State agencies and local municipalities expect a significant increase in the retirement rate of their workforces over the next five years. Firefighters, police officers, and other public safety personnel are expected to make up a significant portion of all retiring workers. This trend is primarily because staff in these emergency service roles are typically eligible for retirement earlier than most public sector employees.
Agencies that offer effective training and development programs are better positioned to identify and prepare staff for new roles as workers approach retirement. Most workers need additional education to be ready to assume key leadership or technical roles as they become available. Gaps in skills and capabilities need to be identified so development plans can be created to ensure successors for open positions are ready when the time comes to take over the new role.
Public sector organizations must create development plans for current and new employees who will fill the positions left by retiring staff. Leading public sector organizations are proactively developing plans to address the inevitable. Poor planning can lead to significant issues, such as inferior service levels and decreased constituent satisfaction.
Another area of concern is an overall increase in risk to the organization, particularly for positions that require certifications and are critical to maintaining compliance with evolving laws, union regulations, and other requirements. The ability to effectively track and manage licenses, certifications, and accreditations is the best way to avoid potential problems and reduce the overall risk to the agency.
Recruitment and employee retention are also sources of concern in most public sector agencies that must compete with the private sector for talent. After all, labor markets have been tight for the last several years, and the trend is set to continue. The most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated an unemployment rate of only 3.6 percent. Agencies that invest in employee retention and education of new staff are the ones that will not only survive in the current labor market, but they will thrive.
If your agency has an aging workforce, it’s never too soon to begin to prepare.
