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HR presents workforce diversity snapshot, notes data limits and recruitment outreach plans

Tompkins County Workforce Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee · December 19, 2025

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Summary

Human Resources presented a first snapshot of workforce demographics, explained limitations in self‑reported gender and race/ethnicity data, outlined recruitment outreach (60+ community partners, Handshake, job fairs), and said a new OpenGov system should improve notifications and data handling in 2026.

Human Resources presented the county’s workforce diversity enhancement indicator and recruitment strategy to WDIC on Dec. 18, showing the first snapshot of self‑reported staff demographics and describing operational limitations and next steps.

Samantha Allmendinger (training and development coordinator) and Larry Workman (manager of talent acquisition and engagement) said the indicator uses HR database entries and employee self‑reporting collected at onboarding or when employees update their UKG profile; HR reviews the data biannually. The dataset currently captures gender and race/ethnicity but is limited by the categories available in HR systems and by how employees choose to self‑identify. “There are some challenges and barriers with what we currently have access to,” Allmendinger said, noting inconsistent reporting and limited contextual data.

Workman described recruitment outreach channels that include an automated vacancy email list, more than 60 nonprofit and community partner contacts, attendance at job fairs, and targeted outreach to local schools and colleges including TC3 and TST BOCES. He said the county uses Handshake to reach college students and that legislators are welcome to participate in outreach at job fairs.

Members raised technical and interpretive questions: why census categories differ from HR categories; whether the public OpenGov dashboard will display workforce indicators; and how to interpret differences between county population and employee demographics (committee noted 68% of county residents identified as white versus about 80% of employees self‑identifying as white in the snapshot). HR said many factors affect representation, including that roughly 40% of the county workforce lives outside the county.

HR said a new procurement/KPI system (OpenGov) and updated outreach lists next year should improve data access and notification capabilities; HR also flagged a planned 2026 climate survey that could provide richer staff demographic context.