“Wage & Salary employment in State and local government is projected to increase 8% during the 2006-16 period.  Job growth will stem from the rising demand for services at the State and local levels particularly demand for public safety and health services. An increasing population and State and local government assumption of responsibility for some services previously provided by the Federal Government are fueling the growth of these services. Although job prospects vary by State and region, overall prospects are expected to be favorable; many opportunities will be created by workers who retired from the industry, and many State and local governments are considering cuts in their retiree pension and benefits programs. Such cuts may make State and local government jobs attractive to fewer people, reducing competition for available jobs” U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Career Guide to Industries, 2008-9

In 2006, State and local government employees were more likely to feel “trapped” In their job than employees in any other industry except Leisure & Hospitality and Retail Trade. In the recently completed 2008 national benchmark study, six in ten State and local government employees feel a “strong sense of belonging to their organization” while only seven in ten feel “their organization deserves their loyalty”. Worse yet, while three quarters of these employees plan to stay with their employer for the next two years, only one in two would provide enthusiastic referrals for their organization or remain with their organization if offered a similar job with slightly higher pay. - 2008 Employee Hold’em National Workforce Engagement Assessment of Government Workers

Almost half of all local government employees are 45 years of age or older, fifty percent more than found in the private sector. Local and State governments are in an unprecedented retirement wave, with experts indicating “things will get worse, before they get better”. What’s more, today’s human resource experts are contending with an engagement crisis as well.

Retention isn’t the issue, in fact government employees (local, State, and Federal) have some of the highest retention rates and highest average tenure rates of any industry. However many local and State employees are staying because the have to, not because they want to. Consider only 53% of local government and 47% of State government workers would remain with their organization even if offered a little bit more money to go somewhere else. These are the Reluctant Workers; reluctant to leave and reluctant to work hard on behalf of stakeholders… but they’ll leave at the drop of a hat without regard to the impact on co-workers or those they serve.

According to the 2008 Benchmark, only six in ten local and State government workers enjoy coming to work. Only half believe their products and services are highly regarded, while the same numbers agree their organization treats employees well. When just half of all local and State government employees believe people in my organization are treated with respect and appreciation, differences among individuals are both respected and valued, company policies are carried out in a fair and just manner, and this organization encourages open, candid communication, is it any wonder so many local and State employees are Unengaged?

State and local government managers and human resource experts need to better understand the Four R’s of Workforce Engagement ™; Recruit, Retrain, Reward, Retain. If not, replacing retiring workers will just be the tip of their workforce problems… And ours.