11/22/2024
TO: PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCE,
AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT
COMMITTEE
FROM: Kim Jackson
SUBJECT: Recruitment, Hiring, and
Retention Strategies
Biannual Status Report
DATE: November 20, 2024
Approved Date:
RECOMMENDATION
(1) Accept the biannual status report on recruitment, hiring, and retention strategies. (2) Approve the Human Resources Department’s request to adjust the frequency of recruitment, hiring, and retention status reports to annually.
BACKGROUND
The Public Safety, Finance and Strategic Support Committee (PSFSS) requested reports that review the challenges and strategies being implemented to address staffing vacancies, both from a recruitment and retention perspective. Staff have presented four updates on February 16, 20231, May 18, 20232, September 21, 20233, and March 21, 20244. This fifth report provides a comprehensive overview of activities related to hiring, workforce pipeline activities, and employee retention efforts. It also includes updates on activities relevant to the strategic support component of the Focus Areas established by the City Council as part of the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Budget Process. 1 https://sanjose.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=11634938&GUID=E9315336-E358-4200-B96C-B58A03D8B1DA 2 https://sanjose.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=11967116&GUID=9BE1AE22-C81C-41E9-AE0F-3DE456DBFD95 3 https://sanjose.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=12296296&GUID=7A578221-3A74-432E-B099- 588AF48F3F24&G=920296E4-80BE-4CA2-A78F-32C5EFCF78AF
4 https://sanjose.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=12755631&GUID=0E17A1FB-B6DA-4BC8-ADC3-C22E329034FE PSFSS COMMITTTEE AGENDA: 12/05/24
ITEM: (d)2.
PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCE, AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT COMMITTEE November 20, 2024
Subject: Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention Strategies Quarterly Status Report
ANALYSIS
Vacancy Rate History and Context
The Human Resources Department (HR) continues working to reduce and maintain the vacancy rate at less than 10%. As of September 2024, HR achieved this goal with a vacancy rate of 9.63%. This goal will continue as a benchmark to monitor HR’s progress.
In July 2023, the City had approximately 874 vacancies and a 13.4% vacancy rate. By June 2024, that vacancy rate decreased to 10.5%. A total of 60 benefited budgeted fulltime equivalents (FTE) were deleted in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-2025 approved budget for an annual total of 6,556 benefited budgeted FTEs.
Table 1 below provides a historical look at the City’s vacancy rate since FY 2017-2018, measured as of June 30 for each year unless otherwise noted. From FY 2017-2018 to December FY 2023-2024, 744 benefited budgeted FTE positions were added.
Table 1. City’s Vacancy Rates by Fiscal Year
Vacancy Rate
Fiscal Year Benefited Budgeted
FTE
Vacancy Rate
FY 2017-2018 5,868 12.0%
FY 2018-2019 6,034 12.3%
FY 2019-2020 6,229 11.4%
FY 2020-2021 6,178 13.0%
FY 2021-2022 6,255 11.7%
FY 2022-2023 6,468 12.4%
FY 2023-2024 6,616.16 10.5%
FY 2024-2025* 6,556.06 9.63%
*Data as of September 2024.
Table 2 below shows the month-by-month progress in hiring for benefited budgeted positions. While the proportion of internal hires is still higher than our external hires (about 58% of hires were internal for the last fiscal year), that is down from 60% for the previous five years. In FY 2023-2024, the City’s total budgeted hires were 1,152.
PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCE, AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT COMMITTEE November 20, 2024
Subject: Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention Strategies Quarterly Status Report
Table 2. Monthly Hiring Progress
Month Year Vacancie
s
Vacancy
Rate
External Hires Internal
Hires
Total Hiring
Jul-2023 874.28 13.4% 47 65 112
Aug-2023 872.03 13.3% 50 44 94
Sep-2023 891.68 13.5% 33 70 103
Oct-2023 879.3 13.3% 52 75 127
Nov-2023 867.3 13.1% 29 62 91
Dec-2023 870.55 13.2% 26 24 50
Jan-2024 853.55 12.9% 84 57 141
Feb-2024 803.55 12.2% 43 31 74
Mar-2024 796.55 12.0% 56 71 127
Apr-2024 764.05 11.6% 50 33 83
May-2024 745.3 11.3% 40 23 63
Jun-2024 692.80 10.5% 27 60 87
Total FY 23-24* 537 615 1152
Jul-2024 653.75 9.97% 34 56 90
Aug-2024 631.88 9.64% 42 48 90
Sep-2024 631.13 9.63% 47 58 105
Total FY 24-25 as of
09/30/2024**
123 162 285
*In addition to the 1,152 budgeted hires from FY23-24, the City also hired 978 employees into non-budgeted positions.
**In addition to the 285 budgeted hires as of 09/3/2023 for FY24-25, the City also hired 184 employees into non-budgeted positions.
The vacancy rate is calculated based on benefited budgeted positions and does not account for other critical hiring needs, such as part-time seasonal or temporary classified employees (overstrength positions), which does not reduce the vacancy rate.
In FY 2023- 2024, 978 people were hired into these types of positions, using significant staff capacity to work with the hiring managers and applicants through the process.
However, filling these positions, which were in addition to the 1,152 positions that were filled, does not contribute to reducing the City’s vacancy rate.
Strategic Revision and Creation of Position Classifications The Classification and Compensation Unit develops and maintains more than 700 position classifications to make strategic progress in an area that significantly impacts the City’s ability to recruit and hire. In the last PSFSS memo, HR’s focus on creating new classifications to address evolving job duties was discussed. As an example, in this last fiscal year, HR created the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCE, AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT COMMITTEE November 20, 2024
Subject: Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention Strategies Quarterly Status Report
Controls Tech for the Department of Public Works to help enable the retention of qualified staff who bring experience in HVAC systems and controls. HR also created the Senior Crime and Intelligence Data Technician classification for the Police Department in response to the growing need for focused reporting on crime data. In addition, the Class/Comp unit continues to revise classifications to address recruitment and retention challenges.
Quarterly Goal Setting
Establishing Citywide hiring priorities and setting quarterly hiring goals began late in the third quarter of FY 2021-2022. These hiring priorities are set by Departments each quarter. This has been successful in moving the City toward FY 2017-2018 hiring levels (1,140 budgeted hires and a 12% vacancy rate) and has resulted in attaining the City’s quarterly hiring goals since Q4 of FY 2021-2022. Table 3 below shows the hiring goals by quarter:
Table 3. Quarterly Agile Hiring Goals
Hiring Quarter Minimum Job
Offer Goal
Maximum Job
Offer Goal
Job Offers
Accepted
FY 21-22, Q3 217 278 174
FY 21-22, Q4 194 268 224
FY 22-23, Q1 198 292 290
FY 22-23, Q2 208 295 258
FY 22-23, Q4 200 297 272
FY 23-24, Q1 193 284 227
FY 23-24, Q2 172 266 190
FY 23-24, Q3 144 223 215
FY 23-24, Q4 142 217 224
FY 24-25, Q1 188 273 239
*FY 24-25, Q2 140 212 33
*FY 24-25, Q2 still needs to be completed at the time of this report.
Citywide Training and Professional Development
As one of HR’s employee retention strategies and to address the current workforce’s desire for growth and professional development opportunities, the Workforce Learning and Development (WL&D) team provides opportunities for current City employees to increase their skill levels, do their jobs effectively, and develop as professionals.
PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCE, AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT COMMITTEE November 20, 2024
Subject: Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention Strategies Quarterly Status Report
The WL&D team is currently building its internal capacity to support and facilitate training and development programs to maximize the resources available for Citywide training. The WL&D team has received certifications in Increasing Emotional Intelligence, GROW Coaching, and Consulting Skills and will develop additional inhouse training programs in Spring 2025. Table 4 below shows the list of opportunities offered from March 2024 through December 2024.
Table 4. Workforce Learning and Development Programs
Training or Offering Description Participants
(March – Dec. 2024)
Citywide Mentorship
Program
Putting People First – Exploring
Servant Leadership
367 – an increase of
50.4% from last
year’s participant
number
Employee
Experience
Conversations EECs)
Training to teach leaders how to
have non-performance-related
conversations with employees.
51*
Modern Manager
(5-part series)
A 5-part series for leaders on
Emotional Intelligence, Inclusion,
Influence, and Goal Setting.
55*
Analyst Academy
(7-part series)
Teaches Analysts and aspiring
Analysts how to gather information
effectively, solve complex problems,
and make powerful
recommendations.
76 Meeting Mastery Build skills and learn tools and
techniques needed to effectively
facilitate in-person, remote, and
hybrid meetings.
13 Effective Business
Writing
Improve writing skills and enhance
professional communication.
15 Time Management Efficiently manage time, prioritize
tasks, and maximize productivity.
77*
Project Management Hands-on management methods to
apply to projects.
36*
Microsoft Skills Training in various levels of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams,
SharePoint, and PowerAutomate
447*
Ace Your Panel
Interview
Current City employees build
interview skills to land their next
promotion
51 *Participant count is estimated for November and December participants and is based on the number of registrations at the time of this memo.
PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCE, AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT COMMITTEE November 20, 2024
Subject: Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention Strategies Quarterly Status Report
Collaboration with City Departments – The WL&D Team provides consulting and facilitation services to City departments as their professional development needs arise.
In this period, the WL&D team facilitated two team retreats for City workgroups. They also coordinated a six-part leadership series for a group of City leaders in addition to consulting and coordinating several one-time training and coaching services for City departments.
Building a Pipeline of Talent
The WL&D team continues to conduct outreach and engagement with local students in high school, community colleges, and universities, as well as outreach to the public.
This work is designed to inspire students to experience and explore a future career in public service. Table 5 below shows the various events and engagements that the City has participated and engaged in over the March 2024-December 2024 period.
Table 5. Talent Pipeline Development Events
Event
1. April 3, 2024: 15 professionals from across City of San José departments hosted San José State University (SJSU) students during the Spring break job shadowing program organized by the SJSU Career Center.
2. April 9, 2024: Hosted an in-person workshop on the SJSU campus on “How to Apply for a Job at City of San José.”
3. April 16, 2024: Hosted a booth at the annual SJSU Late Spring Career Fair.
4. April 17, 2024: Participated and identified City veterans to participate in the SJSU Veteran’s Resource Center Networking event.
5. April 19, 2024: Hosted an in-person Engineering Industry Panel for multiple student organizations that support engineering majors.
6. April 21, 2024: Hosted a booth at the VivaCalleSJ fair.
7. April 23, 2024: Silicon Valley Career and Technical Education Field Trip to Mabury Yard.
8. April 23, 2024: Hosted booth at work2Future career fair at San José City College.
9. April 26, 2024: Carolina Camarena, Director of Communications, was a panelist for the SJSU Networking Lunch for “Exploring Careers in Education, Health, and Community Summit”.
10.May 3, 2024: Carolina Camarena, Director of Communications, was a panelist at the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) Leaders Summit, and the City hosted an information booth afterward.
11.August 7, 2024: Hosted a booth at work2Future career fair.
12.August 22, 2024: Coordinated five City Departments to participate in a Policy Fair at Yerba Buena High School.
13.August 27, 2024: Hosted a booth at SJSU’s annual career carnival on campus.
14.September 8, 2024: Hosted a booth at the VivaCalleSJ fair.
PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCE, AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT COMMITTEE November 20, 2024
Subject: Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention Strategies Quarterly Status Report
Event
15.September 11, 2024: Hosted a booth at SJSU career fair for business, financial services, and logistics majors on-campus.
16.September 17, 2024: Hosted a group of incoming Santa Clara University Freshmen to tour City Hall and speak to industry experts from City Manager’s Office and Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services.
17.September 18, 2024: Hosted a booth at SJSU career fair for STEM-related majors on campus.
18.October 3, 2024: Hosted a booth at Santa Clara University annual fall Career BASH fair on campus.
19.October 8, 2024: Participated in SJSU College of Engineering Career Crunch industry panel.
20.October 10, 2024: Hosted a booth at Disability Awareness Day fair.
21.October 23, 2024: Hosted booth at MetroEd Adult Education Career Fair.
22.October 29, 2024: Hosted a Virtual Career event, Glimpse of the City, for local Community College students.
23.November 7, 2024: Khaled Tawfik, Director of Information Technology, and Albert Gehami, Digital Privacy Officer, participated in separate panels at the annual Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN) Summit 2024 at SJSU campus.
24.November 14, 2024: Hosted first public-facing career fair at Mexican Heritage Plaza.
Programs to Support High School Students
The City of San José is currently hosting 15 students from Cristo Rey Jesuit High School for the 2024-2025 academic year. Nine departments are sponsoring students with work-study experiences in their departments under this arrangement.
HR supported the SJWorks Program in the Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs to find placements for high school students across the various City departments. A total of 14 students worked on City projects in seven different departments. This count does not include the SJWorks students hosted in the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Department or the San José Public Library.
Boosting Applications: LinkedIn Recruiter
The WL&D team invested in the LinkedIn Recruiter platform in April 2024. The team has promoted hard-to-fill positions and reached out to potential applicants through LinkedIn’s platform. It has resulted in a notable increase in applications submitted after a potential candidate engages with the City on LinkedIn. The team has also been actively promoting relevant vacancies on Handshake, the platform many universities use to promote career opportunities to students and alumni. The strategic outreach to
PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCE, AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT COMMITTEE November 20, 2024
Subject: Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention Strategies Quarterly Status Report
potential candidates and timely notifications about open job opportunities, in combination with the City’s use of governmentjobs.com, NEOGOV’s platform, has proven highly effective in attracting a larger pool of qualified applicants. This proactive approach to talent acquisition has undoubtedly played a crucial role in boosting the number of applications received, ultimately strengthening HR’s ability to identify and recruit top talent and reduce the City’s vacancy rate. Table 6 below shows the number of applicants who arrived at the City’s Applicant Tracking System from a link on LinkedIn, which increased by 336% after the implementation of LinkedIn Recruiter. We saw a similar increase in applicants who applied for a position who were directed to the City’s Applicant Tracking System from a link on Handshake after implementing a dedicated recruitment strategy using these two platforms.
Table 6. Count of Application Submissions
Source Sept.2023 - March 2024 Apr.2024 - Oct. 2024 Increase LinkedIn 136 593 457
Handshake.com 37 310 273
HR Staffing Update
HR filled the Assistant Human Resources Director role in April 2024. The Department also filled the two Division Manager vacancies, one covering Benefits and the other overseeing Workers Compensation and Health and Safety. The City Manager’s Office is currently conducting a recruitment for the vacant Director of Human Resources and Office of Employee Relations.
CONCLUSION AND FOLLOW-UP
HR will continue evaluating new ways to improve the City’s recruitment, hiring, and retention efforts. City staff respectfully request that the PSFSS Committee approve adjusting the frequency of these status updates to once per year as significant process has been made in recruitment and retention.
COORDINATION
This memorandum has been coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office.
Kim Jackson
Assistant Director of Human Resources
PUBLIC SAFETY, FINANCE, AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT COMMITTEE November 20, 2024
Subject: Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention Strategies Quarterly Status Report
The principal authors of this memorandum are Chris Caruthers, Analyst II, and Isis Centeno Gayosso, Analyst II. For questions, please contact Kim Jackson, Assistant Director of Human Resources, at (408) 535-8154.