Editor’s Note: Refreshing operations in 2023

Refreshing operations in 2023

Sarah Wright | Editor

Everyone wants to start the new year on the right foot, usually with a heavy desire for self improvement. New Year’s resolutions exist for a reason, after all. For a lot of municipalities, such goals were likely already cemented during the budget process or while ironing out the latest strategic plan. However, operations can be a continual focus for improvement, no matter the time of year.

This could include exploring new methods, such as hybrid remote work in positions that allow it. The height of the COVID-19 pandemic saw many companies and some municipalities pivot to remote work where possible. Since then, there have been moves to return workers back to the office — at least, sometimes, on a hybrid basis. Tech giant Google, for instance, adopted a hybrid work model in which most staff can choose to work remotely two days a week.

Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research discovered 42% of U.S. workers are now working from home full time, accounting for more than two-thirds of economic activity. The study’s author, Nicholas Bloom, believes working from home is here to stay, with postpandemic operations being optimal with two days working from home.

Bloom writes, “So the best advice is plan to work from home about 1 to 3 days a week. It’ll ease the stress of commuting, allow for employees to use their at-home days for quiet, thoughtful work, and let them use their inoffice days for meetings and collaborations.”

Cities are also piloting hybrid remote work programs with select positions as a method of attracting and keeping qualified employees. Writer Denise Fedorow spoke with the cities of Redding, Calif., and Philadelphia, Pa., about their current pilot programs.

Redding City Manager Barry Tippin noted of his city’s pilot program, “We want to be a competitive employer, have a workforce with higher morale and satisfied employees. We want to be an employer of choice.”

In Fedorow’s article, she shares how both pilot programs work and how city officials determine which positions and which workers qualify to work from home.

Maintaining a qualified workforce is a must for operations and maintenance, particularly as municipalities face aging water systems. Writer Nicholette Carlson is spotlighting the North Carolina Rural Water Association’s apprenticeship program, which is connecting municipalities with individuals interested in learning the ins and outs of water and wastewater operations. Meanwhile, writer Dani Messick is sharing the challenges faced by small communities when maintaining said systems.

Other topics include maintaining art murals, which have grown in popularity in many communities’ downtowns, and how communities are helping residents repair sidewalks with special funds.

Best wishes to all as we enter 2023 together!

On the Web

Read more about SIEPR’s “How working from home works out” study at https://siepr. stanford.edu/publications/policy-brief/how-working-home-works-out.