Delaware News

Delaware Department of Human Resources Releases Retirement Eligibility Report: Guides Strategic Workforce Planning

Department of Human Resources | News | Date Posted: Monday, July 24, 2023


Group of business people in meeting.

DOVER, Del. — To better inform the State’s strategic workforce planning, the Delaware Department of Human Resources’ talent management team has analyzed the number of state employees eligible to retire over the next five years to help state agencies more effectively manage their recruitment and retention efforts.

The State of Delaware Retirement Eligibility Report details that 23% of state employees are eligible to retire by June 30, 2027, which is significantly lower than the average number of 32.5% of eligible state employees who retire annually. An in-depth examination of state Executive Branch agencies, excluding the Judicial and Legislative Branches, revealed the rate of state employees retiring has remained steady over the past 16 years, even during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020-2022.

“We know that for the past several years, the state and private sector have faced hiring challenges,” said DHR Secretary Claire DeMatteis. “This report provides some encouraging news that the state has not seen a spike in retirements over the past several years, and it also helps guide our workforce planning efforts to recruit and retain employees, as well as continuing to make state salaries more competitive, invest in employee training and career advancement, and promote a healthy work-life balance.”

  • The report shows that 12% of state agency employees are eligible for immediate retirement, while 23% can retire within the next five years.
  • The four largest agencies with the potential of 30% or more staff eligible to retire in the next five years include the Departments of Health and Social Services; Transportation; Correction; and Services for Children, Youth and Their Families.
  • The Department of Safety and Homeland Security, one of the state’s larger agencies, has the lowest percentage of employees eligible to retire in the next five years at only 8%.
  • 28% of Delaware school teachers are eligible to retire within five years.

To address recruitment and retention challenges, the State of Delaware, under the leadership of Governor John Carney and the Delaware General Assembly, has already taken action and implemented significant measures, including an average salary increase of 12% for state workers for Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024. State employees at the lower end of the pay scales have seen their salaries increase by as much as 18% over this two-year period.

Furthermore, with the support of the Carney Administration and the General Assembly, the Delaware Department of Human Resources has initiated several workforce initiatives, including:

  • Hiring incentives, including sign-on, referral and retention bonuses;
  • A comprehensive recruitment, marketing and social media hiring campaign;
  • Legislation to encourage delayed retirement;
  • Improved data analysis to support retention;
  • Creating a more uniform onboarding process; and
  • Providing flexible work schedules.

Moving forward, the State of Delaware remains committed to closely monitoring, analyzing, and continuously improving these recruitment and retention initiatives based on their performance and effectiveness.

To view the report, visit the Department of Human Resources website.

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Delaware Department of Human Resources Releases Retirement Eligibility Report: Guides Strategic Workforce Planning

Department of Human Resources | News | Date Posted: Monday, July 24, 2023


Group of business people in meeting.

DOVER, Del. — To better inform the State’s strategic workforce planning, the Delaware Department of Human Resources’ talent management team has analyzed the number of state employees eligible to retire over the next five years to help state agencies more effectively manage their recruitment and retention efforts.

The State of Delaware Retirement Eligibility Report details that 23% of state employees are eligible to retire by June 30, 2027, which is significantly lower than the average number of 32.5% of eligible state employees who retire annually. An in-depth examination of state Executive Branch agencies, excluding the Judicial and Legislative Branches, revealed the rate of state employees retiring has remained steady over the past 16 years, even during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020-2022.

“We know that for the past several years, the state and private sector have faced hiring challenges,” said DHR Secretary Claire DeMatteis. “This report provides some encouraging news that the state has not seen a spike in retirements over the past several years, and it also helps guide our workforce planning efforts to recruit and retain employees, as well as continuing to make state salaries more competitive, invest in employee training and career advancement, and promote a healthy work-life balance.”

  • The report shows that 12% of state agency employees are eligible for immediate retirement, while 23% can retire within the next five years.
  • The four largest agencies with the potential of 30% or more staff eligible to retire in the next five years include the Departments of Health and Social Services; Transportation; Correction; and Services for Children, Youth and Their Families.
  • The Department of Safety and Homeland Security, one of the state’s larger agencies, has the lowest percentage of employees eligible to retire in the next five years at only 8%.
  • 28% of Delaware school teachers are eligible to retire within five years.

To address recruitment and retention challenges, the State of Delaware, under the leadership of Governor John Carney and the Delaware General Assembly, has already taken action and implemented significant measures, including an average salary increase of 12% for state workers for Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024. State employees at the lower end of the pay scales have seen their salaries increase by as much as 18% over this two-year period.

Furthermore, with the support of the Carney Administration and the General Assembly, the Delaware Department of Human Resources has initiated several workforce initiatives, including:

  • Hiring incentives, including sign-on, referral and retention bonuses;
  • A comprehensive recruitment, marketing and social media hiring campaign;
  • Legislation to encourage delayed retirement;
  • Improved data analysis to support retention;
  • Creating a more uniform onboarding process; and
  • Providing flexible work schedules.

Moving forward, the State of Delaware remains committed to closely monitoring, analyzing, and continuously improving these recruitment and retention initiatives based on their performance and effectiveness.

To view the report, visit the Department of Human Resources website.

###

image_printPrint

Related Topics:  , ,


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.