Industry News

Recently, the MissionSquare Research Institute (formerly the Center for State and Local Government Excellence at ICMA-RC or SLGE) published its report, State and Local Workforce: 2024 Survey Findings. The research found that the public sector is experiencing some relief in recruiting employees in various critical areas.

The research indicates that the most difficult positions to fill over the past year include mental health professionals (83%), nursing (77%), corrections/jails (74%), engineering (71%), policing (68%), skilled trades (65%) and dispatch (64%).

In 2024, the research found that about 26% of respondents indicated that retirement-eligible employees are accelerating their plans for retirement, down from 35% in 2023. Consistent with 2023, about 22% have postponed their retirement date in 2024.

Other key findings include:

• Over the past year, 21% of respondents hired more full-time staff;
• Although 73% consider their total compensation competitive, only 60% believe their wages to be competitive;
• In the past year, about 53% have implemented broad-based pay increases;
• Some governments are offering hiring bonuses broadly (4%) or targeted (33%) with 13% requiring repayment from an employee that stays employed less than one year; and
• About 52% believe employees are prepared for retirement. 

Although there has been some improvement in recruitment and retention, state and local governments continue to deal with a significant workforce challenge due to 54% anticipating an increase in public service worker retirements in the next few years. In preparation, 32% have or are currently developing a formal succession planning process.

Many governments are continuing to deploy new strategies to attract and retain public service workers. Some are offering hiring bonuses, increasing salaries, amending degree requirements and job descriptions, expanding recruiting methods and implementing non-traditional benefits or other retention programs.

The survey included responses from 300 human resource managers from state and local governments.

The report is available here.