<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1tQ2q3_1GsnfpYZ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1tQ2q3_1GsnfpYZ00" width="480" height="640" ></figure>Sampson County has plenty to be proud of when it comes to its workforce, Sampson’s Humun Resources Director Nancy Dillman said, but maintaining that workforce amid staffing shortages, increasing competition for qualified employees and a growing number of retirement-eligible leaders presents challenges that county officials cannot afford to overlook.She delivered that message Monday night during her department spotlight presentation to the Sampson County Board of Commissioners.While Dillman praised the dedication of county employees and outlined several improvements within her department, she also offered an assessment of the difficulties facing local government, particularly when it comes to attracting qualified applicants, retaining experienced personnel and remaining competitive with surrounding counties.Public safety, social services and health care positions have become particularly difficult to fill, with Sampson County competing against neighboring governments, municipalities, hospitals and private employers for many of the same qualified workers, she said.The HR director said her office continually monitors compensation practices in surrounding jurisdictions and keeps County Manager Allen Vann informed of emerging challenges, including positions where Sampson County is struggling to compete.“We’re losing these folks,” she said, describing the concerns she regularly communicates to county leadership.But the challenge is not simply determining what other employers are paying. It is finding ways to remain competitive while respecting the financial limitations of county government and the taxpayers who support it.Dillman acknowledged that additional benefits and employee incentives can help with recruitment and retention, but each comes with a cost that must be weighed against salary adjustments and other county needs.She emphasized that her department’s responsibility is to provide commissioners and county leadership with the information necessary to make informed decisions about employee compensation, benefits and retention.Those decisions are becoming increasingly important as the county faces a shrinking pool of qualified applicants.Dillman reported that the county currently has 557 full-time employees and 37 vacancies across various departments. The openings include positions in public safety, social services, nursing, inspections and planning, recreation, senior services and other county operations.Among the vacancies are six positions in emergency medical services and five in the Department of Social Services, a number Dillman said actually represents improvement for the latter department.She also pointed to vacancies in inspections and planning, where staffing concerns have contributed to challenges in meeting public demand.Although improvements are underway in that department, Dillman cautioned that meaningful progress takes time and that county officials must be deliberate in selecting qualified employees rather than simply filling positions.“We’re not going to settle,” she said.The staffing picture becomes more complicated when considering employees who remain on the county payroll but are temporarily unable to perform their regular duties.At the time of the presentation, 10 employees were on family and medical leave, while another 12 had intermittent leave arrangements that could require frequent absences. Four employees were working under light-duty assignments, one was on a personal leave of absence and another was on extended military leave.Those absences, Dillman explained, place additional responsibilities on employees who are already working to maintain county services.“Somebody’s doing that work,” she stressed.Despite those challenges, the county has continued hiring.Since January, Sampson County has hired 82 full-time employees, 15 of whom were rehires, along with 49 new part-time employees. During that same period, 69 full-time and 37 part-time employees have departed.Dillman also reported nine retirements since January, with another six employees potentially retiring in December.However, an even greater concern lies in the number of experienced employees who could leave within the next several years.According to Dillman, 11 department heads and 18 first-line supervisors will be eligible to retire within the next five years, creating the possibility of significant losses in institutional knowledge, leadership experience and continuity of county services.Those 29 positions represent employees who have spent years developing an understanding of county operations, departmental responsibilities and the needs of the communities they serve. Their potential departures could leave Sampson County facing the difficult task of replacing not only employees, but also the experience and institutional knowledge they possess.“That’s a lot of experience, a lot of people who know how to get the job done,” she said.The prospect underscores the importance of succession planning, an area Dillman believes requires greater attention before those retirements become a reality.She explained that replacing experienced department heads has become increasingly expensive, noting that during her tenure, the county has consistently had to offer incoming department leaders higher salaries than their predecessors received.That reality, she said, creates both a financial challenge and an opportunity to better prepare existing employees for advancement.Rather than waiting until experienced leaders retire and searching outside the organization for replacements, Dillman stressed the importance of identifying employees who demonstrate leadership potential and providing them with the training and experience necessary to assume greater responsibilities.The county has already made progress in establishing career pathways in certain departments.One example involves emergency telecommunicators, where a career ladder allows employees to advance through multiple levels before potentially becoming shift supervisors.Dillman shared that the county recently advanced its first employee to the second level under that structure, something she considered an encouraging sign of improved retention and professional development.The Sheriff’s Office also has an established career progression system, and HR staff is working with other departments to identify similar opportunities.Such initiatives, she explained, can give employees a reason to remain with Sampson County even when advancement opportunities are limited by the size of individual departments.Looking ahead, Dillman identified budget limitations, technological changes, workforce development and the need for data-driven decisions as continuing priorities.She also warned that the county’s applicant pool has become increasingly shallow, adding another obstacle to filling vacancies and preparing for future departures.At the time of her presentation, Dillman said the county had just 72 applicants across its available positions, and even that number did not necessarily reflect a pool of qualified candidates.The limited interest, coupled with competition from surrounding counties and private employers, further complicates efforts to recruit and retain employees.Despite those concerns, Dillman closed her presentation on an optimistic note, reminding commissioners that the county’s employees continue to accomplish meaningful work under challenging circumstances.“I think you all can be very proud of the workforce that you’re supporting, and what we’re trying to accomplish, and what we are accomplishing,” she said.</div></body>

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Sampson County has plenty to be proud of when it comes to its workforce, Sampson’s Humun Resources Director Nancy Dillman said, but maintaining that workforce amid staffing shortages, increasing competition for qualified employees and a growing number of retirement-eligible leaders presents challenges that county officials cannot afford to overlook.

Dillman sharesoptimism, concernsover staffing needs

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Sampson County has plenty to be proud of when it comes to its workforce, Sampson’s Humun Resources Director Nancy Dillman said, but maintaining that workfo

Dillman sharesoptimism, concernsover staffing needs

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