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City of Laredo staff survey finds training and compensation top areas for engagement policy
Summary
Marcela Cervantes, assistant director for the Department of Community Development, presented a practicum recommending a formal employee engagement policy after a 132-response employee survey flagged needs for professional development, leadership support and pay competitiveness.
Marcela Cervantes, assistant director for the Department of Community Development, presented a City of Laredo CPM practicum arguing the city should adopt a formal employee engagement policy to improve retention and morale. She told the panel a digital survey reached 165 employees and received 132 responses; respondents reported a mean tenure of about 10 years and prioritized professional development, leadership support and compensation.
Cervantes summarized key survey findings: 61% of respondents requested more professional development and technical training (AutoCAD, Excel, AS/400 and leadership), only 40% rated management as effective in resolving issues, 40% were satisfied with recognition programs but wanted more monetary incentives and merit increases, and 57% believed city salaries were not competitive with private-sector equivalents. She highlighted that exit records show about 421 separations over three years from an approximate 3,500-employee workforce (roughly 140 departures per year, about 4% annually).
Why it matters: Cervantes and panelists told the audience that employee engagement affects productivity and customer service and can carry material financial consequences because replacing an employee often costs multiple years of salary when recruitment, onboarding and lost productivity are factored in. Her recommendations to the panel and management included developing a citywide engagement policy with clear expectations for managers, standardizing recognition and compensation reviews, expanding training and career-development programs, strengthening onboarding and performance-evaluation systems, and piloting wellness and flexible-work initiatives.
Cervantes proposed a phased implementation over roughly four to six months with planning, training development, rollout and ongoing monitoring and recommended coordination among HR, department directors, finance and legal for budget and compliance review. She told the panel that a pilot should collect 30-/90-/180-day feedback and performance metrics before wider adoption.
