Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Organizational Assessment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
CPS HR: Dillon staff largely committed to mission but lack clear strategic direction, consultants say
Summary
CPS HR presented an organizational health assessment showing staff feel skilled, mission-aligned and well-equipped day to day but reported gaps in leadership direction, communication and succession planning; consultants recommended short-term transparency steps and a midterm strategic 'North Star'.
CPS HR consultant Sarah Randazzo presented results of an organizational health assessment to the Dillon Town Council, telling members the survey of 51 staff (administered Jan. 20–30) achieved approximately an 80% response rate and produced a mix of encouraging strengths and actionable gaps.
Randazzo said the assessment found employees "have the skills needed to do my job" and broadly see a connection between daily work and the town's mission. "We had an 80% response rate, which I have to say is extremely high and very good," she said, noting strong peer relationships, access to training and adequate tools as notable strengths.
But the consultant highlighted consistent weaknesses around strategic clarity and leadership communication: staff reported they are committed to the town's vision but unclear about priorities over the next two to three years. Randazzo described a "trust trifecta"—trust with peers, supervisors and leadership—and said trust declines at higher leadership tiers, with some staff feeling connected to different leaders (council, town manager, HR) rather than to a single, aligned message from the top.
Randazzo identified concrete areas for improvement: more predictable top-down communication, clearer role for leadership in setting priorities, modest leadership-development practices, and strengthened performance management and succession planning. She recommended immediate steps—sharing results with staff, developing an implementation plan and reinstating predictable communication (quarterly all-employee meetings and more timely updates when changes occur).
Council members asked for follow-up segmentation and analysis; Randazzo cautioned subgroup analysis requires minimum sample sizes but said CPS HR would follow up on feasible requests. Several council members and department heads committed to reinstituting town halls and staff barbecues to rebuild connection, a step staff had requested during breakout groups.
The presentation closed with an emphasis on small, tactical actions rather than sweeping overhaul: Randazzo said the data point toward practical fixes that could increase visibility into leadership decisions and improve employees' sense of direction. The town did not take any formal action during the session; councilmembers asked staff and CPS HR to return with implementation options and additional analysis where appropriate.
