Recapping NAPA 2022 in Hartford with MPA Fellow Elizabeth Sanderson

December 15, 2022

Last month, UConn School of Public Policy (SPP), Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG), and Capital Workforce Partners (CWP) hosted the National Academy of Public Administration’s (NAPA) Fall Meeting in Hartford. Current SPP MPA Fellow and Project Leader for the City of Hartford, Elizabeth Sanderson recaps the meeting below!

On November 4 about 100 bright minds met to discuss the challenges and solutions related to public sector workforce development in Connecticut. The five-hour event was part of a three-day agenda for the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) 2022 Fall Meeting. The Fall Meeting was hybrid, featuring the University of Connecticut’s School of Public Policy (SPP) as one of three host sites across the country. The in-person component was held in the Center for Contemporary Culture (CCC) community room at the Downtown Hartford branch of the Hartford Public Library in Hartford, Connecticut.

The theme of the Fall Meeting was “Strengthening Social and Economic Development Through Meaningful Work,” with a concentration on “Public Sector Workforce Development.” SPP focused on identifying the challenges and strategies to attract and retain a robust, sustainable public sector workforce in Connecticut. In addition to NAPA and SPP, the event was sponsored by Capital Workforce Partners (CWP) and Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG). More information about the event program and speakers can be found on the NAPA Meeting page on the SPP website.

The following three goals guided the session:

  1. Identify the challenges facing local and state public workforce development;
  2. Review the policies and partnerships to enhance the Connecticut public sector;
  3. Establish a Connecticut Public Sector Workforce Development Working Group to identify Critical Action Items and how to implement them.

Brief introductions were provided by:

  • Dr. Mohamad Alkadry NAPA Fellow, Professor and Director of UConn SPP
  • Matt Hart, Executive Director of CRCOG, SPP alum and adjunct professor
  • Teresa (Terry) Gerton, President and CEO of NAPA
Photo of panelists in front an audience and a slide that reads "Connecticut Public Sector Workforce Development"
Panel 1: Identifying challenges facing local and state public workforce development

The morning then quickly evolved into a learning session. Patrick Flaherty (Director of Research and Information at the Connecticut Department of Labor), delivered a telling report of facts and figures, highlighting a downward trend in public sector workers across Connecticut. Interestingly, this is caused not only by an exodus of retirees, but also by the projected lack of future employees – people who were never born – a consequence from The Great Recession of 2008. Mr. Flaherty ended on a positive note, promising that there are opportunities available to develop the public sector workforce by engaging younger and more racially-ethnically diverse people.

Moderated by Matt Hart, the morning continued with a discussion with a panel of public sector experts, including:

Panelists offered insights into why Connecticut’s public sector workforce is in flux, and honed-in on a few key themes. These themes included changing worker preferences and tolerances, and a general lack of respect and value placed on public sector workers.

According to many, a change in benefits offered by the state has resulted in the loss of thousands of state workers, a “retirement tsunami.” Comptroller Braswell expressed concerns about the loss of institutional knowledge from the recent retirements, as well as whether the state workforce is representative of the communities they are serving.

A recent equity study, completed with SPP, spotlights observations of gender and racial-ethnic disparities in pay across state agencies. Comptroller Braswell stated the need to attract “hidden workers,” train them, and retain them through incentives and professional development. Addressing barriers to achieving certifications, and other credentials, will also help expand and diversify the workforce.

Alex Johnson suggested that one way to address low employment participation rates is by shaping a future and building places where workers want to participate. Timothy Sullivan and Robert Baril discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to burnout, especially in the healthcare and education industries. Overwork and a greater emphasis on the wrong things can demotivate people and lead to burnout, causing them to exit the workforce. Public sector leaders need to find ways to value and recognize all work done to ensure workers are motivated. While the public sector may not be well-known for high wages and compensation-related fancy incentives, working to meet a community’s needs can offer fulfilling and meaningful work.

Photo of panelists in front an audience and a slide that reads "Connecticut Public Sector Workforce Development"
Panel 2 – Policies and partnerships to enhance the CT public sector

A brief break, with coffee and treats supplied by The Kitchen, helped transition to a second panel of experts charged with identifying solutions and strategies that are underway to ensure essential public services continue to be delivered, despite a shrinking workforce. The panel discussion was moderated by Dr. Alkadry, and was attended by:

Dan Livingston kicked off the discussion, acknowledging that past political practices to shrink the public sector workforce will need to be overcome to build a workforce that offers equal opportunity and equity. Suggestions included:

  • Implementing a more progressive, equitable tax system
  • Rebuilding defined benefit (pension) plans
  • Offering flexibility on where and when employees work
  • Offering incentives for job classes that cannot work remotely or non-traditional schedules
  • Offering career planning and training services
  • Rotating assignments among workers to prevent burnout
  • Creating a safe space for workers to have a voice
  • Listening to worker concerns and implementing suggestions to improve working conditions and increase performance

Next, Mayor Bronin discussed how partnerships among public and private sector organizations offer opportunities to create a robust pipeline of workers. Collectively identifying opportunities and how to meet workforce demands will help train people in the skills they need to succeed on the job. Streamlining certification processes can help increase the number of people with credentials required for certain jobs (e.g., Fire Marshal, Building Inspector, etc.). Creating a centralized clearinghouse of qualified workers who deliver services on a regional level can reduce competition for workers among municipalities.

Commissioner Gilman continued the conversation, citing how the state is meeting increased demand for workers while improving conditions through actions like centralizing human resource management and increasing the use of technology to simplify tasks. Dr. Vallieres described additional strategies the state is implementing, including building better relationships among private and public partners, and working to understand what employers need. This then creates the space for the state to develop and implement programs to build skills and enhance pathways between education and employers, increasing the supply of qualified workers to meet demand.

Peter Morrissey offered a national perspective, describing tactics others have used to address similar issues in attracting and retaining public sector workers. For example, municipal officials in Georgia collaborated to launch a new campaign – Starts with Me. Mr. Morrissey described how modernizing job descriptions and translating Civil Service requirements can attract more candidates. He also cited the importance of partnering with existing agencies, like SPP, and offering paid internships and fellowships that lead to full-time positions. Openness to digitization and virtual hiring can reach beyond state boundaries, creating a more diverse talent pool with less reliance on existing relationships.

Following the panel discussions, participants were treated to a working lunch session where they were charged with brainstorming Critical Action Items that could be taken in the short- and long-term to address workforce shortages. A few noteworthy ideas included: offering autonomy and flexibility in the workplace; simplifying overly bureaucratic hiring and promotion procedures; and creating an aggregating talent pipeline, which will help remove silos between municipalities.

After lunch, Danielle Worthen-Ramos, Chief of the Division of Workforce Development at US Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration, offered insights on how to make public sector jobs good jobs. Suggestions included: opening opportunities for underserved communities; data-driven career counseling; offering predictable living wages; allowing workers to unionize; allowing workers to progress to other jobs, either within or outside of the organization; and acknowledging how bias invades hiring processes and making changes to correct this.

Terry Gerton then hosted a fireside-style chat streamed from Washington, D.C. with Keynote Speaker, Angela Hanks, Chief of Programs at Demos. The conversation emphasized the importance of connecting people to quality jobs. First defining quality jobs as those that offer empowerment; access to work; paid leave and sick time; and meaningful work that connects people with their skills and interests. Making people aware of what jobs are out there, and what it takes to get them will help connect people to these meaningful, quality jobs. Further, working to reduce or eliminate barriers that prevent people from getting good jobs will help address workforce shortages. The importance of offering paid training and apprenticeship programs was mentioned. Consulting with the people who are most impacted is also important to ensure that strategies can be devised, and decisions can be made to effectively address workforce issues.

Alex Johnson concluded the event with a call to action, outlining next steps to continue the conversation and what we can do now to achieve a lasting solution. Many of us departed with our minds filled with information about what is causing the shrinking public sector workforce, and what solutions and strategies are being implemented to curb the negative impacts that this can have on our communities. While it is comforting to hear of the many efforts that are underway, more needs to be done.