· Turnover for Planner staff in the Planning Department since FY 1997-1998 has increased steadily. The turnover rate in FY 1997-1998 was 9 percent and doubled to 18 percent in FY 2000-2001. From July 2000 through September 2001, 25 Planners in Planner II through Planner V classifications resigned from the Department, or approximately 30 percent of the staff in those classifications. Due to the high turnover, the Department has a correspondingly high number of vacancies. The average number of vacancies in any given month for all positions in calendar year 2001 was 13.67, or approximately 10 percent of the staff.

· Turnover among Planners has resulted from multiple factors, including poor morale due to high workload and lack of management support, lack of career opportunities within the Department, and higher pay and better job opportunities elsewhere.

· Frequent vacancies and hiring of new staff has resulted in insufficient or inexperienced staff performing the work, thus increasing the workload for existing and more experienced staff. Turnover has resulted in insufficient experienced staff to process more complex cases and in backlogs in processing planning development projects applications. While turnover is costly in any organization, it has particular impact in the Planning Department where institutional history plays a key role in interpreting the Planning Code for development project applications.

· While some turnover will always occur, the Planning Department should implement policies to minimize internally caused turnover by improving staff morale, improving communications between planning staff and the Department management and Planning Commission, increasing career opportunities, and promoting a flexible working environment. Such policies should include ongoing morale surveys, new and more frequent communication channels between senior management and Planners, flexible work schedules, and regular study sessions with staff Planners and Commission members.

Turnover, Vacancies, and Hiring of Staff

Turnover among staff Planners in the Planning Department over the past few years has been high. The staff Planner turnover rate in FY 1997-1998 was 9 percent and doubled to 18 percent in FY 2000-2001. As shown in Exhibit 7.2, from July 2000 through September 2001 (a 15-month period), 25 Planners in Planner II through Planner V classifications resigned from the Department, or 30 percent of the staff in those classifications. Due to the high turnover, the Department has a correspondingly high number of vacancies. The average number of vacancies in any given month for all positions in calendar year 2001 was 13.67, or approximately 10 percent of the staff.

Exhibit 7.1
Turnover Rate Among Planners, FY 1997-1998 until FY 2001-2002

Source: Planning Department records based on number of resignations divided by filled positions

Turnover among Planners has resulted from multiple factors, including poor morale due to high workload and lack of management support, lack of career opportunities within the Department, and higher pay and better job opportunities elsewhere. Frequent vacancies and hiring of new staff has resulted in insufficient or inexperienced staff performing the work, thus increasing the workload for existing and more experienced staff. Turnover has resulted in insufficient experienced staff to process more complex cases and in permit application backlogs.

Provisional Employees

The Planning Department has hired many new Planners provisionally. The Department of Human Resources (DHR), which is responsible for conducting civil service exams and establishing lists for entry or promotional positions, has not developed new Planner eligibility lists within the time frames established by the Civil Service Rules.¹ Of the seven Planner classifications, only three had current eligibility lists in calendar year 2001. DHR has not had an eligibility list for Class 5291, Planner III, for two years. The prior eligibility list expired on February 25, 2000, and the new eligibility list for this class was not established until February 2002. According to the Department of Human Resources Merit System director, DHR is unable to establish new eligibility lists within the time frame established by the Civil Service System rules due to inadequate staffing within DHR. Because the City Charter sets a three year time limit for employees to remain in provisional status, DHR establishes eligibility lists as a priority for those classifications with a large number of incumbents who are approaching the three year limit.

During 2001, 23 of the 32 employees in the Planner III classification, or 72 percent, were provisional. Because provisional employees receive similar benefits as permanent employees under the Administrative Code, including health and retirement benefits, they do not have lesser compensation or benefits than permanent employees. However, provisional status is more uncertain than permanent status because, when the new eligibility list is finally created, an employee who ranks higher on the list can displace the provisional employee incumbent in the position. Currently, Planners who are hired provisionally into Planner I, III, IV and V classifications are unlikely to be displaced. The Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 21 has agreed that the eligibility lists for these four classifications are subject to the "rule of the list" rather than the "rule of three". Under the rule of the list, the Department may select employees from the list as a whole, rather than the top three, removing some of the uncertainty.

The Planning Department has also promoted staff Planners provisionally into supervisory Planner IV and Planner V management positions because no permanent eligibility lists exist for these classifications. The Planner IV eligibility list expired in September 2000 and the Planner V eligibility list expired in August 2000. DHR does not currently have a schedule for creating new Planner IV or Planner V lists. Promoting staff provisionally creates the same uncertainty for the promoted employee as hiring new staff provisionally. Once a new eligibility list is established, an applicant with a higher rank on the eligibility list can displace the provisional employee who is incumbent in the position. Additionally, when DHR establishes promotional eligibility lists, candidates are placed on the list based on a set of objective criteria, but when the Planning Department promotes candidates provisionally, the process is more subjective. Staff Planners expressed concern in interviews that promotions were based on subjective factors and not objective qualifications.

Causes and Solutions for Staff Turnover

In focus groups conducted with 66 staff Planners, participants stated that frequent vacancies and hiring of new staff resulted in insufficient or inexperienced staff performing the work, thus increasing the workload for existing and more experienced staff. Respondents to an applicant"s survey stated that staff turnover, resulting in more inexperienced staff, has created problems in application processing. According to Neighborhood Planning managers, turnover has resulted in insufficient experienced staff to process more complex cases and created backlogs in processing planning permit applications.

Focus group participants cited job stress, lack of management support (including Planning Commission support), and lack of career opportunities or rewards for performance as causes for turnover. In FY 2000-2001, one-third of the Planners who resigned from the Planning Department accepted other private and public sector positions offering higher pay. Interviews with several recently separated employees show that poor employee morale in the San Francisco Planning Department as well as higher pay with other employers resulted in their resignation. The City"s Department of Human Resources issued an "Exit Interview Survey" in December 2001 and it can be used by Planning to obtain more direct feedback from separating employees in the future.

New career opportunities

Focus group participants wanted more career opportunities within the Department. The Department has limited opportunities for staff Planners to work in the different divisions of the Department, or to develop more advanced planning or technical skills without promoting into a management position. Although the Department has a simple procedure for announcing vacant Planner positions and allowing Planners to apply for vacant positions, transferring among areas of the Department can be difficult. For example, Planners in Neighborhood Planning are not always able to move into vacant positions in Citywide Policy and Analysis due to short staffing in Neighborhood Planning. Planners in Neighborhood Planning can not advance beyond Planner III positions without moving into team leading or management positions.

The Department should implement policies to increase career opportunities for staff Planners. For instance, the Department could assign Neighborhood Planning staff to special projects other than application processing. A Planner in Neighborhood Planning could work with Citywide Policy and Analysis staff to draft a specific policy, such as the merger of dwelling units amendment or the conditional use appeal procedure. Also, Planners from Citywide Policy and Analysis and Neighborhood Planning could be paired to work on specific issue or geographic related tasks.² Fostering joint work projects between Neighborhood Planning and Citywide Policy and Analysis would help to coordinate long range planning proposals and implementation.

Improved communication between senior management and staff Planners

In the focus groups, staff Planners stated that lack of support from senior management contributed to staff turnover. Lack of support included disrespectful treatment of staff in meetings, insufficient support for staff when application processing problems arise, and inconsistency in advising staff on application processing recommendations. Staff Planners wanted more respectful treatment from senior management in meetings and more consistent advice and feedback regarding application processing. Managers in Neighborhood Planning have conducted a morale survey, including soliciting recommendations for improvements from staff, and are in the process of grouping the recommendations for consideration. According to Neighborhood Planning managers, this is the first time that senior management has been involved in this process. The Citywide Policy and Analysis unit is also attempting to create a more effective structure, including increasing communication between the Planner IV staff and the Chief of Citywide Policy and Analysis, conducting performance assessments of staff within the section, including an assessment of the Chief by the staff, and conducting unit wide staff meetings weekly.

The focus groups identified communication problems between staff Planners and managers as a factor contributing to turnover. In a survey of applicants conducted for this management audit, some respondents said that new or inexperienced staff Planners were not able to make decisions without approval from the Director or Zoning Administrator. Staff recommended that the Director delegate more decision-making to other management staff. Staff also recommended that the Director attend division staff meetings on a regular basis or conduct more frequent department-wide staff meetings, and open a direct channel of communication, such as regular email access, and that the Zoning Administrator increase available drop-in hours.

Many Planning Department employees have never received a performance evaluation. Because the performance evaluation is an important tool for managers to give feedback to staff Planners about their work, management staff should conduct an annual performance evaluation for all staff Planners.

Improved communication with the Planning Commission

Focus group participants stated that a poor working relationship with the Planning Commission harmed morale. According to the Planners, Commission members did not seem to understand the work or scope and expertise of Planners. Planners stated that Commission members seldom called Planners prior to a Commission hearing if they had questions about a case, and staff Planners can be discomfited at Commission hearings when presented with questions or arguments for which they are unprepared.

The Planning Commission should develop an ongoing working relationship with the planning staff. The Planning Commissions in Oakland and San Jose have regular study sessions for staff and Commission members. The Oakland Planning Commission has subcommittees and conducts study sessions in the subcommittees. These informal study sessions creates an informal dialogue between Commission members and Planners about the planning process and policies. In San Jose, the Planning Commission conducts once monthly study sessions for Planning Department staff and Commission members, and once each year, the Commission holds a retreat for Commission members. The Planning Commission should implement regular study sessions for Planning Department staff and Commission members to discuss planning policies and procedures.

Flexible Work Schedules

Focus group participants recommended increased flexibility in work schedules to promote staff retention and reduce turnover. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City and OPEIU Local 21 promotes alternative work schedules and telecommuting. The Planning Department has a written policy allowing staff to work a biweekly schedule of nine days/ 80 hours rather than ten days/ 80 hours. Under this schedule, staff do not work on alternate Fridays. Approximately 40 Planning Department employees are currently working the 9/80 schedule. The Department also has a policy to allow flexible work start and end times and is drafting a policy for reduced work schedules. Currently, the Department does not have a policy regarding telecommuting. The Department should implement its draft policy for reduced work schedules and draft a telecommuting policy.

Conclusion

The Planning Department"s high turnover rate among staff Planners has resulted in too few and inexperienced staff performing the work, and increased workload for existing and experienced staff. Turnover has resulted in insufficient experienced staff to process more complex cases and in backlogs in processing planning permit applications.

Turnover among Planners has resulted from multiple factors, including poor morale due to high workload and lack of management support, lack of career opportunities within the Department, and higher pay and better job opportunities elsewhere. However, the Department can benefit from use of the City"s new Exit Interview Survey for future separations. Frequent vacancies and hiring of new staff has resulted in insufficient or inexperienced staff performing the work, thus increasing the workload for existing and more experienced staff.

The Planning Department should implement policies to improve communication between planning staff and the Department management and Planning Commission, increase career opportunities, and promote a flexible working environment to improve staff morale. Such policies should include ongoing morale surveys, new and more frequent communication channels between senior management and Planners, flexible work schedules, and regular study sessions with staff Planners and Commission members.

Recommendations

Based on the above findings, it is recommended that the Director of the Planning Department:

7.1 Require Department managers to conduct annual performance evaluations for all staff Planners to increase the level of communication between management and staff and to provide feedback to staff on job performance;

7.2 Conduct annual morale surveys to identify workload problems, communication failures between staff and Department management or the Planning Commission, and other factors contributing to poor staff morale. The results of the morale survey should be presented to the Planning Commission and used as a factor in an annual evaluation of the performance of the Department Director;

7.3 Increase work opportunities for staff Planners by assigning Neighborhood Planning staff to special projects other than application processing and establishing teams from Citywide Policy and Analysis and Neighborhood Planning to work on specific issues or geographic related tasks;

7.4 Improve communication between staff and senior management, by delegating more decision making responsibilities to Planner V staff, regularly attending division staff meetings or holding regular Department-wide staff meetings, increasing Zoning Administrator drop-in hours, and setting up communication channels, such as regular email access;

7.5 Assist new and inexperienced staff in Neighborhood Planning by assigning mentors to junior staff and increasing team leader participation in project reviews;

7.6 Adopt and implement the Department"s draft policy for reduced work schedules and draft a telecommuting policy; and,

7.7 Ensure that in the future, exit interview results for all separating employees are captured through use of the City"s new Exit Interview Survey and regularly reported to management with recommendations for any necessary remediation.

It is recommend that the Planning Commission:

7.8 Implement regular study sessions for Planning Department staff and Commission members to discuss planning policies and procedures.

Costs and Benefits

The above recommendations would not result in increased direct costs. Because these recommendations are intended to improve staff morale and reduce turnover, successful implementation would result in reduced costs from decreased turnover, job vacancies, and hiring and training of new staff.

¹ The Civil Service Rules require the Human Resources Department to conduct examinations and establish eligibility lists (a) whenever a provisional appointment is made to a permanent position, or (b) prior to expiration of an eligible list where there is a demonstrated need for continuing appointments to the class, except for reasons beyond the Human Resources Director"s control (Section 111.3).

² The City of Oakland has developed teams of current and long range planning staff to work on either geographic or issue related tasks.