Workforce

State and Local Governments Shifting to ‘New Normal’ Workplace

With lessons from the rapid shift to telework, governments are adopting permanent hybrid environments and keeping nimble, problem-solving mentalities.

  • By Stephanie Kanowitz

How a Virginia County Wooed Amazon and Boeing

It takes more than tax breaks to get big tech companies to move to a locality, government officials say.

  • By Stephanie Kanowitz

Why I Remain a Local Government Employee

COMMENTARY | Many public sector workers are leaving their jobs. Here’s why I am staying.

  • By Alex Smith

How to Recruit and Manage Short-term Workers

State and local governments have greater reliance on temporary staff, but challenges abound. There are new ways to make these arrangements work.

  • By Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene

The Front Lines of Government Cybersecurity Defense

COMMENTARY | States and localities should ensure their employees are following four foundational pillars of cybersecurity to help prevent attacks.

  • By Karen S. Evans

Why Young Workers Don't Want Government Jobs—and What To Do About It

COMMENTARY | A recent survey of millennials and Generation Z adults paints a grim picture for the future of the government workforce. Here’s how states and localities can change the "disheartening" situation.

  • By Jenny Kosek

How Employee Well-Being May Improve With a 4-Day Workweek

A new Gallup poll takes a look, but also finds that worker engagement doesn't necessarily rise by shaving a day from the standard full-time schedule.

  • By Andre Claudio

Why Public Service and Public Servants Should Be Celebrated

COMMENTARY | Public service has lost its luster. It's time to change that.

  • By Bob Lavigna

5 Things Women Job Seekers Want

Women want better pay and work-life balance but also value working in diverse organizations, among other factors, a new Gallup poll reveals.

  • By Andre Claudio

How Managers Can Become More Effective Leaders

A new report from Gallup identifies seven leadership traits found among managers of high performing teams, and offers tips for how to develop these skills.

  • By Andre Claudio

States Offer Supplemental Wages to Retain Child Care Workers

COMMENTARY | Ensuring eligible employees enroll to receive the pay benefit can be a challenge. New research offers three strategies that can help.

  • By Michelle Maier, JoAnn Hsueh and Cynthia Miller

Employers Aggressively Recruiting Workers Not Seeking New Jobs

The increase in remote work has led to “boundary-less” recruiting, giving companies access to a larger pool of candidates, a new report shows.

  • By Andre Claudio
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State and Local Transportation Trends
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Trends in the Police Workforce

Short on Workers, State and Local Governments Look to Retirees

Lawmakers in multiple states are pursuing rule changes to enable former public sector employees to return to fields like corrections, bus driving and teaching.

  • By Daniela Altimari

States Look to Virtual Reality for Workforce Development

Alabama and Arkansas have been using the technology to familiarize potential workers with entry-level skills.

  • By Stephanie Kanowitz

5 Ways to Overcome the Hiring and Retention Crisis Without Raising Pay

Higher salaries alone are unlikely to be a cure-all for public sector workforce shortages. Some states and localities are experimenting with other approaches for attracting and keeping employees.

  • By Katherine Barrett & Richard Greene

States Look to Community Colleges to Fill Labor Gap

Tuition incentives could steer more people toward workforce needs.

  • By Caitlin Dewey, Stateline

‘There’s a Large Amount of Fraud Out There,’ Says Special IG for Pandemic Recovery

The role is “not a political job in any way, shape or form” and “if we go out of business, then I think you're missing a key element of … oversight,” Brian Miller says.

  • By Courtney Bublé

Abusive Bosses Often Blame Workers for Poor Performance When Their Biases May Be the Problem

About one in seven workers say their managers are abusive, whether it involves ridicule or a failure to provide credit when it’s due.

  • By Sandy Hershcovis, Zhanna Lyubykh , Nick Turner and Jennifer Bozeman , The Conversation

Death Threats, Stress and Signs of Crisis in the Public Health Workforce

Nearly one in three public health workers are considering leaving their jobs within the next year, according to a new survey, as PTSD and deteriorating mental health appear to be on the rise.

  • By Daniela Altimari

Younger Lawmakers Leaving Statehouses For Better Pay, Work-life Balance

Low salaries and long hours are among the reasons elected officials under age 40 say they are exiting midterm or not running for reelection.

  • By Daniela Altimari

Young Women Earn the Same or More Than Male Peers in These US Cities

Nevertheless, only about 16% of all working women age 30 or younger live in the areas where they are at or above wage parity with men, the report shows.

  • By Andre Claudio