Upfront
Workforce
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4O COPE WITH THE CHANGES THE CITY IS TRYING TO INJECT MORE FLEXIBILITY TO ITS EMPLOYEE POLICIES AND TO CRE ATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOY EES TO ADVANCE THEIR CAREERS 3HEN POINTED TO A RECENT STUDY BY THE )NTERNATIONAL 0UBLIC -ANAGEMENT !SSOCIATION FOR (UMAN 2ESOURCES WHICH POLLED MORE THAN PUB LIC SECTOR WORKERS 7HEN EMPLOYEES WERE ASKED TO NAME ONE THING THAT WOULD IMPROVE THEIR JOB SATISFAC TION THE TOP RESPONSES WERE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO WHAT THEY DO BEST MORE CAREER DEVELOPMENT OP PORTUNITIES AND MORE FLEXIBILITY AND CONTROL OVER HOW WORK IS DONE !CCORDING TO THE NEW REPORT STAFF PLANS TO USE THESE STUDIES TO hDEVELOP A RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION STRATEGY THAT FOCUSES ON A HIGH PERFORMING WORKFORCE AND COMBINES APPROPRI ATE LEVELS OF TRAINING EDUCATION JOB FLEXIBILITY AND AT WILL EMPLOYMENT TO BUILD A ST CENTURY EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM IN 0ALO !LTO DURING A TIME OF CHANGES TO TRADITIONAL BENEFITS h3TAFF INTENDS TO CONTINUE OPEN DIALOGUE WITH EMPLOYEES ABOUT THE FACTORS THAT PROMOTE ENGAGEMENT AND RETENTION INCLUDING SURVEYS FOCUS GROUPS AND INTERVIEWS v THE (UMAN 2ESOURCES REPORT STATES !T -ONDAY S MEETING THE COUN CIL VOICED SUPPORT FOR 3HEN S PRO POSAL TO ENGAGE CITY WORKERS -AY OR 9IAWAY 9EH SAID THAT hGIVEN THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF THE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE IN SUCH A CONCENTRAT ED AMOUNT OF TIME v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h/UR #ITY #OUNCIL REALLY MOVED SWIFTLY AND STRATEGICALLY TO BEGIN FOCUSING ON THE STRUCTURAL ISSUES THAT SURFACED RIGHT AWAY WHEN SUD DENLY SOME OF THE SUPPORTS WERE REMOVED v +EENE SAID h4HAT BEING SAID EVEN DESPITE THE ACTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TREND LINES IN PENSION COSTS AND THE WAY #AL0%23 ACTUALLY ALLOCATES THE COSTS TO THE CITIES WE WILL STILL SEE RISING TRAJECTORIES IN THE FUTURE v N
Athena
(continued from page 5)
DAYS OF PLAYING IN FIELDS AND CATCH ING BUTTERFLIES 4HAT ENVIRONMENT HELPED FOSTER CHILDHOOD CREATIVITY SHE SAID 3HE REPORTED FOR AND SOLD SUBSCRIPTIONS TO THE -ARTIN -ES SENGER A NEIGHBORHOOD NEWSPAPER LAUNCHED BY A CHILD ON HER BLOCK (ER INTERESTS COULD HAVE TAKEN HER IN ANY NUMBER OF DIRECTIONS INCLUD ING JOURNALISM OR EVEN MEDICINE FOR WHICH SHE STILL HAS A PASSION )N TENSELY FOCUSED WITH A STRONG BUSI NESS BENT NOW SHE CONSIDERS HERSELF A FINANCIAL PHYSICIAN SHE SAID 0ALO !LTO ISN T SMALL TOWN QUIET
ANYMORE THE INNOVATION OF 3ILICON 6ALLEY HAS TAKEN HOLD IN THE CITY SHE SAID "UT .ELSON DOESN T FIND THE CHANGES IN HER HOMETOWN UN SETTLING SHE EMBRACES THEM 7ITH OUT CHANGE A PLACE AND A PERSON BECOME STAGNANT SHE SAID "UT SUCCESS AND HARMONY COME FROM LISTENING h)T S IMPORTANT TO LISTEN TO ALL VOICES AND BE WEDDED TO ONE OUT COME TOGETHER 9OU CAN LEARN SO MUCH FROM EVERYONE v SHE SAID )T IS ALSO HER MANAGEMENT STYLE 3HE RECALLED THAT AS A CHILD SHE HAD SUCH A HIGH LEVEL OF INDEPEN DENCE FROM AN EARLY AGE THAT HER PARENTS WONDERED IF SHE LISTENED TO ANYTHING THEY SAID
"UT LISTEN SHE DID TO HER PARENTS GREATEST TEACHINGS ABOUT WHAT MAKES FOR A QUALITY LIFE AND THE POWER OF THE INDIVIDUAL TO CREATE MEANINGFUL CHANGE AND TO HER MENTORS 4HOSE MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS INCLUDE HER HUSBAND *OHN "AY !REA BUSINESS LEADER $UNCAN -ATTESON NO RELA TION OF THE -ATTESON #OMPANIES 3USAN "LACK #%/ OF 0INNACLE "ANK -ARILYN 7INKLEBY PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE AT 3TANFORD 0REVENTION 2ESEARCH #ENTER AND OTHERS )F THERE S ONE THING THAT HAS PRO PELLED .ELSON FORWARD IT IS HER LIFE LONG HABIT OF BEING A STUDENT FOREVER AND BEING OPEN TO LEARNING ALL OF THE TIME SHE SAID $ESPITE ALL OF THE CHALLENGES AND
CHANGES IN THE ECONOMY AND SOCIETY .ELSON SAID IT S STILL A FASCINATING TIME TO BE ALIVE h4HOSE IN MY AGE CATEGORY ARE REINVENTING OUR LATER YEARS ) FEEL LIKE A KID AGAIN 4HE "ABY "OOMERS HAVEN T DONE ANYTHING ACCORDING TO PLAN v SHE SAID SMILING !S THIS YEAR S !THENA AWARDEE .ELSON SAID SHE PLANS TO LEARN FROM THE !THENA S PAST hGODDESSESv BY POOLING THEIR IDEAS AND KNOWLEDGE h)F WE HAVE THAT FORCE WHAT CAN WE DO TO HAVE AN IMPACT 7E CAN ENCOURAGE OURSELVES TO TAKE ON SOMETHING GREAT v SHE SAID 4HE !THENA !WARD LUNCHEON WILL BE HELD .OV AT A M AT THE 'ARDEN #OURT (OTEL IN 0ALO !LTO N
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