Consultant recommends new HR structure to boost recruiting, training and employee relations

A consultant told the City Council that the city should reorganize its human resources function under a Chief Administrative Officer with a Director of HR, department-assigned HR generalists and centralized HR specialists to address persistent staffing and service problems. The consultant identified six functional areas of need: performance management; recruiting, hiring and onboarding; compensation and benefits; training and development; employee relations; and process and coordination.

The recommendation, presented by Ms. Reed, combined department-based HR generalists—who would be embedded with operating departments to build relationships and handle day-to-day support—with centralized HR specialists focused on technical…