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Riley County human resources: year-end staffing stable but turnover rose to 23%; training programs highlighted
Summary
Riley County Human Resources presented a year-end report showing roughly stable regular headcount (285) and 23% turnover for the year, with several open positions and multiple leadership and supervisor-development programs underway or planned.
County human-resources staff reported a year-end snapshot and described leadership-training initiatives during the Jan. 2 Riley County commission meeting.
Key figures presented: HR reported 285 regular employees and 367 stipend or seasonal employees (mainly firefighters and election workers) as of the week of the meeting. For the full year, staff recorded 67 new hires and 66 separations among regular employees, but turnover rose to about 23% following multiple retirements and several separations; HR said there were six current regular openings including EMS and public-health nurse positions, and several openings in public works and the clerk’s office.
HR staff described several leadership and supervisor-development programs the county has supported: an instructor-led monthly “highly effective managers” or “high performance leadership” program (some online cohorts, some in-person), the Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program (a regional cohort with 26 participants), supervisor mentoring in the health department, and an ongoing model to send two county staff into longer leadership academies as an investment in succession planning.
Other HR items: HR completed the year-end performance-evaluation cycle, finalized 2025 pay-rate assignments and benefit rates, and is planning an overhaul of the FMLA filing system to move more processes electronic. HR also said it is working on grant-funded personnel budgeting and continuing mentoring for the health department.
Why it matters: rising turnover and several open technical positions (including a facilities role requiring construction skills) present recruitment and retention challenges; county leaders emphasized investment in leadership development and succession planning as a response.
Ending: HR said it will continue to prioritize recruitment for critical openings and return with more details on supervisor-development pilot programs and the FMLA filing overhaul.
