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Advisory Committee reviews HR FY27 budget as turnover dips and Litix subscription drives cost increase
Summary
The Wellesley Advisory Committee reviewed the Human Resources FY27 budget request on Jan. 28, noting turnover improved to 10.25% and that a 2.78% budget increase is driven largely by a proposed subscription to Litix for compensation analysis. Committee members asked about comparables and IT pay competitiveness.
The Wellesley Advisory Committee on Jan. 28 reviewed the Human Resources Department's FY27 budget request, which seeks a 2.78% increase over FY26 and attributes its largest new cost to a subscription to Litix, a compensation-survey and analysis platform.
The HR presentation said the department's staffing structure is 5.5 full-time-equivalent positions, including a part-time benefits analyst shared with the Veterans District, and described HR's mission as to make Wellesley an "employer of choice." HR reported employee turnover improved from 16% in 2023 to 10.25% and set a goal of reducing turnover below 10%.
Committee members pressed HR on several operational points. Members asked how Wellesley's turnover compares with other towns and were told 10% is typical while HR is working toward 8%. On cost-of-living adjustments, HR said COLAs can be adjusted at a Special Town Meeting if necessary; committee members also asked for the confidence level on cost-of-living predictions and adjustment opportunities.
The committee discussed classification systems and benchmarking. Committee members asked whether the Litix platform replaces the prior HAY system; HR said the MGT system replaced HAY for initial classification and Litix will be used for ongoing position evaluation. Members raised concerns about IT pay competitiveness; HR said IT job descriptions are being rewritten to be more realistic and that pay schedules are being compared with larger nearby municipalities, including Newton and Waltham.
Clarifying details provided at the meeting include: - FY27 request: a 2.78% increase over FY26 (below the 3% guideline). - Turnover: improved from 16% (2023) to 10.25% (most recent reporting); HR goal is <10%. - Staffing: 5.5 FTEs in HR, including a part-time benefits analyst shared with the Veterans District; the Veterans District contributes to that offset.
The Advisory Committee did not vote on the HR budget at the Jan. 28 meeting; the department's budget and related Annual Town Meeting motions (including pay-schedule adjustments) remain on the committee's agenda for further review and for Town Meeting consideration.
