The Aging Workforce of the Local Government

As I look around at my workplace I notice a lot of employees that are close to retiring. I wonder how the City would replace such a big percentage of workforce. After subtly asking around I found out that when an individual retires and leaves a certain position, often departments put a hiring freeze on the position and the work is absorbed by the rest of the team. Apparently, this is a common practice among local governments especially in light of the dwindling departmental budgets.

As a MPA student who will be graduating soon this knowledge alarms me. If local governments continue to engage in the practice of hiring freeze where would the graduating students work? Another issue is that the declining number of employees with increasing workload would severely affect the quality of service. Lastly, increased work related stress would cause exhaustion and burnout among employees. I sincerely hope that there is more stimulation in government’s hiring practice.