People and Culture 2023-2024 Impact Report

2023-24 Impact Report

From Recruitment to Retirement: Supporting Employees Across the Lifecycle

As employees approach retirement, we provide transition resources to ensure a smooth shift into this new phase. As a Family Forward designated employer, we aim to create a workplace where employees feel valued and supported throughout their entire career journey, promoting overall well-being. Learn more about the ways P&C supports employees and City departments in this year’s Annual Impact Report.

The People and Culture Department (P&C) champions work-life balance at every stage of the employee lifecycle so team members can thrive both personally and professionally. During recruitment, we highlight our enhanced leave options and benefits to attract top talent. Our onboarding includes orientation activities that set new G-Team members up for success. We prioritize ongoing development by offering career growth opportunities, transformational development experiences, and access to mental health support. Improved Hiring Procedures We all know that first impressions can be lasting impressions. P&C has been making changes over the past year to ensure that our onboarding process is faster, easier, and more meaningful for new hires. The job posting requirement for new positions has been reduced from 14 days to 7 days, which allows for a shorter hiring window for departments. P&C’s Talent Acquisition Division is also tracking every posting to ensure that the hiring manager makes an offer of employment within 60 days. P&C is working closely with the City Manager’s Office, department directors and hiring managers to ensure no position falls through the cracks. Onboarding & Recruitment

New Employee Buddy Program

Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HryGodTvOs

During the first six months of employment, every new employee is assigned a buddy under the new P&C Buddy Program. The buddy is there to answer work-related questions, show them around the work area and introduce them to coworkers. The buddy can assist the new employee with their computer and phone set up and answer questions they might otherwise be afraid to ask.

Video: City Receives Family Forward NC Certification, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2aJ8P-6XZU

This year, P&C has implemented new policies and programs to support our employees’ work-life balance. We are proud of these enhancements and believe they will make a meaningful difference in our employees’ lives. This commitment was recognized in October 2023 when Greensboro became the first major city in North Carolina to be designated as a Family Forward NC certified employer, an initiative of the North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation. This certification confirms the City of Greensboro as an employer that implements family-friendly policies. Here are some other key updates we’ve made this year to better support employees: Employee Support

Sick Leave Our sick leave policy has also seen significant changes. In the past, employees who were resigning or retiring couldn’t use sick leave after giving notice. This policy was in place to prevent misuse, as unused sick leave is not paid out upon departure. However, we acknowledged the legitimate need for sick leave during this transition period. Now, employees can use their sick leave even after providing notice, ensuring they and their families are cared for during their final days with us.

Short-Term Disability We now offer a short-term disability (STD) benefit. Previously, those with extended illnesses had to use their paid leave or request advanced leave from their departments or donated leave from coworkers. This program is managed by a third-party administrator to ensure fair and unbiased treatment for employees.

Bereavement Leave Previously, employees who experienced a death in the family had to use sick leave to take time off. Recognizing the need for dedicated support during such difficult times, we now provide up to 40 hours of paid bereavement leave. This change ensures that employees can mourn and support their loved ones without worrying about their leave balances.

In our ongoing commitment to increasing equity and access to professional development opportunities, the Operational Effectiveness and Development Division (OED) launched the Frontline Fuel program. This innovative initiative provides flexible training sessions that cater to diverse work schedules and locations, supporting frontline workers from Transportation, Solid Waste and Recycling, Transit and more who may not have had access to trainings in the past. John Sledge, signs and markings crew coordinator with the Department of Transportation hosted a training on emotional intelligence for his team. “Coordinating a training for a team of employees who typically Training Expanded to Frontline Employees

LaMetria Johnson, Water Resources assistant business manager, praised the program. “Many employees in our department work behind the scenes starting their shift when

it is still dark, or ending a night shift early in the morning. Through P&C’s Frontline Fuel program, we were able to provide valuable resources of training and development to many of our employees who do not always have this City benefit so readily available.”

do not get to attend trainings due to schedule conflicts and work locations can be extremely challenging,” Sledge said. “But

with Frontline Fuel, our team was surprisingly impressed with the ease of coordination and the engaging and helpful content of the material. We already have the OED team scheduled to come back for a second training.”

Consumer-Directed Health Plan To better meet the diverse insurance needs of our workforce, we have added a Consumer Directed Health Plan (CDHP). As part of this plan, we offer up to $1,000 in contributions to employees' Health Savings Accounts (HSA). This new option provides more flexibility and control over healthcare spending.

Fertility Benefits We have significantly increased the fertility medical benefits to support employees who are expanding their families. The previous lifetime benefit of $5,000 increased to $15,000 annually. This reflects our commitment to assisting employees with the substantial costs associated with fertility treatments.

Deferred Compensation We have revised our deferred compensation policies to allow employees to withdraw money from their retirement accounts for the birth or adoption of a child. This change provides crucial financial support during such important life events.

In Case You Missed It

Discipline Policy Changed Discipline and Expectations policy change now gives employees who are dismissed during their probationary period the right to appeal their dismissal with the city manager. Previously these employees had no right of appeal. Employees also may request to meet virtually with the city manager to appeal their dismissal. Previously only written appeals of dismissals were allowed. This gives employees with limited writing skills the option to appeal verbally. New Performance Management Process Adopted A digital Performance Management Process tested in Fiscal Year 2022-2023 was officially implemented at the start of this fiscal year. This new process using DocuSign is designed to simplify performance management and increase its efficiency, while supporting a culture of continuous growth and improvement through performance discussions and real-time feedback. Employee Referral Bonus Introduced The new referral bonus program incentivizes employees that refer qualified candidates for open City positions. Employees receive $500 if their referred candidate is hired and completes their probationary period. Jobs Reclassified The City is not the only employer in need of a skilled and experienced workforce. To help retain some of our most valued workers, P&C worked with several departments to reclassify crew leader and heavy equipment operator positions so their compensation remained competitive with the market.