Snohomish County Planning and Development Services

Who We Are

Located in Everett, Washington, Planning and Development Services (PDS) is a department of Snohomish County government, a political subdivision of the State of Washington, which serves the citizens and businesses residing in unincorporated portions of Snohomish County. PDS currently has 119 employees.

What We Do

PDS manages existing and future development within unincorporated Snohomish County through implementation of the County Comprehensive Plan and the Unified Development Code. The department implements applicable legislation and participates in state and countywide studies, initiatives, and projects.

Matters pertaining to long range planning, code development, zoning, land use, residential and commercial plan reviews and inspections, geographical information systems, code enforcement and fire marshal services fall within the purview of our department. The department is supported by its Administration, Business Process and Technology, and Accounting and Finance teams.

Why We Do It

To enhance the quality of life for current and future generations, PDS facilitates the development of well-planned, safe and thriving communities while minimizing impacts to the natural environments of the County.

How We Do It

We are accountable. We take personal responsibility for our decisions and actions and measure our performance against standards and targets.

We provide superior customer service. We listen. We seek timely and consistent solutions and honor our commitments. We continuously improve our service by adapting to changing demands through professional development.

We partner with others. We work in cooperative, collaborative relationships to seek innovative and cost-effect solutions and achieve goals.

We have integrity. We adhere to our workplace standards and ethical principles by being fair, truthful, honest, responsible and straightforward.

We are respectful. We treat others with dignity by showing consideration and appreciation for diverse perspectives.

We are equitable. We support diversity and recognize our employees for their talents and contributions.

Our Motto - Focused Forward

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Introduction

Strategic business planning is a disciplined effort producing fundamental decisions and actions that guide what our department is, who it serves, what it does, and why it does it, with a focus on the future. Effective strategic planning articulates not only where we are going and the actions needed to make progress, but also how we will know if we are successful. The goals, objectives, strategies, and performance measures within our business plan highlight our key workforce priorities.

Workforce planning is grounded in its contribution to department performance. It provides a way to align our workforce with our business plan and to address current and future workforce issues. Workforce planning is the overall process of linking workforce strategies to desired business outcomes.

As we have integrated these two processes, it has become apparent that workforce planning is not easily segregated from strategic business planning. Inherent in every business outcome are the essential contributions made by talented and engaged employees. The interdependence of business and workforce planning became crystal clear – an agile, resilient workforce is required to achieve business results and address future business challenges.

The scope and scale of change affecting PDS requires us to think differently. Trends we cannot control have created a problem we must proactively solve. The retirement of Traditionalists and Baby Boomers, generational shifts, learning and leadership succession are key workforce issues. Existing and future leaders must have the skills required to manage a multigenerational workforce. As a significant number of our employees retire, the ability to recruit and retain staff is becoming ever more challenging. We must ensure existing employees develop the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to fulfill their future functions and that talent pipelines are in place to recruit new employees. We must plan for our workforce capacity and productivity just as we plan for business capacity and productivity. The benefits of doing so result in satisfied customers, engaged employees and cost savings.

Our 5-Year Strategic Business and Workforce Plan is a living document, updated annually, that serves as both a plan and a report of results. Our annual update:

Provides deeper insights into department business, community and customer needs; Analyzes past and future data to make data-driven business and workforce decisions; Sustains the longer term context within which the most effective near-term staffing decisions can be

made; Shows both the workforce and business needs for creating and maintaining a culture of learning and

empowerment; Highlights the cost savings generated by planning for and reducing employee turnover; Proactively communicates workforce needs and results for budgeting and operating performance

purposes; and Ensures PDS evolves in response to changes, trends, and new developments and that we are proactive

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Our Story

Failures of national, state and local financial institutions and relatively tight bank credit severely impacted Snohomish County’s commercial and residential development industry in 2008. Resultant and sustained decreases in applications and permit volumes necessitated a historic reduction in PDS expenditures and the lay-off of 57% of our workforce between the years 2008-2010. Staff morale was at an all-time low. Annexations were and are reducing the share of permitted units occurring within unincorporated Snohomish County. In future years, land use within the County will primarily focus on rural and resource lands rather than urban development. Over the years, PDS has been a part of a painful boom-and-bust cycle of budget cuts, rapid growth, followed by more budget cuts.

In 2011, we vowed to become more effective in achieving business outcomes by avoiding staff lay-offs and panic hiring and began the process of Strategic Workforce Planning. Each year since, we’ve implemented workforce strategies that have improved our bench strength, broadened employee skill sets, updated recruiting and hiring practices, prepared succession plans, recognized and engaged our employees, and prepared analytics that demonstrate the bottom-line value of workforce planning. Workforce planning transformed PDS from a reactive department to a proactive one.

We analyze the demographic trends of our workforce. Our previous plans focused primarily on retirement attrition and the need for aggressive succession planning. For the first time, PDS demographics now span four generations, meaning that 20-year old new hires can find themselves working alongside colleagues who are 40-50 years older. The oldest, most experienced workers are gradually exiting the workforce and taking with them vast amounts of knowledge and expertise. Baby Boomers, many in key management and leadership roles, are retiring, leaving shortages of employees to fill these high-level positions. Generation X and Generation Y individuals, who now comprise 38% of our staff, are becoming dominant participants in the workforce and introducing new work norms and values.

The 2015-2020 PDS Strategic Business and Workforce Plan builds upon our existing business and workforce strategies to create a learning culture, enabling PDS to “Become an Irresistible Department,”1 a “Destination Organization,” and an “Employer of Choice.”

Department Business Strategy

The market for permits is extremely volatile. Housing starts and building permits are considered leading economic indicators and it takes several months for them to establish a trend. The U. S. economy now appears to be recovering steadily from the recession and the Puget Sound region is expected to continue outperforming the national economy. As the economy continues to rebound, it is expected the Federal Reserve will slowly raise interest rates, weighing on bank lending and future growth in residential and commercial development.

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This volatility requires PDS to be agile in its ability to quickly change direction in an efficient and effective manner. We have a coordinated business approach considering the primary business drivers in our external environment:

Volatile demand for services due to changing economic cycles, annexations, land availability, new and/or different housing types, and the impact of local industry business decisions;

Mobile and technology-enabled citizens and businesses who expect both quality, predictable and rapid service and who want a wide variety of access channels to communicate needs and conduct business;

Seamless “one-stop shopping” for a wide range of government services; New or changing federal and state regulations and the increased complexities and rate of revisions to

Snohomish County code; The need for active partnerships to build customer confidence by expanding the terms and scope citizen

engagement; and A tighter fiscal environment and the push for greater efficiency and productivity.

These drivers present the context in which our department views our current and future states. They reflect the nature and speed of change, the lack of predictability and the complexity of issues facing us. To address these uncertainties, our business strategy is to provide superior customer service as well as demonstrate to our stakeholders that we are innovative, cost-effective, responsible and accountable.

Workforce Management Strategy

Our workforce management strategy isn’t only about the supply of available talent; it’s about individuals—each at a different stage of their career and lifecycle as an employee. The ways we acquire, develop, engage and retain these individuals will vary according to the agility of our strategy. Agility requires that when theenvironment changes, workforce strategies must shift to handle those changes.

Workforce planning is the strongest component of our department’s response to uncertain economic times and permit volume volatility. The cost of our workforce has historically been 70-77% of our annual budget.

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Volatile Demand for

Service

Outstanding Customer

Service and Value Creation

Performance and

Accountability

Cost Focused

WorkforceManagement

- Retention - Recruiting

-Engagement

Training and Development

Workforce Productivity

Cost-Focused

Through workforce planning, we optimize our workforce size, cost, and productivity. Workforce planning is business savvy, relevant and vital to our success.

The chart below illustrates past reactions taken to address permit volatility. Annual staffing decisions lagged behind permit demand by six to eighteen months. With the onset of workforce planning in 2011, we’ve improved our ability to better match workload with staffing levels.

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 20140

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

0

50

100

150

200

250

182 192

168 147 158 163

191 217

204

136

96

67

77 86 89

HOUSING UNIT PERMIT APPLICATIONS VS PERMITTING FTES

Permit Applications FTEs

Tota

l Per

mit

Appl

icatio

ns

Num

ber o

f FTE

s

PDS can be staffed efficiently and effectively if we forecast both our talent needs and the actual supply of talent that is or will be available. We view our employees as sources of value and as our competitive advantage. We devote serious effort to integrate policies, practices, processes, and technologies to support retention, recruiting, on-boarding, training and development, employee engagement, performance management, succession planning and mentorship. Through leadership and clear, continuous communication, individual managers and supervisors execute workforce strategies. Productive and highly engaged employees are crucial to meet the department’s current and future business needs. Knowing this, we strive to create a learning and employee-centric culture.

The primary drivers for our workforce management strategy are:

The on-going effects of an aging workforce; Systematic and proactive succession planning and knowledge transfer;

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Generational shifts that impact management methods and leadership skills; Challenges of skill shortages and increasing competition for talent; Employees’ desires for well-defined career paths and opportunities for job enrichment and professional

development; Continually changing nature of jobs and core competencies; and Quantifying cost savings and the return on our investments in our workforce.

Staff turnover is costly and these costs can be categorized into four primary areas: separation processing, replacement hiring, training new hires, and lost productivity. The more difficult it is to fill the position, the higher the cost. Research suggests total costs associated with turnover range from 30-400% of annual salary and benefits depending on the level of the employee. 2 For PDS, these costs range from $31,050 to $414,000 depending upon the position. Knowing this information provides an opportunity to actively plan to reduce turnover costs and to manage and budget for transitions.

There are now four generations in the PDS workforce: Traditionalists (1927-1945); Baby Boomers (1946-1964); Generation X (1965-1980); and Generation Y or Millennials (1981-2000).

2012 2013 2014 20150%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

0% 0% 0% 1%

68% 71%64% 61%

31%27% 27% 27%

1% 3%9% 11%

Multi-Generational Workforce

Each of these generations has very different attitudes and perspectives about work. There are significant differences in the workplace characteristics of each generation, and each must be valued for the diverse skills, mindsets and perspectives they contribute. If generations fail to communicate or work together effectively, the department’s culture and bottom line will be impacted. If managed effectively, strengths, perspectives,

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and experiences will bring synergy and innovation to the workplace. We can tailor our talent management strategies by better understanding each generation’s attributes.

PDS began forecasting attrition in 2012, and in previous years, our forecast focused primarily on retirement attrition. Recently, we’ve begun to experience higher attrition rates due to turnover of Gen X’ers and Millennials. Gen X’ers believe that changing jobs is necessary. Millennials expect to change jobs and will switch jobs frequently and fast.3 These generations tend to look at a job as part of a career portfolio. Attrition for these two generations has been increasing over the last four years, and a focus on retaining these talented individuals is one of the major drivers for PDS to develop a learning culture.

Traditionalist

, Silen

t, Vete

rans

Baby Boomers

Genera

tion X or Xers

Genera

tion Y, Mille

nnials0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

0%

79%

19%2%

Attrition % by Generation

The following assumptions are used in our 2015-2020 workforce management strategy:

A like-size department (80-130 employees – a balance between permit activity and annexations);

In similar lines of business (Permitting, Code Enforcement, Planning, etc.);

An attrition rate of 29-43% over the next five years;

Assignment flexibility due to greater staff versatility and broader skill sets; and

Development of a learning culture that sparks knowledge transfer, learning and innovation.

Based on analyses of staff age and tenure, tenure by job family, historic attrition, and generational demographics, it appears approximately 29-43% of PDS staff may leave the department within the next five years. (Detailed information on the attrition forecast is included in Appendix 1.)

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6 - 9%2016

7 - 10%2017

9 - 11%2018

4 - 7%2019

3 - 6%2020

Communication Up, In and Out

As PDS moves forward with workforce planning and analytics, a strong communication strategy is vital to ensuring our Plan stays relevant and integrates with our department culture, budget, and annual work programs. In fact, communication is the centerpiece of a success-driven model which is based on shared values, follow-through on department goals and projects, and buy-in to our overall department strategy. In order to communicate strategies, plans, and results effectively, we must define our audience and the information we are trying to communicate. In PDS, our communication strategy links ideas, actions plans, and results with the stakeholder groups we are striving to reach. We call this the Up, In and Out communication strategy.

Up describes the decision makers within our organization, such as the County Executive, Council, or County Finance. In order to have a successful Workforce Plan, it is imperative that we communicate at a high level how workforce planning is financially beneficial, reduces risk, and leads to increased productivity and service delivery for our customers.

The In describes PDS as a department. Workforce planning is a foundational piece of our organization and it outlines ideas and actions which have and will continue to make PDS a successful organization. It is vitally important that our staff understand what workforce planning is, why we are doing it, and how each element of our Workforce Plan is tied to our department goals, business strategy and their success.

Out describes our communication strategy with customers and stakeholders. Our customers need to know we are not only focused on business needs of today, but are actively planning for a successful tomorrow.

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Buy-in

Values

Communication

Follow-though

From 2015 through 2020, our continued goal will be to communicate the goals and outcomes our business and workforce plan through the Up, In and Out strategy.

Talent Supply: Retain and Build Our Bench Strength

Bench strength refers to the capabilities and readiness of potential successors to move into key roles and positions. We assess PDS bench strength in terms of the knowledge, skills and abilities needed for the department’s future. We identified core and key positions within the department where the depths of the necessary skills or abilities make PDS vulnerable. We are especially susceptible where there is an unfilled key position, a key position with a single employee, where attrition rates are predicted to be high in the next five years, or where only a small number of subject matter experts (SME) exist throughout the department. PDS identified the following key positions where we are most vulnerable to attrition over the next five years.

POSITION VULNERABLITIES - 2015 - 2020 OUTLOOK

Using this information to guide decision-making, we’ve mitigated or reduced our position vulnerabilities by implementing systematic and proactive succession planning, training and development, and mentorship. Appendix 2 details the actions taken to mitigate or reduce position vulnerabilities.

POSITION VULNERABLITIES - 2015 - 2020 OUTLOOK

The chart below shows the number of at-risk key positions and our annual attrition rates. Of particular note is that although attrition has increased over the past 5 years, our position bench strength has actually gotten stronger.

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2011 2012 2013 2014 20150

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12.0%

16 15 13 8 4

4.6%

6.8%8.1%

10.5%

7.5%

At-Risk Key Positions Attrition Rate

We are now analyzing the depth of our bench strength in terms of particular skills sets. This analysis will assist us in cross training and developing annual training plans with and for employees. Key skill sets where additional depth is needed are included in Appendix 3.

PDS will also be undertaking a job rotation project to facilitate cross training and further expansion of staff skill sets. This project will systematically move employees from job to job within the department, giving employees an opportunity to explore alternative career paths, prevent job boredom and stagnation, and provide staff with a broader understanding of the inner workings of the department. Job rotation is a very promising retention strategy that will appeal to all employees, especially Gen X’ers and Millennials.

We also use a number of workforce solutions to enhance our bench strength:

Assignment flexibility; Use of temporary and contract staff; Sharing existing and available County staff resources from other departments; Implementing “contingent” budget authority to adjust expenditures and/or positions from budgeted

levels contingent upon demonstrated variances from standards; and Implementing on-line permitting to provide for 24/7 customer self-help.

Assignment Flexibility: Our leadership team, comprised of managers and supervisors, work collaboratively to meet workload requirements by making staff assignments to address another division’s short-term needs. Once implemented, the job rotation program will facilitate greater assignment flexibility.

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Temporary or Contract Staff: As the table below shows, commercial and residential development has a bell-curve seasonality, with high application volumes typically occurring between April 1 and September 30. During these critical times, PDS uses temporary help to increase its staffing levels.

Jan Feb Mar AprMay

June

July AugSep

tOct Nov

DecCore Staffing Level Range Series2Demand

Use of Temps or Contract Staff To Fill Gap

Temporary labor creates efficiencies and economies of scale in hiring. It gives the department flexibility to increase production without committing to permanent increases in staff. It’s a less expensive way of staffing, it allows PDS to rapidly hire to meet short term customer needs, and it’s an effective way to screen workers for potential full-time employment. Since 2012, PDS has hired 12 temporaries into regular full-time positions.

Sharing County Staff: PDS and the Department of Public Works (DPW) coordinate with AFSCME Union 109-E on the Max Ops program. The program allows the short term use of DPW employees to reduce the number of permits or other applications in queue that require interdisciplinary review such as engineering, traffic, and/or environmental issues. The program allows us to maintain our levels of service, optimize available staff resources in both DPW and PDS, and provide opportunities for employee skill-building and advancement. Max Ops is particularly important during those times when we are trying to assess whether an increase in permit activity is short-term or a new trend for permit volumes or when we need someone to fill in for a PDS employee for a short period of time.

Contingent Budget Authority: Contingent budget authority has been critical to our success. Historically, PDS has experienced a 6-18 month lag in adding staff resources to handle increased workloads. This was primarily due to the time required for the County Council to hold a public hearing to modify the adopted budget. The forethought of our County Council to approve contingent budget authority has allowed PDS to recruit quickly

to maintain service levels when demand for permitting services increases dramatically. Authorization to hire these positions is only sought if the business need exists: i.e., there is a substantial increase in application

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volumes, service levels decline, and revenue exists to support additional staff. PDS requests the transfer of the FTEs and the related expenditure authority through Council motion before recruiting commences.

Implementing on-line permitting to provide 24/7 customer self-help: PDS participates in the e-CityGov Alliance, a public non-profit organization that provides regional on-line municipal services that focus on the customer. MyBuildingPermit.com, a service offered by the alliance, provides one-stop on-line development applications, inspection scheduling, and permit status information. Only 25% of PDS permit types are currently configured on Mybuildingpermit.com (MBP). Transitioning all permit types to MBP is a high priority for PDS as it will provide for 24-hours a day, 7 days a week customer self-help. This system of on-demand permitting will externalize some of our customer service and assist us in controlling workforce costs.

Another pivotal aspect to improving bench strength is the implementation of our Employee Replacement Policy (a copy of the policy is included in Appendix 4). The policy requires a critical review of vacated positions to ensure position skills sets are linked to the department’s future business needs. When positions become vacant, the following steps are taken into consideration prior to beginning the recruitment process:

Using the policy and considering our future business needs, we’ve been able to:

Reclassify several positions down to sorely needed lower level positions;

Reclassify positions down to lower levels to provide career paths for employees;

Rehire the same position at lower pay steps when the position becomes vacant; and

Reclassify positions up to retain a key employee.Page | 13

Is this a key position as identifed in the Workforce Plan? If no, leave the position open for 90 days to determine the need to replace.

If yes, proceed to next step.

Is there a developed pipeline from which a clear candidate slate is identified? If yes,

proceed to the selection process. If no, proceed to next step.

Is the position in a leadership role responsible for four or more subordinates? If no, then

consider redistributing these individuals to an existing division.

If yes, proceed to next step

Can this entire group be absorbed into another division? If yes, then begin the

interview and selection process to fitand re-align.

If no, proceed to next step.

Has this business group been re-organized in the last 12 months.If yes, can the business area return to the previous

structure and maintain productivity? If yes, re-align and communicate the change.

If no, proceed to next step.

Initiate the steps required to seek an individual from the outside the

organization.

The net savings of this practice for actions taken in 2013 through 2015 will approximate $546,000 over the next 5 years. The detail of these savings is also included in Appendix 4.

To further improve bench strength, the department continues to pursue the following:

Updating job descriptions to reflect increased versatility and to meet our future business needs;

Evaluating the knowledge, skills and abilities for each position;

Developing separate career paths (aside from management and supervision) for high performing, technical employees who take on several functions;

Enhancing the department’s employee engagement culture to encourage employees to stay with the County rather than seek other employment.

Talent Supply: Branding, Marketing and Recruiting

Snohomish County has experienced above average job creation and since 2010, the unemployment rate has been declining steadily. From 2013 to 2014, Snohomish County added 4,300 jobs, a 1.6 percent increase. In addition, Seattle was named the top ranked city for job opportunities in a recent survey. 4 As more job opportunities become available, we see tougher competition for talent in various fields.

Many PDS’ positions are unique in that only a few positions exist in the state (e.g., demographers); they require very specialized skill sets, e.g., fire investigations; or there are significant differences in compensation levels at cities versus counties. A city planning director may supervise 20 people and make 10-15% more than a county planning director who supervises 100+ employees. This wage inequality is an issue for us in both recruiting and retention of great employees.

PDS must brand itself as a desirable place to work, a “Destination Organization.” It is important to have a competitive advantage when trying to attract and retain top talent. PDS branding will have a huge impact on the type of employees who actively compete for a career in our department. Over the past four years, PDS executed a number of projects to enhance its branding, marketing and recruiting. The specific objectives accomplished in 2015 are included in Appendix 5.

Branding

Some advantages of government jobs are well known: generous benefits and job security. Potential candidates, however, may know less about the opportunities for advancement, interesting and meaningful work, and the flexibility that is becoming more important as more people seek a healthy work-life balance.

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To successfully compete for talent, we need to:

Better leverage the department’s employer value proposition (EVP): You can’t hire them if you can’t inspire them. Highlighting the department’s mission, while important, is simply not enough to convince applicants to apply. Compensation still matters – but it’s not the only priority to employees. The combination of culture and reputation is the second most important factor when accepting a job.5 We must understand and develop our EVP to show how it differentiates us from the competition: The department values and culture, community impacts the department makes; the department’s future; workforce planning strategies; our workforce. We must define and tailor an EVP that sets us up for consistent success in attracting people who want to grow and to position ourselves as an “Employer of Choice.”

Creating a visual identity to use in and across various platforms: PDS has used Snohomish County’s logo on recruiting materials and offer letters and our Motto (Focused Forward) on internal employee engagement activities and swag. By creating a visual identity unique to PDS that is consistently used in all of our materials, we can further establish our brand and emphasize our EVP.

Marketing

PDS has participated in various job fairs, but can better tailor its marketing strategies by:

Picking key universities or community colleges and concentrate on developing strong relationships with them: There are certain majors (University of Washington – Urban Planning) or programs (Edmonds Community College – Construction Management) that can naturally serve as feeders for our programs. To truly penetrate a college or university to source talent, it takes concerted efforts to partner with relevant academic departments, faculty members, student organizations and clubs.

Picking key professional associations and developing stronger relationships with them: Engineering is one of our core competencies and is a very competitive field. In addition to memberships in professional associations such as Engineering, Planning, and Building Officials, PDS can play a stronger role in these and other industry groups.

Use current and former employees as ambassadors and talent scouts: Employee referrals produce quality hires not because of who they know, but instead because our employees are best in finding, building relationships, assessing, and selling top people who are not active in the job market.

Recruiting

Use videos for messaging: On-line video now accounts for 50% percent of all mobile traffic. Viewing videos (rather than static pictures or reading text) has become widely accepted, and can be used in every aspect of recruiting. Videos are an essential supplement to all traditional print messaging and make it easier to see and feel the excitement of our department. Video employee profiles can be compelling career stories, describing

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the work done and the impacts the person can make. They can be testimonials to our employee-centric learning culture. Videos can be linked to job descriptions, job postings and NEOGOV.

Increased focus on Quality of Hire (QoH): Recruiting is not merely about talent acquisition. It’s about the right people who will do the job, enjoy the job, and want to stay and grow with the department. The quality of employee performance begins with the quality of the hire, and we need to assess the quality of a person’s accomplishments in comparison with what needs to be done. Quality of Hire considers the actual requirements of the job and the job work environment; it’s simple and ties directly to performance management. QoH metrics are included in our 5-year Analytics Roadmap which can be found in Appendix 5.

Keep making the on-boarding experience Awesome! PDS has developed a truly awesome on-boarding experience for its new employees. We consistently look for new on-boarding ideas and activities through discussions with new employees (“What worked well for you? What can we do better?”), leadership activities, and sharing information with other counties and private sector organizations.

A LEARNING CULTURE – MORE THAN JUST TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

What is a Learning Culture? A learning culture is more than training and development. It is one where individuals and teams consciously invest in growing and developing themselves. A learning culture consists of a community of workers instilled with an “open and growth mindset.”6 Staff not only want to learn and apply what they’ve learned, they feel compelled to share their knowledge with colleagues and contribute to the mission of the organization. A learning culture builds a strong network of relationships and peer support, and takes advantage of distributed knowledge throughout the department. Nimble learners react quickly to disruptions, adapt to meet the demands of a changing business climate, and harness a wealth of ideas for innovation. A learning culture is one where an atmosphere of curiosity, forward thinking and “how can we learn from this” thinking permeates.

PDS focuses heavily on training and development of employees. We’ve implemented a training database that allows staff to customize their own annual training program to provide a clear and calculated plan for their chosen career path. Training plans are reviewed with supervisors on a regular basis, and coordinated with annual performance management goals.

We also recognize that adults learning by doing. Competence is development by far stretching, challenging assignments where staff develop and exercise varied competencies. PDS recently hosted a “One-Day Conference” with two other counties where staff presented 20-minute TED talks on subjects of interest. Some staff members collaborated to develop their talks, sharing information and ideas to make their presentations even more compelling. This action learning facilitates deeper learning and retention. Action learning is especially successful when:

Success and failure are both possible;Page | 16

There is a real assumption of responsibility for the outcome; Involves working with new people, a lot of people or both; Creates additional personal pressure; Requires starting some from scratch or fixing a problem; Involves something the person cares about; and Involves intellectual challenge.

Additional strategies are needed to further develop our learning culture:

Making hiring decisions with an interest in an individual’s ability to learn, adapt, grow and shift;

Using on-boarding programs to encourage employees to take personal responsibility for learning and

demonstrate the department’s commitment to development;

Creating informal physical spaces where ideas and learning can co-evolve, staff can share ideas and

information, connect with other people’s ideas, influence one another;

Celebrating risk-taking and “forward failing” – turning mistakes into stepping stones for growth; and

Providing an on-line searchable knowledge base that includes documents, videos and presentations.

The key to evaluating the success of our learning culture is the design and implementation of a modern performance management system. PDS management monitors the completion of annual performance evaluations for employees to ensure that every staff member is provided feedback on their growth and development. Per the Institute of Corporate Productivity (I4cp), an effective performance management system coordinates multiple department-wide practices and is more effective when it includes the following:

Plans for helping employees develop in the work period after the appraisal; On-going goal review and feedback from managers and supervisors; Training for managers/supervisors on how to conduct a performance appraisal meeting; Ways of addressing and resolving poor performance; Appraisal information that isn’t limited to the judgment of supervisors; A system that is consistent across the whole organization; Performance feedback more often than once a year; Some form of multi-rater feedback; and Metrics on the quality of performance appraisals.

Development of a modern performance management system is one of our goals over the next 5 years.

As approximately 50% of our leadership team is eligible to retire over the next five years, leadership development is another initiative that is imperative for our future. To prepare for this gap, PDS is

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implementing a Leadership Academy for employees who desire this career path. Cutting-edge leadership development brings together on-the-job learning, project assignments, and formal training with individual experiences. The program will entail far stretching, challenging training where staff members develop and exercise significant and varied competencies -- leading themselves, leading people, leading strategy, and leading execution. It will also better equip up-and-coming leaders with a broader understanding of our business and the integrated functions of the department. A copy of the Leadership Academy Project Charter is included in Appendix 6.

Refreshed Model for Employee Engagement

What is employee engagement? Employee engagement is the extent to which employees feel passionate about their jobs, are committed to the department, and put discretionary effort into their work. Research shows that employee engagement is a force that drives business outcomes--that engaged employees are more productive employees. Engaged employees are more profitable, more customer-focused, safer, and more likely to withstand temptations to leave the department.

Employee engagement is a central part of our business strategy. However, the employee-work contract is changing: the balance of power has shifted from employer to employee, forcing business leaders to learn how to build an organization that engages employees as sensitive, passionate, creative contributors. This is a shift from employee engagement to a focus on becoming an irresistible organization.1 An irresistible organization is one that employees never want to leave.

Josh Bersin (Bersin by Deloitte) writes there are five major elements and 20 strategies that together create a whole system of engagement, making organizations “irresistible.” These twenty factors comprise a whole system of engagement for organizations, a system held together through culture.

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Meaningful Work

The most important part of employee engagement is the job-person fit. We need to make sure jobs are meaningful and employees have the tools and autonomy to succeed. Research shows that employees are driven by “autonomy, mastery, and purpose.”7 Research also shows that meaningful work takes place in small teams. Such teams feel empowered, they make decisions faster, and people get to know one another and share ideas. Innovation is more about connecting ideas than protecting ideas and getting buy-in through employee ownership of projects, events, and outcomes. Also important is to allow employees the time for reflecting on their ideas and mastery of their skills.

Great Management

Management is one of the most important capabilities that PDS has—managers and supervisors guide, support and align their staff. Management’s job is to set goals, support people, coach for high performance and provide feedback for continuous improvement. Goals are set to create alignment and clarity and are revisited often. Roles and responsibilities are documented. PDS continuously invests in the leadership and management practices that impact engagement, performance and retention. PDS management’s job is to develop, coach and recognize people and to provide positive feedback for great work. PDS employee engagement events are listed in Appendix 7.

We must continue our investments in our leadership team to develop understanding and skills in managing a multigenerational workforce. Managing a multigenerational workforce requires strong leadership, recognition that different generations may need different styles of management, and a modern performance management system that clearly demonstrates how performance is rewarded.

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Positive Work Environment

Positive energy and can-do attitudes are demonstrated by managers, supervisors, and staff. On a regular basis, managers and supervisors write staff thank you notes, provide special recognition at all staff meetings, and offer special “Mint” awards (York peppermint patties, Andes mints, Junior Mints, e.g.) for Commitmint, Achievemints and Accomplishmints. We also recognize the accomplishments of teams and groups, as well as staff in other county departments that help us achieve our mission.

Many of our staff have worked together for quite a long time. They care for each other and assist one another in both their professional and personal lives. If a staff member is managing an illness of a loved one, colleagues often offer to cover for them at work, mow their lawns, make dinners, and perhaps even offer a wheelchair. PDS is a very, very humanistic department.

Growth Opportunities

Opportunities for growth, both formal and informal, exist throughout PDS. Through assignment flexibility, mentorship, the leadership academy, our learning management system, and our planned job rotation program staff have many opportunities for development. Managers make sure that staff learning and development are high priority and all employees are encouraged to learn. Although staff cannot be promoted every year, they want to feel they are growing and can successfully take on new assignments. We need to continue to give staff the freedom to try something new and to fail forward.

Trust in Leadership

PDS has a strong, compelling mission – To create thriving and sustainable communities while protecting the natural environment and all PDS employees understand their contribution to that mission. Drivers for PDS employee engagement also include shared department values; being authentic and transparent; belief and trust in one another; frequently seeking employee input; and constant communication of ideas, plans and results.

For the past three years, PDS has conducted a 13-question employee engagement survey. In 2015, we are pleased to report that 79% of PDS employees responded to the survey. The results of the survey indicated 92.9% of staff are engaged and 7.1% were disengaged. (See Appendix 8.)

Approximately 97% of staff stated they knew what was expected of them at work and 90.7% said they had the materials and equipment to perform their jobs right.

88% reported there was someone at work who encouraged their development. 85% stated they had opportunities at work to learn and grow. 95% would recommend PDS as a great place to work.

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PDS US Companies0.0%

10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%80.0%90.0%

100.0%

92.9%

31.5%7.1%

68.5%

Engagement Rates

Engaged Disengaged

Disengagement decreased by 2%. In its November 2015 poll, Gallup reports that 68.1% of U.S. workers are disengaged. Gallup also recently reported disengagement costs $3,400 out of every $10,000 in salary in lost productivity. Using PDS salaries as the basis, the chart below depicts the cost of various disengagement rates.

90.0% 68.1% 50.0% 7.1% $-

$500,000

$1,000,000

$1,500,000

$2,000,000

$2,500,000

$3,000,000 $2,777,881

$2,101,930

$1,543,267

$219,144

Cost of Disengagement

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PDS disengagement has declined by 2.8% from 2013-2015. The opportunity is obvious – the small cost of engagement activities can have a large effect on productivity and bottom line results.

2013 2014 2015 $-

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

$200,000

$250,000

$300,000 $271,308

$246,346 $219,144

PDS Percent/Cost of Disengagement

Cost of Disengagement

9.9% 9.1% 7.1%

Two of our employee engagement strategies are designed to give staff every opportunity to learn and grow: Job Shadowing and Mentorship. The job shadowing program – dubbed “Trading Places”-- began in 2013, and gives PDS staff the chance to trade places with their counterparts in Pierce and Kitsap Counties. Trading places is simple: Individuals or teams travel to Pierce or Kitsap where they work alongside their counterparts for a few days, attend meetings, review projects and discuss issues similar to those they would traditionally work on in Snohomish County. Pierce/Kitsap County employees return the favor by travelling north to spend a few days shadowing PDS staff. A Principal Planner described his opportunity this way: “Aside from making some new friends and professional contacts, the biggest takeaway for me was added perspective on the kinds of planning challenges we face here and different approaches to address them.” Frank Slusser, a Senior Planner, learned how different meeting dynamics impact resolution of issues or topics. Raoul Comaduran, a Senior GIS Analyst, was able to see what Pierce County was doing, identify and assess issues, and discuss how to improve things going forward. For relatively minimal investment, our staff learn new skills, keep up with changing regulations, and are exposed to different ways of thinking about old and new problems. The long term benefit of the program is building collaborative relationships with colleagues, discussing ideas with counterparts in Pierce and Kitsap Counties, providing/obtaining a second opinion on complex and technical questions, and engaging employees.

The second strategy is mentorship. Mentorship is a popular way to encourage better communication and knowledge sharing between employees. It’s directed by the employees for the employees. Senior staff pair

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up with newer employees – some with similar job functions and some with cross-departmental functions. Everyone involved in the program meets for breakfast once a month and participants say the camaraderie created is fantastic. Mentors also serve as succession planners – sharing their institutional knowledge and expertise with others. Mentors help employees advance their career paths and also assist in on-boarding new employees. In 2014, the mentors sponsored a bus tour of commercial and residential developments so that employees could see the products of our work. In 2015, the mentors sponsored monthly brown bag lunch sessions on a various topics – from “The Future of Planning” to “Time Management and Priority Setting.” The project charter for our Mentorship Program is included in Appendix 9.

The results of actively engaging our employee are measureable, both in cost savings and revenue generation. There have been no formal employee grievances since 2009 and revenue-per-FTE has increased from 2010 to 2014.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Competencies are the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed for the department to be successful. The increased rate of change in the nature of jobs and the competencies required to fill those jobs requires that we continuously review the KSAs for each position.

KSAs are different for each job grouping or family and can be categorized as technical and behavioral. Technical KSAs evaluate an applicant’s acquired knowledge and specific technical skills. Behavioral KSAs evaluate factors related to self-awareness and interpersonal skills. If related to the sport of baseball, KSAs would be defined as the talent needed to build a winning team. In order to sustain a “winning organization”,

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2014$154,432

2010 $138, 317

2011$145,756

2012$148,482

2013$160,876Revenue

Per FTE

PDS must have the right balance of people with the right skills. The following are examples of the types of KSAs needed to sustain PDS as a great department.

Behavioral Traits Technical Skills

Passion for public service

Willingness to accept challenges

Commitment to delivering quality products

Positive attitude

Excited about change and learning

Team player

Flexibility

Willingness to adapt

Imagination/vision

Collaborative approach to work

Project management

Superior customer service

Problem-solving

Decision making

Risk assessment

Multi-tasking

Effective communication

Meetings and conversations management

Presentation

To guide the development of KSAs at the position level, PDS has identified the following skill objectives for certain key customer-facing positions:

Planners in the Permitting and Planning divisions must have a broad spectrum of skills and possess cross-divisional abilities;

Plans Examiners, Building Inspectors, and Code Enforcement Officers must be skilled in multiple disciplines (residential and commercial building, site, fire and code enforcement inspections);

Administrative/Technical staff must be cross trained in mission-critical functions; and

Existing and future employees must be technology literate.

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KSAs for each of the primary job functions within PDS divisions were developed in 2003. In concert with cross training to deepen our bench strength, a major project in 2016 will focus on reviewing, updating and aligning KSAs for each position within PDS job families.

WORKFORCE ANALYTICS – SHOWING OUR WORK

We often state that employees are our most valuable asset, and yet few of us can provide meaningful information on the effectiveness of our workforce or workforce programs. Jeff Higgins of Human Capital Management Institute states, “The challenge in measuring our ‘human capital’ is that workforce data is multi-dimensional and constantly changing. The complexity of human capital is compounded by the fluid and rapidly changing nature of job roles, structure, movement, hiring, terminations, and ultimately cost.” We know training and employee engagement increase productivity and improve business results. We know workforce attrition creates a material cost and has substantial business impacts. We continually look for ways to quantify these impacts.

We began our analytics journey by gathering base human resources metrics, such as headcount, number of temporary employees, actual retirements, percentage of staff with 20 years of service (or more). After reviewing these simple metrics, the need for institutional knowledge transfer, succession planning, and training and development became very evident. However, these metrics did not provide us with insights about costs or productivity.

We now prepare monthly human capital financial statements, which quantify our financial results as a return on people-related expenditures and measure employee productivity as “returns on talent.” The returns on talent are calculated as a metric called Human Capital Return on Investment (ROI). The metric premise is that for every dollar invested in the workforce, returns on that dollar are created by human efforts.

Comparisons of the changes in revenue, cost and surplus per FTE metrics display workforce productivity and utilization of our workforce and resources, and help us identify areas that can be better controlled or mitigations by workforce strategies. From 2013 to 2014 revenue/FTE decreased 4%; TCOW/FTE increased by .4% primarily due to a substantial increase in benefit costs, use of overtime and extra help to cover seasonal volumes and position vacancies, and final compensation payouts for retiring employees. Our Human Capital ROI – the return on our talent investments – has increased by an annual compound growth rate of 3.4% from 2011 through 2014.

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We are collaborating with the planning departments from Clark, King, Kitsap, and Pierce Counties to share and compare analytics, discoveries and best practices. And although the other counties are competition for talent, we are already benefiting from joint benchmarking.

What does this all mean? We are still learning from and about these indicators. We have developed a 5-year roadmap for human capital analytics which will allow us to measure the success of our workforce management strategies. A copy of the roadmap is included in Appendix 5.

2015 – 2020 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

With our updated workforce management strategy, new goals and objectives for the next phase of our plan listed below.

Goals/ProjectsWorkforce

ManagementTraining and Development

Workforce Productivity Cost Focused

Evaluating KSA's for each position Enhance depth of skills sets Job rotation Project Develop Employer Value Proposition Create visual identity unique to PDS Relationships with key colleges, universities and professional associations Videos for messaging Quality of Hire Develop high-impact Learning Culture Develop modern performance management system Conduct first session of Leadership Academy Mentorship Program - 3rd Year Measure workforce planning outcomes using 5-year analytic roadmap Better integrate field staff into department culture and activities

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SUMMARY

A number of factors contribute to our success with workforce planning at PDS. The single greatest catalyst is support we receive from the County Executive and County Council in taking a phased approach to our Workforce Plan and collaboratively working towards the same outcomes. Workforce planning enables PDS to optimize its workforce size, cost and productivity. By attracting and retaining a highly skilled workforce, PDS will continue to provide superior customer service to those we serve.

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APPENDIX 1-1

Below is a comparison of our attrition rate forecast compared to our actual experience. The table below displays data upon which the five-year forecast attrition rates is based, and reflects only regular and part-time FTEs. (Approximately 18% of the PDS workforce has 25 or more years of experience. This is a conservative estimate as only county experience is considered, not experience in other industries or qualifying jurisdictions.) In 2014 and 2015, forecast to actual variances increased primarily due to resignations of Gen X’ers and Millennials.

DEPARTMENT_CODEPDS-PERMIT

Total FTEs

>25 Years of Service <25 Years of Service and 51+ Years of AgeGen X and Millennials

Gen X and Millennial Attrition

UNIT_CODE PERSON_LAST_NAME FIRST_NAMEAFSCME-PDS 001170 Abbott Stacey

118

#FTEs % of Staff34 29%51 43% 33 28%

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APPENDIX 1-2

The table below displays the average length of service in the County for specific job groupings. Job groupings with average years of experience greater than 20+years (within the next 5 years) are determined to be particularly vulnerable to attrition.

Job Grouping Avg Years of ServiceAccountants and Financial Analysts 5Administrative Support 6Business Process/Applications Analysts 15Code Enforcement Officers 23Director 5Division Manager 23Engineers:

Drainage 4Traffic 28

Fire Investigators 14GIS Analysts 6Inspectors:

Fire 11Building 6Site 11

Network/Systems Administrators 2Permit Technicians 16Planners:

Demographer 27Land Development Specialist 10Planner 13Environmental Planner 10Zoning Specialists 18

Plans Examiners 12Records Specialists 17

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APPENDIX 1-3

The table below displays our succession planning priorities over the next 5 years, considering the demographics below.

Retirement Status: Criticality:

A. Retirement likely within 1 year 1. Critical - Must "hit the ground running"

B. Retirement likely within 3 years 2. Very important - Must be fully functional within 6 months

C. Retirement likely within 5 years 3. Important - Must be fully functional within 1 year

Position Title CriticalityDivision Manager A 1 1 2Senior Permit Technician A 1 1 2Building Inspector A 2 0 0Zoning Specialist A 2 0 1Code Enforcement Officer B 1 0 0Engineer III B 1 0 0Engineer II B 1 0 1Finance Manager B 1 0 0Fire Investigator B 1 0 2Supervisor B 1 0 0Planner, Senior B 2 1 1Supervisor B 2 0 0Supervisor B 2 1 3Accounting Technician C 1 0 1Business Applications Programmer C 1 0 1Supervisor C 1 0 0Traffic Engineer III C 1 0 0Demographer C 2 2 3

Retirement Status

Number of Staff Ready

Now

Number of Staff Ready in 1-2

Years

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APPENDIX 2-1

PDS has mitigated or reduced some of our position bench strength vulnerabilities by implementing systematic and proactive succession planning, professional development, training, and mentorship. Brief synopses of actions we’ve taken to build solid bench strength of the department are below. The positions noted in blue were resolved in the specified timeframes.

2011-2012

Key positions with one employee or position is unfilled

Systems Administrator

Principal Demographer

Chief Planning Officer

A second System Administrator was hired to provide assistance and back-up for AMANDA, our mission critical permit tracking system

Senior Planner staff have been assigned lead responsibilities for some demographic projects, with mentoring provided by the Principal Demographer

The Chief Planning Officer position was eliminated and more Principal and Senior Planners are provided expanded opportunities to develop code and issue code interpretations

Key positions vulnerable to high attrition

Managers

Building Inspectors

Fire Inspectors

A Supervisor position now oversees the PDS Technology/ GIS group, and the Manager’s institutional knowledge about AMANDA is being transferred

Vacant Building and Site Inspector positions have been filled, and average years of experience for this job group has dropped from 20.5 to 15.0

A replacement for a retiring Supervisor was hired prior to the Supervisor’s departure to ensure critical position knowledge was transferred to the new employee

Key positions with a small number of Subject Matter Experts

Engineers Engineering II positions, with well-defined career paths, were added and are being filled

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APPENDIX 2 - 2

2012-2013

Key positions with one employee or position is unfilled

Chief Engineering Officer

Principal Demographer

Supervising Engineer is trained and performs the duties of the Chief Engineering Officer on an as-needed basis

Senior and Associate Planners are working on the Buildable Lands report, with mentoring provided by the Principal Demographer

Key positions vulnerable to high attrition

Building Inspectors

Senior Fire Inspectors

Plan reviewer, Code Enforcement Officer, and Fire Inspector maintain certifications necessary to perform building inspections.

A Land Development Specialist (LDS) with an interest in performing fire inspections has been on a flexible assignment schedule to assist with fire inspections as needed.

LDS is being trained on fire plan review.Key positions with a small number of Subject Matter Experts

Biologists

Fire Investigators

Engineers

Two Senior Environmental Planners were hired.

An additional Fire Investigator was hired. A Senior Fire Inspector performs fire

investigations as needed Two Engineer III’s were hired A formal mentorship program was launched

to develop leadership capabilities and learning communities for succession planning purposes.

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APPENDIX 2-3

2013-2014

Key positions with one employee or position is unfilled

Final Plat Reviewer (no position) 2014 budget contained a Final Plat Reviewer position.

A temporary employee has been hired to assist with this workload

Key positions vulnerable to high attrition

Building InspectorsFire InspectorsGIS AnalystsSite Inspectors

Reclassification of vacant positions allowed us to hire an additional Fire Inspector and 2 GIS Analysts.

Temporaries were used to perform building and site inspections, and were subsequently hired into vacant positions

Key positions with a small number of Subject Matter Experts

Finance and Accounting Reclassification of vacant position allowed us to hire an additional Accounting Technician II who is being cross-trained on all transaction functions.

Accountants and Analysts are cross-trained on key accounting functions.

2014-2015

Key positions with one employee or position is unfilled

Final Plat Reviewer (no position) 2014 budget contained a Final Plat Reviewer position.

A temporary employee has been hired to assist with this workload

Key positions vulnerable to high attrition

Building InspectorsFire InspectorsGIS AnalystsSite Inspectors

Reclassification of vacant positions allowed us to hire an additional Fire Inspector and 2 GIS Analysts.

Temporaries were used to perform building and site inspections, and were subsequently hired into vacant positions

Key positions with a small number of Subject Matter Experts

Finance and Accounting Reclassification of vacant position allowed us to hire an additional Accounting Technician II who is being cross-trained on all transaction functions.

Accountants and Analysts are cross-trained on key accounting functions.

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APPENDIX 3

The table below displays the key skill sets where additional depth is needed.

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APPENDIX 4 - 1ADMINISTRATION

Employee Replacement Policy

This policy applies to the conditions under which a position recently vacated may be refilled. Its purpose is to support the continuous evaluation of the department’s workforce composition and skill sets, to ensure staff skill sets are linked to the department’s business needs, and to ensure consistent replacement practices across all divisions and programs.

1. Key positions shall be identified in the department’s Workforce Plan, which Plan shall be updated on an annual basis. Key positions are defined as those positions with one employee, positions that are vulnerable to high attrition rates, positions with a small number of subject matter experts, and positions essential to providing service levels established by the department.

2. The department employee designated to handle human resources activities shall develop recruiting resources or pipelines from which qualified candidate lists may be identified for each key position.

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3. Where possible, the replacement of a key position should occur at least ninety (90) days prior to the departure of the current position holder to ensure the transfer of critical institutional and technical knowledge.

4. If vacant positions are not identified as key, the position shall be left vacant for ninety (90) days to determine the need to replace or to shift the position to another area.

5. If the vacancy is a leadership position with four or less subordinates:

a. The position shall be left vacant until a determination is made whether the remaining group can be absorbed into another division or program.

b. If recently re-organized, the department may determine the group will return to the previous structure if group productivity levels can be maintained.

c. If the group is returned to the previous structure, the leadership position shall be considered for utilization in another area.

6. Replacement positions should be advertised at the lowest possible level within a job family to ensure each potential employee has a well-defined career path unless the Director determines that a higher level position is needed to maintain a specific level of service.

7. Through the recruitment process, eligibility lists for all positions shall be established and maintained for one-year by the department employee designated to handle human resources.

Legal Reference:Adoption Date: September 7, 2012Revision Date:

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APPENDIX 4 - 2

The net savings for the County of implementation of our Employee Replacement Policy for actions taken in 2013 - 2015 will approximate $546,000 over the next 5 years. Only a sample of actions taken is listed below.

SNOHOMISH COUNTY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICESWorkforce Plan - Savings from Position Replacement Strategies

Job Title Scale/Step 2016 2017 2018 2019Code Inspection Specialist 244/05 121,131 123,244 125,395 127,587

Burke, Lori Senior Fire Inspector 241/04 106,212 108,053 109,928 111,837 Position Savings 2016-2020 14,920 15,191 15,468 15,750

Underfilled - Nersten Inspector Senior Site 241/01 97,776 102,978 110,378 112,275 Mus Inspector Site 239/01-02 88,043 92,661 97,591 103,414

Position Savings 2016-2020 9,733 10,316 12,787 8,861

Moore, J Inspector Site 239/01 86,700 91,215 96,033 103,414 Anderson, Jared Inspector Senior, Site 241/05 106,685 108,515 110,378 112,275

Position Savings 2016-2020 (19,985) (17,300) (14,345) (8,861)

Smith, D Inspector Building 239/05 98,298 99,973 101,678 103,415 Labovitch Inspector Building 239/01 86,700 91,215 96,033 103,415

Position Savings 2016-2020 11,598 8,758 5,645 -

Bontrager Fire Inspector Senior 241/05 106,685 108,515 110,378 112,275 Henderson Fire Inspector 239/01 86,700 91,215 96,033 101,177

Position Savings 2016-2020 19,985 17,300 14,345 11,098

Huson Inspector Building 239/03-04 98,298 99,973 101,678 103,415 Mitrofanova Admin Asst-PDS Division Mngr 239/02 88,100 92,687 97,584 103,415

Position Savings 2016-2020 10,198 7,286 4,095 -

Kackman Inspector Senior Building 241/05 106,685 108,515 110,378 112,275 Vacant Inspector Senior Building 241/01 93,828 98,785 104,076 112,275

Position Savings 2016-2020 12,857 9,730 6,302 -

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APPENDIX 5 PDS has executed a number of projects to enhance its branding and marketing of the department and update its recruiting processes. Projects completed in 2015 are listed below.

Branding Marketing Recruiting

Spoke at Talent Management Alliance “Getting Results from Strategic Workforce Planning”

Mentorship presentation at APA Directors conference

Spoke at Talent Management Alliance “Getting Results from Strategic Workforce Planning”

Mentorship presentation at APA Directors conference

Revised “Request to Begin Hiring” to incorporate on-boarding requirements

Developed recruiting schedule to coordinate recruiting activities

Developed Leadership Academy

Implemented training database for certifications and professional development

Developed on-boarding checklist Conducted new employees/

managers’ meetings

One-day conference “TED” talks

Career focused training and development

Employee engagement survey Conducted employee

engagement events

One-day conference “TED” talks

Trading Places with Pierce County

Health Challenge with Pierce County

Trading Places with Pierce County

Health Challenge with Pierce County

Trading Places with Pierce County Health Challenge with Pierce

County

Second year of Mentorship Program

Second year of Mentorship Program

PDS Flash Drives PDS Flash Drives Used Skype for Business for interviews

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APPENDIX 61. OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT

Are you ready to get prepared for your job of tomorrow, today? Did you know that the PDS Workforce Plan shows that approximately 50% of our leadership is eligible to retire over the next five years? Do you want to explore the leadership career path? Do you want to develop transportable skills that will serve you well and continue to be enhanced far after the program ends? If so, this program might be for you.

The Leadership Academy provides training and experience that will give you the skills necessary to become a successful leader. Leaders touch every aspect of our department and the Academy will help improve leadership skills so you are better prepared for that future job opportunity. We will focus on leadership competencies in areas like emotional intelligence, dealing with ambiguity, motivating others, negotiating, organizational agility and self-development to name just a few.

As requirements for leadership change rapidly, we are putting renewed focus on building these critical capabilities. Cutting-edge leadership development brings together on-the-job learning, project assignments, and formal training with individual experiences to get you ready for that future job opportunity. The program will entail far stretching, challenging training where staff members develop and exercise significant and varied competencies -- leading themselves, leading people, leading strategy, and leading execution.

Our opportunity is to recognize those things that will affect our department in the future and choose to do something about it now. This is not only a good thing for our department as a whole, but it creates amazing opportunities for our employees. So the question is…who’s in?

2. PROJECT DEFINITION

The Leadership Academy will provide staff with opportunities to develop and enhance their leadership skills. The desired outcome is the expansion of staff capabilities to be effective in leadership roles and processes so that we have the right people with the right skills when leadership positions become available at PDS. As a management investment strategy, we desire people in PDS to be ready when those future job opportunities arise. Please remember, however, participation in the Leadership Academy cannot guarantee your career progress.

Project Goals

To enhance succession planning by preparing employees to assume leadership roles. To contribute to the department’s strategic goals by further enhancing the competencies of our employees. To demonstrate our commitment to the continued development of our employees.

How It Will Work

Over the course of the program, participants will learn how to think broadly, rigorously, and theoretically through curriculum designed around approaches to common challenges faced by public sector leaders in the 21st century.

The duration of the first session of the Academy will be 18 months. Similar to the Mentorship Program, the Academy will accept applications and up to 6 employees will be selected for participation. The number of participants will be limited to ensure that each participant receives focused attention on competency development. Anyone can apply, but

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applicants with experience in the PDS Mentorship Program (as mentors, mentees, or who plan to apply to the PDS Mentorship Program in 2016) will be given first priority. Participants will be selected based on application and interview scores. Each participant will be assigned to a member of the PDS Management Team who will act as their advisor throughout the program.

Successful applicants will take a third-party leadership competency assessment which will highlight specific areas that may need development. Participants will work with their advisor, the Director, department managers and/or external consultants to create an individual development plan. Participants will train with all members of the Management Team who possess strengths in needed competencies. Development could range from participation in group training to off-campus training as part of your annual training program. The Academy will utilize action learning and Assignmentology to acquire various competencies. Assignmentology is the thoughtful placement of people in assignments for the purpose of meeting both the individuals development needs and the needs of the department.

Time commitments for each participant will vary, depending upon the competencies to be developed. We anticipate an average of 2 hours per week. Training and development could take place during work and non-work hours. The Academy is not intended to take you out of your regular work day. Any time away from your regular position must be approved in advance by your Supervisor.

We will also work to pair this program with training already being offered by Human Resources entitled Supervisor Essentials. The following table highlights just a few of the focus areas of this program.

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Professionalism and Dressing for Success

Facilitation, Negotiation and

Conflict Resolution

Public Speaking and Presentations

Accountability and Taking Responsibility

Priority Setting and Decision Making

Recruiting, Retaining and Engaging

Employees

Developing a Savvy Perspective on the Political Landscape

Strategic Business and Financial Planning

Creating and Communicating Shared Vision

Leading Change and Innovation

Managing Emotions and Emotional

Intelligence

Coaching and Delegation

Understanding Interdependence and Building Relationships

Motivating Others

Managing and Measuring Work

Dealing with Ambiguity

This table correlates leadership competencies with many department leadership activities. Some of these activities will be group activities for all participants and some may be tailored to individual participants based on the competencies to be developed. All activities will include a debrief session after the event.

Stra

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(Aw

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Prof

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Awar

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Recr

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mpl

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Coac

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Skills

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Acco

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Man

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Publ

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Prio

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Facil

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Council Meetings R R R R

Executive Cabinet R R R R

Planning Commission R R R R R R

Agriculture Advisory Board R R R R R R

ITAC Land Committee R R R R R

Monthly Financial Presentations R R

Budgeting 101 and 201 R R R R R

Fee Team R

Managers Meetings R R R R R R R R R R

Leadership Team Meetings R R R R R R R R R

Workforce Planning Project R R R R R R R R R

BPT Project R R R R R R

Hearing Examiner Appeal/Hearing R R R R R R

Professional Reading R R R R R R R R R R R R R

E-Learning - Skill Soft R R R R R R

Management Advisor Session R R R R R R R R R R R R R

All-Staff Meeting R R R

Five-County Meeting R R R R R R

Transportation Improvement Brd R R R R R R R

Economic Alliance R R R R

Interview Panel R R R

Labor Management Meetings R R R R R

Engagement Activity R R R

Developing Annual Work Plan R R R R R R

COMPETENCY

Activity

There will be self-assessments and skills examinations at intermittent times throughout the program, and you will make a presentation on your leadership competencies at the end of the session.

3. ROLES AND WORK PLAN

Project Name

This project shall be called the Leadership Academy.

Project Sponsors

The sponsors for this project shall be Clay White, Director, Carol Taber, Finance Manager, and Josh Dugan, Long Range Planning Manager. The sponsors agree this is a high priority program; they will provide clear policy guidance,

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communicate the purpose and need for this program, offer timely feedback on issues, and contribute the resources and time necessary to make the project successful. Sara Enyeart is designated as administrative support for the program.

Task Plan

The task plan defines critical activities, milestones, and responsible parties and will include the following components:

1. Establish Program Processes and Curriculuma. Develop Project Charterb. Develop Participant Application and Interview Process c. Develop orientation session outlining participant responsibilities and commitments d. Facilitate Third-Party Participant Leadership Assessmentse. Develop Curriculum and Select Internal/External Consultants for Each Section

2. Program Launcha. Announce program at All-Staff Meetingb. Schedule Team and Informational Meetings to Recruit Participantsc. Conduct Participant Application Processd. Conduct Participant Interviews e. Select Successful Candidatesf. Develop Individual Development Plans for Each Successful Candidate g. Develop consultant assignments/rotation schedules

3. Academy Participanta. Complete the application and participate in Academy interview b. Complete Third-Party Leadership Competency Assessmentc. Formally agree to Academy responsibilities and commitments d. Pursue development activities outlined in your Individualized Development Plan e. Prepare periodic self-assessments and take examinations on skills developmentf. Make Final Presentation to Management Team

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Training

Mentorship

Leadership

APPENDIX 7Employee recognition events conducted over the past four years (outlined below) have enhanced employee engagement at PDS. The costs of these events are typically shared by the Director, Managers and Supervisors.

Staff-led updates of the department mission statement, philosophy, and values Created PDS motto – Focused Forward Staff-led Mentorship Program Permitting competition with Pierce County Health Challenge with Pierce County Trading Places On-boarding new employees – “Meet the Leadership Team” PDS Mugs for employees PDS Quarterly Newsletter PDS Refresh – Team effort to improve PDS’ physical environment - Dispose, surplus, or archive excess

materials, equipment and furniture; clean, vacuum, paint and rearrange Employee Surveys

o Job Enrichment, Management Support, Personal Empowerment o 2013 Engagement Surveyo 2014 Engagement Survey o 2015 Engagement Survey

Food Eventso Buckaroo Breakfast – Breakfast for staff prepared and served by managers and supervisorso Brown Bag Coffees and Lunches – Leadership Academy and Leadership Developmento PDS Staff Appreciation Lunch – Hosted by Executive’s Office and PDSo Halloween Pizza Feed o Holiday Potlucko Post-Holiday Morning Potlucko PDS Air – Afternoon drinks and snacks served by managers and supervisorso Summer Picnic for employees and PDS Alumnio Pocket Picnic – Small summer picnic in the courtyardo Chili Cook-Off

Poster Boardso “Positive Attitudes Live Here” – Staff kudos to colleagueso “PDS Shout Out” – External and internal kudos to staff memberso “Who’s Rockin’ PDS – You Are! – Staff kudos to colleagueso Signed “Welcome to PDS” for all new employees

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APPENDIX 7 (CONTINUED)

Recognition and Awardso Prosecuting Attorney Appreciation Get Together – Expression of gratitude for all they do for

and with uso Thank You Gathering recognizing all departments the participated in the County Comp Plan

Updateo Partners of PDS (POP) Awards – Recognizing County individuals who go the extra mile to assist

uso Mint Awards – “Achievemints,” “Commitmints,” “Accomplishmints,” “Containmints”o Pay It Forward and Make Someone’s Day – Coffee cards o Personal “Thank You” notes from Managers and Supervisors

Sportso Silvertips Hockey Nighto PDS Night at the Everett Reign

Personal Growth Trainingo “Bridging the Generation Gap at Work”o Implementation of Training Manager to track staff training and career pathso “Putting Happiness to Work”o One-Day Conference “TED Talks”

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APPENDIX 8

For the past three years, PDS has conducted a 13-question employee engagement survey. The chart below compares the results for each year and notes the change. With our workforce planning and management strategies, all areas have improved over the years. We will keep focusing on continuous improvement in ways to engage and retain our employees.

Employee Engagement Survey ResultsMarch 26 - April 3, 2015

Question\Response 2015 2014 2013Q01. I know what is expected of me at work. 3.51 3.45 3.41 0.10 Q02. I have the materials and equipment to do my work right. 3.32 3.28 3.23 0.09 Q03. At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best. 3.20 3.09 3.19 0.01

2.99 2.84 2.92 0.07

3.55 3.47 3.48 0.07

Q06. There is someone at work who encourages my development. 3.23 3.11 2.95 0.28 Q07. At work, my opinions seem to count. 3.07 2.98 3.00 0.07

3.24 3.04 3.09 0.15

3.32 3.23 3.29 0.03 Q10. I have a work best friend at work. 3.20 2.79 2.73 0.47

3.12 2.82 2.95 0.17

3.32 3.22 3.15 0.17

Q13. I would recommend the department as a great place to work. 3.47 3.27 3.29 0.18

Overall Department Engagement (Grand Mean) 3.27 3.12 3.13 0.14 Response Rate

Number of Respondents 96 94 97 (1.00)Number of Employees 121 123 110 11.00 Response Rate 79.3% 76.4% 88.2% (8.8%)

Engagement RateEngaged 92.9% 90.9% 90.1% 2.8%

2013-2015

Change

Q04. In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work.

Q05. My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person.

Q08. The mission or purpose of my department makes me feel my job is important.

Q09. My associates or co-workers are committed to doing quality work.

Q11. In the last six month, someone at work has talked to me about my progress.

Q12. In the past 12 months, I have had opportunities at work to learn and grow.

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APPENDIX 9

PDS Mentorship Program

Opportunity Statement

Snohomish County Planning and Development Services (PDS) is actively engaged in strategic workforce planning. Through that process we have gained an understanding about the importance of:

retaining our valued employees by investing in them and giving them the opportunity to be happy and successful, and

recruiting new employees who are talented, driven, and meet our organizational values

We now have the opportunity to establish and implement a mentoring program, which will enhance our existing workforce planning. Most importantly, however, this program provides the PDS employees the opportunity to give of themselves for the betterment of others. It provides employees, both on the mentor and mentee side, the opportunity to learn, grow professionally, increase communication within the department, and enhance the culture of PDS.

Project Goal

The Mentorship and Employee Development Program is a part of the PDS Workforce Plan (WFP) and is designed to tie in with many of the other workforce planning activities which we are actively engaged in.

The goals for the Program are three-fold. First, the program team members will be provided training to become mentors. The knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) necessary for being a mentor were identified in the WFP as being critical to leadership needs within PDS. The second goal of the program will be to provide a mechanism to pair those who want to teach with those who want to learn. Lastly, the Mentorship and Employee Development Program should have positive effects on PDS beyond that of the program elements. The hope is that this program further instills that we are Focused Forward not only on our department

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Mentorship program

On-Boarding

Succession Planning

Workforce Analytics

Career Pathing

Employee Training

Recruiting Employees

Retaining Employees

APPENDIX 9 (CONTINUED)

mission, but also in providing paths for current and future employees in any position to be fully invested and engaged in proactively planning for our future. The program is simply another avenue to promote employee giving, engagement, innovation, and creativity.

WorkforcePlanning Program

Mentoring Program Tie-In

On-Boarding Instills the department’s vision and values in new employees’ thinking Giving new employees a go-to person they can talk to and trust from day

one Provides a way for new employees to bond quickly and get accepted into

the department Provides an intentional process to help make sure new employees have a

good on-boarding experience

Succession Planning

Provides a vehicle to pair those who want to teach with those who want to learn

Helps facilitate knowledge transfer

WorkforceAnalytics

Mentoring is an investment in our employees from both the mentor and mentee side. It is a mutually beneficial program. We can measure the ROI of this program

Career Pathing KSA building for those in leadership roles and for future leaders Gives mentees a person or people they can talk to outside of their

supervisor or manager about their future Helps accelerate career development

Employee training Provides another opportunity to for skill building and learning within PDS. Helps PDS develop its talent pipeline and enhance its bench strength

Recruitingemployees

Helps set PDS apart from other departments in a positive fashion, enabling us to attract employees who are talented, driven, and meet our organizational values

Retainingemployees

This is a program that can be utilized, either on the mentor or mentee side. It can help skill build, career path, or give employees options for learning and growing.

How it will work

The Mentorship and Employee Development Program is designed to be an 18-month program, with six to eight committed members, who are dedicated to making the program a success. Although the program will last only 18 months for each team, our hope is that the skills obtained will continue to be utilized, enhanced

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APPENDIX 9 (CONTINUED)

far after the program ends, and part of leadership development. The program itself will be divided into three parts. They include:

Mentorship team training:

Prior to becoming a PDS mentor, each member will be provided proper training in coaching and mentoring skills by an outside consultant. The training will take place over an eight to ten week timeframe and will consist of an initial four-hour training session and four follow-up one-hour sessions scheduled within the same eight-ten week timeframe. Training materials will be provided.

Mentorship team outreach

Mentor team members will at least be committed to the following:

Assignment to a new employee during the first six to twelve months of employment and being committed to meeting at least once per month.

Assignment to an individual or team as part of meeting succession planning goals. Assignment to an employee who wishes to be mentored in particular skill sets or abilities.

Mentorship team meetings

Once the training program is complete, team members will meet at least once a month to discuss the program. These meetings could take place during work or non-work hours and discussions could range from discussing mentoring opportunities the previous month, activities to enhance mentoring and coaching abilities within the team, and sharing experiences that worked well or not so well.

Scope of the Program

1. Establishment of Program Processesa. Time commitments for mentors and mentees, length of relationship, and hours per month.b. Target number of mentees per mentor.c. Eligibility criteria for mentors and mentees d. Mentor application process and mentor/mentee matching process.e. Mentorship agreement, outlining the roles, responsibilities, expectations, action plan, termination of

agreement rules, number and timing of meetingsf. Determine conduct and confidentiality expectationsg. Determine mentoring relationship evaluation and exit processes.

APPENDIX 9 (CONTINUED)Page | 48

2. Marketing the Program

a. Determine best methods for reaching target audience for initial program launch and on-going program activities (All-Staff meeting, SharePoint, division and team meetings, etc.)

b. Develop mentor application and written materials, including an instruction guide for mentors and mentees and mentorship agreement

c. Develop an instruction guide for supervisors d. Schedule department/team informational meetings to recruit participants.e. Develop orientation session outlining mentee responsibilities

3. Mentor Training (described above)

4. Program Evaluation Methods and Schedulea. Develop program metricsb. Provide annual report for mentorship program and participant results

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APPENDIX 10

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REFERENCES

1Bersin, John, “Becoming irresistible, A new model for employee engagement,” Deloitte Review, Issue 16, 2015

2”What Was Management Thinking? The High Cost of Employee Turnover,” Forbes, 2014

3 Leadership Tips for Attracting, Engaging and Retaining a Multigenerational Workforce, TriNet, July 2012

4 Bernardo, Richie. “2015’s Best and Worst Cities to Find a Job”, WalletHub

5 Ultimate Software and the Center for Generational Kinetics, LLC, “Is There Really a Generational Divide at Work?” February 2015

6 Grossman, Robert J., “How to Create a Learning Culture,” Vol. 60, No. 4, Society for Human Resource Management, May 1, 2015

7 Pink, Daniel, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, Riverhead Books

Getting the Right People in the Right Seats, Deloitte University Press, 2014.

Bob Lavigna and John Flato, “Recruiting Against the Private Sector: What Government Can do to Better Complete for Talent from Campus” – 4/2/2014

Magosky, Shani . “4 Workplace Flexibility Trends for . . . 2015”, Chief Executive Network, 2014.

Canfield, Susan. Modern Mentoring, Foster Business, University of Washington, 2014.

Vickers, Mark. Nine Keys to Performance Management, White Paper, Institute for Corporate Productivity (I4CP), 2014.

Fehrenbach, Pete. Workforce: Temp Help as Labor Force De-Volatile-zer, Industry Week, 2013.

Higgins, Jeffrey. Human Capital Financial Statements; Human Capital Management Institute, LLC, 2012.

CFO Research. Human Capital Strategies in a Slow Recovery, The Finance Perspective on Workforce Management, CFO Publishing LLC , 2012.

Price Waterhouse Coopers, “Millennials at Work Reshaping the Workplace,” 2011

Gross, Jeffery H. Workforce Planning: 90 Day Action Plan; TopGrade Workforce Planning, 2009.

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