Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
Q&A
311 headcount, vacancies, and retention challenges
1:23:27
·
178 sec
Commissioner Matthew C. Fraser discussed the current headcount, vacancies, and retention challenges for the 311 call center.
- The current budgeted headcount for 311 is 248, with 239 active employees
- There are 9 vacancies, representing a 3.6% vacancy rate
- OTI conducts quarterly classes to bring in new 311 call center operators
- Retention is a significant challenge due to the nature of the job, which requires availability regardless of external circumstances
- Vacancies fluctuate from quarter to quarter, with ongoing efforts to balance hiring and attrition
- OTI is working on improving transparency about job requirements and creating incentives to extend quality of life for employees
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:23:27
Okay.
1:23:30
Okay.
1:23:38
Can I ask questions on just three one one headcount?
1:23:42
Sure.
1:23:43
These are some small numbers, three one one's budgeted head count for FY '20 '5 is three eighty six.
1:23:49
The actual head count as of this January is three fifty six.
1:23:52
Is that do you have is that accurate on your end?
Matthew C. Fraser
1:23:55
So the budgeted head count that we have for 03/2001 right now is 248 and we're currently active at 239.
1:24:06
We have a 9% we have 3.6% vacancy at nine.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:24:12
Okay.
1:24:13
Well I'll double check our end but do you how do you plan to what is the amount of vacancies?
1:24:18
3%?
Matthew C. Fraser
1:24:19
We have nine.
1:24:20
It's a nine vacancies which is 3.6%.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:24:23
Oh nine vacancies.
1:24:24
Okay.
1:24:24
Any plan on how you will fill them?
Matthew C. Fraser
1:24:28
Yep.
1:24:28
So we have classes that that we conduct quarterly that brings new three zero one call center operators in.
1:24:35
One of the things that we have a big challenge around is retention And we're to figure out new ways, new incentives to keep people motivated with staying with city service.
1:24:47
Also, people take these jobs and these opportunities, it requires people to be available regardless of what's happening out in the universe and that's not always
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:24:57
I'm so sorry.
1:24:57
Can you say that again?
Matthew C. Fraser
1:24:59
Said when people take jobs like three one one, it's also a heavy tax on a person because regardless of what's going on externally, three one one is a surface that has to be available.
Julie Won
1:25:09
Mhmm.
Matthew C. Fraser
1:25:09
So a lot of times when people come in the door, may not consciously think about, oh, while there's a middle of a storm, I have to get to work to answer a phone.
1:25:19
So a part of retention, that becomes a part of our retention challenge because people, once they're faced with a couple of challenges like that, they may not want to do it.
1:25:28
So being more transparent about what's required as part of the job, creating more incentives, figuring out how we can extend the quality of life for those that do that job is something that we actively look at on a day to day basis.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:25:40
Thank you.
1:25:40
And how how long or I guess like how long have you had these have these vacancies existed in 03/11?
Matthew C. Fraser
1:25:47
So the vacancies fluctuate from quarter to quarter.
1:25:50
With every new class that comes in, we backfill vacancies that are in place and we put people in those seats and as we bring in a new class, we lose people so it's a pipeline that's sort of continuous.
1:26:02
Sometimes we get to a space where we have no vacancies or sometimes we're getting to a space where we're over headcount but because of attrition it kind of balances itself out by the time we get to the end of the year.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:26:13
Okay.
1:26:14
I'm just gonna ask a couple more questions about Big Apple Connect and then pass it to council member Brewer for a second round.
1:26:19
Just all three go ahead.
1:26:21
Was just gonna ask a few more.
Gale Brewer
1:26:23
Is that okay?
1:26:24
Of course.
1:26:24
Go ahead.
Jennifer Gutiérrez
1:26:25
Okay.