Q&A
Evaluating the success of remote work and its impact on retention
2:12:49
·
122 sec
Council Member Restler inquires about how the success of the remote work initiative is being tracked and its impact on employee retention. Deputy Commissioner Pollak explains the current evaluation process and challenges in measuring its specific impact.
- Success is primarily measured through weekly meetings with DC 37 and feedback from agencies
- Retention data will be considered, but it's challenging to isolate the impact of remote work from other factors
- There has been an improvement in the city's attrition rate, but this could be due to multiple factors, including recent contract settlements
- The city will look at attrition rates, retention rates, and feedback from agencies and employees to determine the initiative's effectiveness
- The compressed work schedule initiative is newer and its impact is yet to be fully assessed
Lincoln Restler
2:12:49
Okay.
2:12:49
Well, that's look.
2:12:50
It's really I know that chair De La Rosa has really been focused on this issue.
2:12:53
I think it's really promising.
2:12:55
Hopefully, it will improve improve retention.
2:13:01
How are we tracking the success of this initiative on the remote work side and on the compressed schedule side?
Daniel Pollak
2:13:08
So the compressed work, side is newer, but the remote work pilot, I would say the primary way we're measuring success is we're we're talking we meet every week, with DC 37 as part of this pilot to talk about the challenges we're facing.
2:13:22
You know, we're talking to agencies.
2:13:24
We're getting their feedback.
2:13:26
And, you know, as we approach the aspiration of the pilot in July, you know, we'll continue to to have those conversations and to kind of determine together with DC 37, as well as other unions the best way to measure kind of what our next steps are.
Lincoln Restler
2:13:41
And what about the retention data?
2:13:44
Is that I mean, I I realize it's it's one data point.
2:13:47
Things change.
2:13:48
There are different factors that inform retention policies and people's decision to stay in their jobs.
2:13:53
You know, we saw a huge, exodus from the city workforce, you know, in 2022 and kind of at peak COVID times.
2:14:04
Or maybe it was the new mayor.
2:14:05
I don't know.
2:14:06
I I'm guessing it was COVID.
2:14:08
The, but how are we is that being closely monitored, and is that informing our decisions to expand it or reduce it, or is that not the primary thing that we're looking at?
Daniel Pollak
2:14:18
It's certainly going to be something we look at.
2:14:20
You know, it's hard to determine can't I have separate out all the other factors that have taken place?
2:14:26
You know, I do think there's been an improvement in the city's attrition rate, but, you know, at the same time we're doing this, we also settled our contracts and did a lot of things on compensation that I discussed earlier.
2:14:36
So it's hard to, you know, determine what had what impact, but we will certainly look at attrition rates, retention rates, and, you know, the the feedback from the agencies and employees in determining whether it's having the desired effect.
Lincoln Restler
2:14:48
Thank you.
2:14:48
And I'd like to kick it back to chair De La Rosa.
