ATD Blog
How Local Governments Can Leverage Learning and Development to Increase Employee Retention
The modern workforce prioritizes different factors than previous generations. Local governments that recognize these shifts will have a competitive advantage.
Tue Apr 01 2025
Despite modest improvements in employee retention since the “Great Resignation” of 2021–2022, local government organizations continue to face significant workforce challenges. Record levels of retirement coupled with the steady migration of talent to other public agencies, as well as to the nonprofit and private sectors, have made it increasingly difficult to maintain quality of service, preserve institutional knowledge, and support employee well-being and morale.
Here’s where we’ve seen the ways strategically aligned, high-quality learning and development (L&D) can make a difference. While L&D is typically viewed as a skill-building tool, it can also be a powerful piece of an effective retention strategy. By addressing key workforce priorities such as career growth, flexibility, and workplace culture, a well-designed L&D program enhances the employee value proposition (EVP)—ultimately making local government roles more attractive and sustainable.
The Data: What’s Happening Now?
Recent trends highlight the growing workforce challenges in local government:
High turnover and mass retirements: Many experienced employees are retiring, while attracting younger talent has proven difficult.
Burnout and career stagnation: Employees often leave due to limited career progression opportunities and increasing workloads.
Compensation challenges: Government salaries often lag behind the private sector, making it harder to compete for top talent.
Outdated work environments: Rigid policies, bureaucratic hurdles, and a lack of workplace flexibility can deter new employees (or those who are new to the workforce).
These challenges demand a proactive approach—and local governments that leverage L&D strategically can build workplaces that employees want to stay in.
What Today’s Government Workforce Wants
The modern workforce prioritizes different factors than previous generations. Local governments that recognize these shifts will have a competitive advantage.
Key Workforce Priorities | How L&D Can Address Them |
Flexibility | Hybrid work training, leadership development for managing remote teams |
Respectful & Inclusive Culture | Inclusive leadership programs, coaching on DEI best practices |
Good Compensation | Career pathway programs leading to salary growth |
Growth & Advancement | Mentorship programs, leadership programs and pipelines, tuition assistance |
Wellbeing & Non-Traditional Benefits | Stress management and mental health workshops, financial wellness programs |
Purposeful Work | Showing employees how their own sense of purpose aligns with local government’s public service mission—helping them see the real impact their work has on the community |
Real-World Examples: How Local Governments Are Using L&D to Improve Retention
Some local governments are already using L&D programs to enhance their EVP and reduce turnover. Here are a few examples:
Mentorship programs: One city implemented a mentorship initiative where mentors and mentees attended monthly development sessions together. According to participant feedback, this structure not only supported career growth but also gave mentors valuable coaching skills—creating a win-win for leadership development.
Emerging leader programs: Several local governments have launched leadership development programs that provide new and emerging leaders with peer coaching and essential leadership training. These programs help reduce turnover by cultivating personal leadership skills, building peer relationships, and preparing employees for internal promotion opportunities.
Employee-driven learning sessions: In response to employee experience survey results, one organization implemented monthly lunch-and-learn sessions and “action labs” covering topics like self-care, financial wellness, ethical leadership, and workplace innovation. Employees have described this program as engaging and practically useful—all while providing an opportunity to connect with peers and the broader organization (factors that research shows support employee satisfaction).
Integrated L&D pipelines: A forward-thinking local government organization created a scaffolded L&D approach that provides targeted development at each leadership level—from front-line employees to senior executives. This structure supports leadership and management alignment across all levels of the organization, ongoing growth and development for employees, and the most appropriate and relevant learning and development for each type of role.
When learning opportunities are structured strategically, they increase job satisfaction and engagement, reduce turnover, and create a culture of continuous development—all essential factors in retaining top talent.
Our Final Thoughts
Having worked across strategy, organization development, employee relations, and human resource functions, we firmly believe that the future of talent retention in local government hinges on understanding workforce priorities and responding proactively. L&D isn’t just about developing employees into better workers—it’s about creating an environment where they want to stay.
Despite budget constraints often leading to L&D cuts, we encourage decision-makers to consider the long-term value of these programs, including skill development, improved retention, higher productivity, and sustained organizational growth.
Want to learn more about how an effective L&D strategy can boost employee retention in your organization? We’d be delighted for you to join us at the ATD25 Conference & EXPO on Sunday, May 18, from 9:30–10:30 a.m. for our session titled: “Boost Retention: Leveraging L&D in City and Local Government.”
