Local government offices manage a wide variety of citizen services and needs. If you've ever taken a trip to your local government offices, you will most likely have seen that they were bustling with activity. It's a place where citizens expect to see effectiveness and efficiency in action, as local government leaders should always be good stewards of the community's tax dollars.
With so many tasks to complete every day ' and every week ' some local government employees may have an inclination to do things the way that they've always been done rather than look for new and innovative ways to save the government time or money.
To truly be effective, every local government leader must be adaptable to the most recent environmental and societal changes. Local government employees would be remiss not to take advantage of the many opportunities that the advancement of technology is presenting in every arena, particularly as it pertains to their workplace.
The report is aptly titled 'Workforce of Tomorrow,' and their research highlights the following six strategies that local governments should be focusing on to build up their future workforces:
Several of the strategies and practices speak about the importance of utilizing technology to create efficiency and effectiveness. Community by Diligent provides agenda and meeting management software that boosts efficiency, improves engagement and supports inclusivity. Adopting a digital software solution like Community by Diligent will help promote adaptability and effectiveness in local government. Governments can easily budget for the cost of implementing the software because it offers a greater savings in time and materials, which is a true by-product of efficiency.
With so many tasks to complete every day ' and every week ' some local government employees may have an inclination to do things the way that they've always been done rather than look for new and innovative ways to save the government time or money.
To truly be effective, every local government leader must be adaptable to the most recent environmental and societal changes. Local government employees would be remiss not to take advantage of the many opportunities that the advancement of technology is presenting in every arena, particularly as it pertains to their workplace.
Building the Local Government Workforce of Tomorrow
In 2015, the Local Government Research Collaborative (LGRC) and the Center for State and Local Government Excellence (SLGE) developed a comprehensive report that explored what the future workforce of local governments would need to do to meet the needs of their communities moving forward.The report is aptly titled 'Workforce of Tomorrow,' and their research highlights the following six strategies that local governments should be focusing on to build up their future workforces:
- Reinvent human resources to become more flexible, nimble and strategic. Seek staff who champion people management issues and who can set the workforce agenda.
- Revamp antiquated policies and practices to meet the needs and expectations of a changing workforce.
- Build a brand that tells a great story of public service.
- Focus on talent management, leadership development and succession planning to prepare for workforce transitions, build capacity and grow future leaders.
- Create a culture that values and engages employees in meaningful ways.
- Leverage technology, data and automation to improve operations and provide employees with the tools they need.
Practices for Effective Local Government Leadership
Another organization that's done extensive research on practices for effective local government is ICMA, an organization that works toward advancing professional local government through leadership, management, innovation and ethics. In a December 2015 publication entitled '6 Strategies to Build the Local Government Workforce of Tomorrow,' ICMA identifies and explains 14 areas that local governments can focus on to improve leadership at the local government level. Here's a snapshot of their findings:-
Personal and Professional Integrity
-
Community Engagement
-
Equity and Inclusion
-
Staff Effectiveness
-
Personal Resiliency and Development
-
Strategic Leadership
-
Strategic Planning
-
Policy Facilitation and Implementation
-
Community and Resident Service
-
Service Delivery
-
Technological Literacy
-
Financial Management and Budgeting
-
Human Resources Management and Workforce Engagement
-
Communication and Information Sharing
Several of the strategies and practices speak about the importance of utilizing technology to create efficiency and effectiveness. Community by Diligent provides agenda and meeting management software that boosts efficiency, improves engagement and supports inclusivity. Adopting a digital software solution like Community by Diligent will help promote adaptability and effectiveness in local government. Governments can easily budget for the cost of implementing the software because it offers a greater savings in time and materials, which is a true by-product of efficiency.