Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Workplace Culture topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public-health director, HR respond to articles alleging toxic workplace; exit-interview process explained
Summary
Director Jen Pfahl and Assistant HR Director Beth Wigman addressed recent newspaper articles alleging a toxic workplace and silencing of citizen advisory input. They described the exit-interview process, summarized trends, and outlined steps taken to address retention and culture concerns.
Fargo Cass Public Health Director Jen Pfahl and Assistant Director of Human Resources Beth Wigman responded to recent media articles at the April 4 board meeting, describing how exit interviews are conducted, what the department learned from voluntary exit interviews, and what the agency is doing in response to retention and workplace-culture concerns.
Wigman explained that exit interviews are voluntary and can be submitted identified or anonymously. She said the aggregated feedback from exits between 2022 and 2025 showed multiple drivers of turnover, including retirement, family obligations, compensation and benefits, limited career growth and supervision-related concerns. The HR representative said exit interviews are one input among others and that the city uses them to identify trends and develop targeted responses.
Pfahl and Wigman listed follow-up actions already taken or in progress: targeted pay adjustments where market data indicated lagging wages, changes to benefit offerings citywide, leadership-development opportunities, facilitated conversations when necessary, and engagement with city administration for higher-level action when warranted. Pfahl also addressed a separate article that questioned board continuity, saying a records review confirmed several former members' terms legally expired on Dec. 31, 2024, and staff reached out to invite those members to stay on until replacements were selected; those members declined.
Why it matters: Employee morale, retention and transparent use of exit data affect service continuity for public-health programs. The director told the board that staff morale includes both ongoing challenges and positive signs — staff have actively collaborated across divisions on grant applications and program work.
Ending: Pfahl invited board members to meet staff informally and noted the department is committed to continuing dialogue with the board and to reporting back on recruitment, retention and workplace-culture actions.
