title
Receive a presentation from MES Consultants, LLC. on the results of Listening Tours conducted as part of the Inclusive Leadership Program
body
Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No _X _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
Receive a presentation from MES Consultants, LLC. on the results of Listening Tours conducted as part of the Inclusive Leadership Program.
SUMMARY:
On November 5, 2024 the Board approved a contract with MES Concepts, LLC to initiate and implement an inclusive leadership program. The consultant has completed the first phase of the contract which was to conduct Listening Tours (a form of one-on-one discussion and feedback) with approximately 100 full-time County employees and will present key themes from the Tours and highlight next steps.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no cost to receiving the presentation. The contract is included in the CAO’s FY2024/25 Working Budget and is carried forward to the CAO’s FY2025/26 Working Budget. The costs associated with preparing the agenda item are nominal and absorbed by the Department’s FY2025/26 Working Budget.
DISCUSSION:
On November 5, 2024, the Board of Supervisors received a presentation from MES Concepts, LLC on an Inclusive Leadership Program and approved a $136,700 contract for MES Concepts to provide comprehensive inclusive leadership services. A first amendment to the contract extended the project timeline through October 31, 2025. The scope of services included Listening Tours with up to 100 full-time County employees; a presentation of the results of these Tours to the Board; and a series of Inclusive Leadership workshops for approximately 550 Executive and Senior Managers throughout the County, with group follow-up to support implementation efforts.
Employees were notified by a countywide e-mail notification from the County Administrator about the intent of the Listening Tours and encouraged to participate. Participants were selected from a list of all full-time County employees using a random generator tool with representation across departments and bargaining units was ensured. Employees from each department and each bargaining unit were invited to participate in proportion to each department’s and each bargaining unit’s countywide representation. Employee contact information was provided to the consultant, who made at least three attempts to contact employees via both telephone and e-mail. Some employees did not respond and some from the original list opted not to participate. Additional names were randomly generated and ultimately a total of 95 Listening Tours were completed. To ensure employee confidentiality, themes from the Tours are discussed, but the identities of individual participants are known only to the consultant.
Participants varied in tenure with the County, with 40% (37 employees) working for the County for less than 5 years; 35% (34 employees) working with the County for 6 - 19 years; and 25% (24 employees) having more than 20 years with the County.
The Listening Tours focused on key questions:
• What are your perceptions of the employee experience?
• How does that (employee experience and inclusion) compare to your previous employer?
• What are some employee experience components you would like to see at Solano County?
What are your perceptions of the employee experience?
Recurring themes for this question included areas such as promotional opportunities and career growth; communication/engagement and leadership accessibility; accountability and workload; pros and cons associated with remote/telework; and staffing/budgetary constraints.
How does that compare to your previous employer?
Recurring themes for this question varied by sector but included uniform standards; career pathing; and communications/environment.
What are some employee experience components you would like to see at Solano County?
Recurring themes in the final question focused on training/opportunities for growth and skills development. Others included a consistent countywide remote work plan and increased communication between departments.
This feedback is valuable to inform the County about how to best position itself in the future to attract and retain qualified staff. Information from the McKinsey Workforce Report shows that labor shortages, already experienced in some jurisdictions, are likely to grow by 2030 and continue for many years. In order to attract and retain valuable employees, agencies should consider reviewing current outreach and hiring methods to adapt to the changing workforce.
The next step in the process is for approximately 550 executive and senior managers to take part in one of 11 Inclusive Leadership Workshops to be held over the next months, with group follow-up to support implementation and accountability.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board could choose not to receive the presentation; however, this is not recommended as the Board approved the contract for comprehensive inclusive leadership services and the presentation is part of this process.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The County Administrator’s Office and the Human Resources Department collaborated with the consultant throughout the Listening Tour process and will continue to collaborate through the Inclusive Leadership Workshops and implementation processes.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION