County culture team proposes accountability‑focused training series after workforce survey; supervisors support pilot

Human resources director Amanda Fazemeyer told the Board that the county’s Culture Team developed an action plan based on the GAPM workforce survey and follow‑up interviews, concluding that "accountability" scored low countywide and needs targeted work.

Fazemeyer summarized the team’s method: drill‑down interviews with employees, supervisor feedback and a review of barriers. She said the team identified inconsistent follow‑through, lack of trust, difficulty addressing conflict and poor communication as top barriers and proposed solutions including peer mentoring, 1‑on‑1 meetings and a structured accountability program. "Training alone doesn't create behavior change," she said; the proposal pairs training with practice sessions and follow‑up.

Mike Hendrickson, county conservation director, described his experience running 1‑on‑1 meetings and said the approach produced substantial staff feedback and improved communication. "Those 1‑on‑ones gave me so much insight," Hendrickson said, adding that they revealed areas where supervisors had not been building relationships and trust.

Fazemeyer said the team is proposing three review and practice sessions on Aug. 26, Sept. 9 and Sept. 23 at a total cost of $15,000, with pre‑work to tailor sessions to participants. She told the board she will present an addendum to the consultant contract for approval next week. Supervisors praised the approach and asked staff to return with any materials needed for next meetings.