Fifty percent of those who recently quit their jobs with Shawano County did so without having something else lined up, according to exit interviews with former employees over the past few months.
Julie Hasser, human resources director, shared that information and more with the Shawano County Executive Committee on July 17.
“The scary thing here, 50% of the people who have left don’t even have another job,” she said. “They’re that unhappy that they’re willing to leave without another job.”
Interviews were conducted with former employees with the sheriff’s department and dispatch, human services, University of Wisconsin-Extension, library, finance, planning and zoning and public health. They were not conducted with those who quit without notice or were terminated by the county.
Hasser said the interviews shows 60% of former employees were stressed by management, another 20% by a negative culture and the remaining 20% by their work schedule.
“Eighty percent are leaving because of the people part of it,” she said.
On the flip side, the former employees said they liked the community, helping the community, their co-workers and the job they were hired to do.
However, 50% considered leaving four months to eight months before they finally quit.
“This is also scary,” Hasser said. “What that says to me as a manager and a leader, if I’m a supervisor, I had four to eight months to realize that that employee was thinking about leaving, and nothing was done to try and save them. As a leader, are we oblivious to it? Do we not recognize it, or did we not care?”
Forty-five percent of those interviewed said a growing negative culture soured them on working for the county during their tenure — from the initial excitement about starting a new job to the point where they decided they wanted to quit. They said they did not feel valued or appreciated.
Again, 60% said a more positive environment, a change in manager or a schedule adjustment could keep them. Only 10% said a higher salary would make a difference.
“How do you solve that?” asked Supervisor Randy Young. “Training?”
Carrie Buntjer, county finance director, said yes, managers need more development and training. Even occasional webinars would help, she said. Hasser said it’s imperative the county strengthens the people side of its managers.
“It’s really training our directors, supervisors, managers how to work with the employees,” she said. “They’re really good at knowing how to do their job, the tasks. The people skills, which is why you get the negative culture, because if you’re not good at it, it stresses you out and you don’t do a good job at it.”
Jim Davel, administrative coordinator, recounted his 30 years in the Army before working for Shawano County.
“Their focus is on recognizing your people with positive leadership,” he said. “We spent a tremendous amount of time rewarding our people, whether it’s a simple ribbon or if it’s a simple medal or whatever, but everything we did was to recognize your people. That’s a cultural shift that would have to happen in this organization.”
He said the new management style needs to be learned; it’s not an epiphany. Some are better at it than others, he added.
Hasser said department heads are open to change and to become better leaders.
“They’re almost like sponges right now,” she said. “They’re really open. They want it. They realize that it’ll make their jobs easier.”
kpasson@newmedia-wi.com
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