Discussion Regarding Recruitment And Compensation Strategy For General (Non-Labor Association) Employees
Approximately 10% of Chandler’s workforce is eligible for retirement. The needs and expectations of the workforce have changed drastically through the pandemic, and to remain competitive, a classification and compensation study will be vital to crafting the City’s employee attraction and retention strategies. The City last conducted a full class and comp study during the Great Recession in FY06-07.
Within the FY21-22 budget, City Council has approved Human Resources to conduct a classification and compensation study. In the City Council work session held on Monday this week, Human Resources Director Rae Lynn Nielsen discussed the City’s current challenges and initiatives to address employee vacancies and retirements, as well as the need to conduct a study. Council unanimously agreed to move forward with the study as proposed. Following a request for proposal process to select a vendor, the study is planned to begin this fall.
The study will:
- Review and update our current classification system;
- Provide an analysis of our compensation system including salaries, policies and pay practices; and
- Deliver market comparisons for best practices.
We will continue to build upon our professional development initiatives for Team Chandler and consider additional non-compensation strategies to attract and retain employees. Examples of these current efforts include using technology to streamline recruitment and hiring processes, enhancing marketing and outreach strategies and updating our teleworking regulation to allow for more flexible work arrangements when appropriate.
Recommendations from the study will be incorporated into the FY22-23 budget process. We’re already seeing higher numbers and better candidates with hiring incentives offered for police officer and dispatcher positions, and I look forward to reviewing the results of this process.
I like to boast that Chandler provides one of the lowest costs of service to residents compared to our East Valley neighbors, and this study is one example of the many ways we aim to provide best-in-class service to both our internal and external customers.