It’s no secret that we continue to face challenges due to understaffing. They aren’t just affecting a single industry. For various reasons, people just aren’t taking public sector jobs, despite the rewarding nature of the work and the benefits that come with it.
Last month, we were joined at our Board of Directors meeting by Governor Kathy Hochul and AFSCME President Lee Saunders, who recognize this problem. Governor Hochul has presented plans and initiatives and even signed legislation to encourage more people to take public sector jobs.
While we definitely appreciate the governor’s support, her administration can’t do it alone. The truth is it takes all of us to help with recruitment. We can be honest here and say increasing recruitment would help with retention, as workers would be relieved from lengthy and stressful shifts, reclaiming valuable time with loved ones. More recruitment and greater retention of public workers is a win for all New Yorkers.
Each of us has our story about how and why we came to be employed where we are. I’m willing to bet despite some of the challenges, the work is still extremely rewarding. Maybe it is caring for those who can’t care for themselves. Maybe it is improving the lives of those around us by improving roads, bridges, buildings and infrastructure. For others, it may be working with some of our state’s youngest and most vulnerable citizens in schools or daycares. Others work with incarcerated people, assuring not only their safety, but the safety of all.
We can make a difference in this struggle to improve the understaffing situation by not only remembering our story and remembering why we do what we do, but making sure we share that story with others. We can make a big difference by seeking out people who may be thinking about public sector employment and telling them why we do it. We can encourage them to apply for one of these unfilled positions. Every filled position helps.
I urge each of you to try to reach out to one person you know who may be interested in public service and sharing your story with them. Encourage them to apply. More information can be found at https://www.cs.ny.gov.
Our ability to improve our workplaces, and our lives, is more in our own hands than we may realize. It’s up to each of us to make the effort to try to improve things by doing our part.
