HR Annual Impact Report 2022-2023

2022-2023 Impact Report HUMAN RESOURCES

What’s in a name? “Names convey and create meaning. They reveal something about who we are, where we come from, and where we're headed,” nonprofit leader Gloria Felt said. This captures the reason why the City of Greensboro Human Resources Department will become the People and Culture Department effective July 1. As we reflect on the role we play in supporting the creation of a healthy workplace, we want our name to reflect the things that are most important Introducing Our New Name

Supporting Staff Through Pay Cycle Changes

One of the most challenging and impactful changes of the year was the transition from a semi-monthly pay cycle to a biweekly pay cycle. The City used to pay employees on the 15th and last day of the month. Now employees are paid every other Friday. We made the change in January as part of the City’s implementation of an updated Human Resources and Payroll system and it helps limit payroll errors. The Human Resources (HR) staff led an extensive outreach effort to educate staff about the changes months in advance. We offered budgeting workshops and held question and answer sessions. To ease the transition to smaller, more frequent paychecks, the City offered employees the opportunity to receive up to 20 hours of additional pay to assist with the transition to biweekly pay. We have seen many advantages to a biweekly pay cycle. The organization now has Fridays as predictable pay days and employees have shorter wait times between pay dates. This change also helps employees transition into or out of the organization because most employers use biweekly pay.

to our work – our employees and the environment in which we all serve.

As you see the new name around the City, know that our team views this as an opportunity to go even farther in our quest to make the City of Greensboro an employer of choice and for you to have a fulfilling experience as a member of the G-Team!

Expansive Staff Pay Increases

Top 5 Pay Takeaways

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The minimum annual salary increased to $33,097. Long-time employees received a service bonus of up to 7.5%. The minimum salary for firefighters increased to $44,942 and for police officers increased to $46,367. Three percent merit increases were available to all employees in the merit program and a four percent merit increase was awarded for employees in the Guilford Metro 911 Call Center. Employees in executive, general and general step structures experienced a two percent pay rate increase. Employees on public safety step, general structure, executive structure and the general step structure experienced two across the board salary adjustments totaling six percent.

Maintaining competitive pay is a priority for HR to help the organization attract and retain top talent. There is increasing competition for talent. Other employers are increasing their salaries. In addition, employees and our families are experiencing increases in housing, gas and food prices. As a result, this year we’ve implemented a wide range of compensation changes to better reward and recognize our employees’ contributions. In the fall, every employee received a market adjustment. Pay ranges were increased anywhere from 2-16 percent, and employees received salary increases of the same amount. In December, the City also awarded step and average merit increases of 3 percent to general employees. More market adjustments were made in the spring of this year. All employees received a 4 percent salary increase. Finally, many employees received salary increases in June based on the amount of time they have spent working in their current positions. Our focus for next year includes continuing to address salary compression and raising the minimum salary to a level where all employees and families can thrive.

6. 5.

How Are We Doing?

When you want to know how you are doing, the easiest – and most difficult – task is to ask. This year HR has been doing just that – focusing on gaining customer feedback so we can continuously improve. In fall 2022, we conducted an in depth survey of department leaders with the goal of learning what HR services were most important to them and how they felt we were performing in each area. Once we received those results, we met with leaders from each department to dig a bit deeper. Department leaders expressed interest in changing HR processes and policies and creating opportunities for greater collaboration and enhanced communication. In spring 2023, we had meetings with each HR division to think of ways to address the concerns shared on behalf of your leaders. Our focus for this effort is to meet our customers where they are and share our expertise in ways that bring about meaningful results for you and your department.

In Case You Missed It

On-the-Spot Hiring With the unemployment rates at historic lows, hiring qualified employees can be a challenge. In March 2022, HR partnered with the Water Resources and Field Operations departments and Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to conduct an on-the-spot hiring fair. Prospective applicants were able to interview and receive a conditional job offer at the event. The streamlined process eliminated several weeks from the traditional hiring process. Jarrod Morris, from Water Resources, was one of the 38 new hires to come out of the event. He says he loves his job with the City and the hiring fair made it quick and easy. Popping Up Around the City of Greensboro

After the success of the program, HR continued its “pop-up shops” in an effort to engage employees and provide transparency from the department. Pop-ups were scheduled quarterly, with each HR division covering specific topics. Employees were invited to bring questions and participate in activities that helped illustrate the processes behind compensation, explain career development opportunities, and discuss organizational changes. We look forward to continuing these events in the next fiscal year. Public Safety Incentives and Bonuses Faster internet connections, virtual meeting platforms and more robust ways to communicate have changed our work environment. In response, the City launched a Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA) policy in 2022 to provide more options to employees and attract the best talent to the City. The FWA policy allows many employees to work remotely up to two days per week.

12% 30% 200+

of job postings advertise remote work options of U.S. workers work remotely

of City Employees use a Flexible Work Arrangement