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Two North Dakota counties work to retain employees
(Bismarck Tribune, The (ND) (KRT) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Aug. 6--Both Burleigh and Morton counties are looking into ways to retain employees.
At Tuesday's Morton County Commission meeting, Dave Stephens of the Avitus Group and Chuck Mormon, Morton County road superintendent, asked the commission to disperse $26,000 of a former employee's salary among 25 employees in the department.
The employee took another job, and Morman said dispersing the salary would be incentive to retain the other employees who are at risk of being lost.
"We've got to indicate to the employees that we're looking at the situation and trying to help out," he said. "Give us some breathing room so we can hold onto these people."
Stephens, who does human resources for Morton County, said most North Dakota and other Energy Belt highway departments are facing fierce competition to retain skilled workers from private oil companies.
A wave of retiring workers hired in the 1980s is leaving a void in the energy industry for skilled workers. Many of those vacancies are offered to already trained city and county employees at wages their employers can't compete with.
"So the pressure is on," Stephens said. "It's very clear."
Some other counties facing similar problems are Ward, McKenzie, Williams and Mountrail.
To determine if its hiring practices are competitive enough, Burleigh County hired Fox Lawson & Associates to look at 36 employment classifications the county has had trouble hiring in.
One of those classifications included highway workers, while others are positions such as tax appraisers and law enforcement officers, said Renae Gall, Burleigh County human resources director.
The study found the county is 3.6 percent off from the market medium, so at Monday's meeting, Gall recommended the Burleigh County Commission make a 4 percent cost of living adjustment increase to all employees.
She also proposed implementing a salary step system to stay competitive in the future.
Burleigh County isn't just competing against the private sector for its employees, but also against the city and state government, Gall said.
The commission approved the recommendation and will either finalize or reject it during the 2009 budget hearings this month.
If it is approved, Morton County will have one more competitor.
"We've tried to keep a handle on that," Stephens said. "It's just that much more pressure to watch our wages and make sure we're still in the ball park."
The Morton County Commission did not adopt the salary disbursement proposal in the highway department, but will consider it in the upcoming budget debates.
Stephens is confident it will be implemented. But said more measures will need to be taken in the county to retain workers. He suggested other ways besides financial incentives.
"I see a very strong need to increase our contribution to the health plan, and I hope you will give considerable consideration in the upcoming budget," he said. "Wages are one thing, but benefits are critical."
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Copyright (c) 2008, The Bismarck Tribune, N.D.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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