to feel supported when faced with unwarranted public and Council criticisms through effective policy and procedure. The employee experience will be enhanced if staff feel supported when faced with inevitable public scrutiny.

Lastly, municipalities must actively consider the evolving expectations of newer staff to ensure a positive employee experience. Since senior leadership often consists of more experienced professionals, the needs of younger generations can be overlooked. Regular feedback from all employees helps shape policies and programs that foster a positive employee experience, ultimately attracting, retaining, and empowering the talent needed to deliver high-quality municipal services.

Written by: Amy Smith, OMHRA Board member