Preparing For The Retirement Wave: How To Create A Succession Plan Ryan Crabtree & Ron Lindsey City Of Anaheim
How Much Of The Local Government Workforce Is At Least 50 Years Old? 35% 30% 38%!!! 25% 20% 15% According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 10% 1
More From The U.S. Bureau Of Labor Statistics*: The Percent Of General Government Workers 45 Years Old Or Older Is 70.7%!!! Photos Show Typical Government Workers (YOUR Staff!) *2012 Report Data 2
The Center for State and Local Government Excellence conducted their annual State and Local Government Trends report, and found that: 54 percent of the government employers surveyed reported an increase in retirements in 2015 vs. 2014. The positions that government employers continue to have a difficult time filling include: Managers (all types, including Fleet) Mechanics 3
For Fleet Managers, two areas of the operation need to be prepared for the retirement wave: Line Staff Technicians, Parts Staff, etc. Leadership Fleet Managers, Shop Supervisors, etc. Line Staff and Leadership succession planning utilize similar methods, with some distinct differences. 4
Succession Planning For Line Staff What To Do BEFORE Your Technicians Retire Invest In Training Particularly for your junior Technicians, Lube Techs, etc. This helps prepare them for the opportunities that will occur when the experienced Technicians retire. Collaborate Work with the Technicians to identify not only strengths and weaknesses, but what they want to accomplish (certain specialties, supervision, etc.). Recruit Work with your Human Resources Department to develop an internship program. Visit local trade schools and sell your organization! 5
What Is YOUR Team/Agency Doing To Prepare For Technician Retirements? 6
Succession Planning For Supervisors and Managers What To Do BEFORE Your Management Team (Or YOU) Retire: Collaborate Work with employees who express an interest in advancing in the organization. Invite them to shadow you or your staff, so they can see if they would even really LIKE doing the work. Some technicians and other line staff find they do not want to deal with the constant emails/phone calls, meetings, and sitting in an office all day long that are all part of management s daily routine. Invest In Training Just as with line staff, training for Supervisors is of utmost importance. Your existing Supervisors will gain additional skills and knowledge, and if you start training potential supervisors early with classes geared towards the fundamentals (basic supervision, Word/Excel training, etc.) they will be better prepared for the opportunities that will occur when you or members of your management team retire. 7
Field To Office Program One Way Anaheim Is Addressing Management Retirements This innovative program was designed to provide field or entry level personnel an opportunity to develop careerbuilding skills to prepare and compete for supervisory and management promotional opportunities throughout the City. The program originated within our Public Works Department by our Public Works Director, Natalie Meeks. 8
Field To Office Program Components: Supervision And Leadership Business Writing Skills Career Building And Networking Up The Ante These activities were optional and required some sacrifice on the employees part (using personal time, extra study, etc.) but were designed to really help each individual prepare for some of what might face them when they become supervisors/managers. 9
Supervision And Leadership Field To Office Program Supervision And Leadership During this phase, participants received an overview of the principles and practices of Supervision, Leadership and Communication Styles. Additionally, participants received information regarding the numerous expectations of being a Public Works Supervisor or Team Lead during the A Day in The Life panel discussion activity. Lastly, participants were introduced to a team of coaches. The coaches were seasoned managers and supervisors from various departments and at different levels in the organization. Supervision And Leadership Up The Ante Participants received the opportunity to schedule meetings with members of the coaching pool for areas of interest, including learning or brushing-up on core competencies such as being an effective communicator, critical thinking, technical expertise and many more. In addition, Participants received the opportunity to enroll in a series of assessments that were evaluated by the coaches, who then provided feedback regarding supervision and leadership effectiveness. 10
Write It Right Field To Office Program Write It Right Written communication skills are vitally important to being an effective Supervisor. During this phase, participants received instruction on basic grammar, writing professional emails and office documents and other forms of written communication. Write It Right Up The Ante Writing Lab Participants gained basic writing skills using examples, mock-scenarios, activities and teaching techniques. 11
Field To Office Program Career Building Career Building Participants assessed their current career status, their interests and developed a plan for building a career. Career Building Up The Ante Mock Interviews After taking part in mock interviews, participants received valuable feedback from panel members about key strengths demonstrated during the interviews, as well as insight and assistance on areas that are opportunities for improvement. Career Building Up The Ante Interview Lessons Learned Participants received the opportunity for one-on-one coaching meetings with Human Resources staff, who worked with them to co-create an action plan for honing interview skills. 12
Field To Office Program Results How Successful Was The Field To Office Program? Six of the original 30 participants have already promoted to supervision/management! The program was so popular it has been expanded from Public Works staff only to being open and available to all City employees! The Association of California Cities Orange County awarded Anaheim with the Golden Hub Of Innovation award in 2015 for the Field-To-Office program! 13
Other Things The City Of Anaheim Is Doing To Prepare For The MANAGEMENT Retirement Wave (You Can Do Them Too!) Formal mentoring programs: Volunteer Managers are paired with newly promoted or prospective supervisors to help guide them through the complex world of supervision and management. Cross-Training: Cross functional and cross-divisional training takes place throughout the organization. This not only helps prepare employees for upcoming opportunities, but gives the organization more depth. 13
CALL TO ACTION: What Is YOUR Team/Agency Doing To Prepare For YOUR Retirement?? 14
Questions? Field To Office Program Thank You! Thoughts? Ideas? Ron Lindsey rlindsey@anaheim.net 714-765-6826 Contact Information: Ryan Crabtree rcrabtree@anaheim.net 714-765-6814