Select Board reviews personnel study progress; HR outlines completed reforms and next steps on handbook and goal tracking

Town human resources staff and the Personnel Board presented a progress report on March 17 summarizing implementation of recommendations from the personnel study task force formed in 2021. Presenters told the Select Board most task force recommendations have been completed and outlined the remaining work: rollout of a new employee handbook, a remote‑work policy, reporting improvements tied to a new HR/finance system and continued communications to rebuild employee trust.

Key accomplishments reported: - Personnel bylaw: The board adopted substantial updates at the 2024 Annual Town Meeting that clarified roles and responsibilities of the Personnel Board and the town manager. - Classification and compensation: The town completed a new classification and step‑based salary methodology; job descriptions were reviewed and updated for equity and relevance; reclassification requests are rated by HR with a market check. - Policies: HR updated multiple personnel policies (standby pay, uniforms/safety equipment, town vehicles and licensing, leave policies, technology and workplace violence, among others); employees were provided the draft materials in advance of Personnel Board review. - Benefits and operations: The town repurposed a vacant FTE to create a benefits manager position to centralize benefits, retiree administration and wellness programming. HR rolled out a driver‑verification system for town vehicle operators and increased outreach and in‑department presence.

Staff described next steps: finalizing an employee handbook (including a remote‑work policy), increasing benchmarking reporting tied to a Munis implementation, formalizing exit interview reporting and presenting regular Personnel Board updates to the Select Board.

The town’s CIO demonstrated a new employee goal‑tracking tool that uses Microsoft Lists and Power BI to capture, standardize and report progress on employee and departmental goals. Staff loaded this year’s goal data into the system for testing, will train directors and managers one‑on‑one, and expects two update cycles this spring with a full transition to the tool in FY26.

Select Board members thanked staff and the Personnel Board for the work, highlighted the difficulty of the multi‑year effort, and asked for continued focus on communications, employee surveys/exit interviews and measurement of retention and morale. The board and Personnel Board will continue to refine the Personnel Board charge and return with language for adoption.