Municipalities in Central Texas have been experiencing explosive growth for over a decade, leading to infrastructure strain, housing issues, traffic congestion, budget constraints, and more. Behind the scenes, the growth is also creating several administrative challenges, such as:
- Increased workloads as the population they serve grows
- Workplace stress as they try to keep up with the rate of growth and demand
- Staffing shortages and service quality as the teams work to keep their heads above water while competing with the private sector for talent
- Difficulties in decision-making as a growing population naturally has more interests to balance and new challenges not applicable to smaller communities
- Need for professional development as new staff are onboarded, new services are required, and technicians are made managers overnight
Fortunately, there are a variety of ways municipalities can address these challenges, such as:
Staffing and resource planning to determine staffing gaps, develop creative ways to identify and recruit talent, and introduce technology to support and enhance staff capabilities
Example Projects:
- Develop and monitor reports that look at staff workload and processing times
- Set up an internship or apprenticeship program
Workload management by delegating tasks, cross-training, flexible schedules, and introducing hybrid and remote work programs.
Example Projects:
- Utilize software to automate permit creation and applicant notification
- Establish controls that allow junior staff the ability responsibly issue permits
Professional development through mentorship programs, recording and sharing best practices, and promoting opportunities to attend training and certification programs.
Example Projects:
- Establish a learning management system and lessons learn repository
- Develop turnover binders and “how to” videos
Communication and collaboration across teams and with stakeholders
Example Projects:
- Introduce permitting and project management software
- Implement small and consistent remote stakeholder discussions
The explosive growth of municipalities in Central Texas has brought about various administrative challenges, but by implementing these solutions, municipalities in Central Texas are positioning themselves to better meet the demands of their growing populations and overcome the challenges of rapid growth.
At Front Line Advisory Group, LLC (FLAG), we are providing change management services to help municipalities collect and analyze data, improve stakeholder communication, leverage technology, develop training plans, and more. We believe these are the most effective and affordable ways for municipalities to scale their capabilities. Contact us for more info at info@frontlineadvisorygroup.com.
