“Retired. Gone fishing.”

We received that exact auto-response to a recent email.

Back in January, we talked about MarketWatch’s article, the “Great Resignation,” and how it was impacting local governments. We’ve certainly seen an uptick in retirements among our own local government friends and contacts.

Recently, the International City Managers’ Association (ICMA) followed up with an article outlining the reasons for leaving government work, and some tips to help with retention.

Resignations are primarily because of dissatisfaction with work-life balance, morale, and compensation.

Flexibility and communication with staff are key in adapting to and retaining employees in the current environment. Flex time, remote work, and job sharing are popular solutions, according to the article.

Is this something you’re experiencing in your organization? Are you thinking of “going fishing”? How is your manager’s office responding?