Rethinking Public Sector HR with Katie Hagen
Public Sector HR Is Changing Because Public Service Is Changing
Summary
Public sector HR is no longer just about filling vacancies, managing personnel files, or processing applications. For cities, counties, special districts, public safety agencies, and other government organizations, HR is now central to recruitment, retention, leadership development, organizational structure, and public trust.
In this episode of The Clear Voice, Katie Hagen, CEO of CPS HR Consulting, joins Host of The Clear Voice James Groom and Clear Career Professionals President Michael Boese for a conversation about public sector HR, workforce challenges, organizational change, and the future of public service.
Katie brings decades of public sector leadership experience, including senior roles in California state government. Her background includes HR leadership, civil service reform, recruitment and selection, organizational turnaround, change management, and helping public agencies recover from complex challenges. That experience gives her a practical view of what public sector organizations are facing and what leaders can do to move their agencies forward.
Public Sector Hiring Is About More Than Salary
Hiring challenges remain one of the biggest issues facing public agencies. Salary matters, but Katie explains that it is often only one part of the problem. Public organizations may also create barriers inside their own hiring processes without realizing it.
Lengthy applications, bureaucratic job postings, slow timelines, outdated requirements, and poor candidate communication can all make it harder to bring good people into public service. For local government leaders, the lesson is direct. If the hiring process is too slow or too difficult, qualified candidates may leave before the organization ever gets a chance to hire them.
Katie encourages public agencies to look closely at the full applicant experience. That includes the job posting, the application, the screening process, communication timelines, reference checks, and the amount of time it takes to move from application to offer.
Rethinking the Public Sector Workforce
Katie also discusses the need to think differently about talent pipelines. Public agencies continue to face shortages in public safety, engineering, finance, accounting, IT, healthcare services, social services, and other critical fields.
The solution cannot be limited to waiting for experienced candidates to appear. Cities and public agencies need to think about internships, apprenticeships, skill based hiring, and nontraditional talent pools. These tools can help introduce more people to public service while also building the future workforce that communities will need.
The conversation also touches on the next generation entering the workforce. Katie sees reasons for optimism. Younger workers may expect more flexibility, better technology, and clearer purpose, but many of them also care deeply about service and impact. Public agencies have a real opportunity to connect that sense of purpose to meaningful careers.
Change Management and Organizational Turnaround
A major theme of the episode is Katie’s experience leading change inside public organizations. She describes moving from traditional HR work into broader organizational leadership roles where she was asked to help agencies address significant challenges.
That background shapes how she views public sector HR today. HR is not separate from organizational change. It is often right in the middle of it.
When agencies face public crises, civil service issues, staffing problems, policy gaps, leadership transitions, or structural challenges, the people side of the organization matters. Katie explains that hiring, policies, infrastructure, and communication all connect to whether an agency can recover, improve, and move forward.
For city managers, assistant city managers, department heads, and HR professionals, that is an important point. Organizational change is not just a technical process. It is a people process.
Technology, AI, and the Human Side of HR
James, Michael, and Katie also discuss the growing role of technology and AI in public sector HR. Katie sees technology as a tool that can help agencies become more efficient, but she is clear that HR will always be about people.
AI can assist with summaries, analysis, visual presentation, and process improvement, but it does not replace judgment, verification, passion, or human connection. That distinction matters in government, where decisions affect employees, applicants, residents, and the delivery of public services.
The conversation also highlights a practical challenge. Agencies need to modernize, but they also need to be thoughtful. Public organizations must understand what information they are using, how tools are applied, and where human review remains essential.
Organizational Assessments Before the Crisis
Another important topic is the value of organizational assessments. Katie notes that more public agencies are seeking help to review their structure, compare themselves to similar organizations, streamline operations, and rethink how work should be assigned.
The key point is that agencies do not have to wait until something is on fire. Organizational assessments, workforce planning, class and compensation reviews, workload studies, and process evaluations can help leaders identify problems earlier and make better decisions before a crisis develops.
For local government leaders, that can be especially valuable. Many organizational problems have been building for years. Taking time to understand the true root problem before acting can lead to better outcomes than rushing into a quick fix.
Professional Development Still Matters
Katie also emphasizes the importance of professional development for HR professionals and public sector leaders. HR is often where everyone else goes for advice, but HR professionals also need continued training, encouragement, and investment.
When budgets get tight, training is often one of the first things reduced. Over time, that can weaken the organization. Professional development helps HR leaders remain current, innovative, and connected to new ideas.
Michael adds that employee development will become even more important as technology changes the workplace. Public agencies still need people who can communicate, lead, solve problems, and understand the fundamentals of the work.
Public Service Is Still Worth It
The episode closes with a reminder that public service remains difficult, meaningful, and worth doing. Katie encourages leaders to recognize that they do not have to know everything or solve every problem alone. Public sector leaders can rely on partners, peers, mentors, consultants, and others who understand the work and want to help.
That message fits the larger theme of the episode. Rethinking public sector HR is not about chasing trends. It is about helping public agencies serve better, hire better, develop people better, and keep the human side of government at the center of the work.
Katie Hagen’s conversation with James Groom and Michael Boese offers a practical look at the challenges facing public sector HR and the opportunities ahead for cities, counties, public safety agencies, and other government organizations working to build stronger teams and stronger communities.
Connect with CPS HR Consulting
Learn more about CPS HR Consulting:
https://www.cpshr.us/
Learn more about Katie Hagen:
https://www.cpshr.us/katie-hagen/
Contact Katie Hagen:
khagen@cpshr.us
About The Clear Voice Podcast
The Clear Voice is a dedicated platform for transparency and expert led dialogue within the professional and public sectors. The show serves as a vital resource for leaders who want to move past surface level discussions and dive into the real world mechanics of governance, management, and organizational growth. James Groom is the host of the program. As the Vice President of Clear Career Professionals and a retired Police Chief, James brings a unique, high stakes perspective to every conversation. His background in public service and executive leadership allows him to extract practical, actionable insights from industry experts that help modern organizations function with total clarity.
Our Core Focus Areas
Executive Leadership: Exploring the transition from technical competence to high level strategic management.
Organizational Transparency: Discussing the importance of open communication and accountability in public and private leadership.
Governance and Strategy: Breaking down the complex decision making processes that drive successful communities and organizations.
Professional Development: Insights on coaching, culture building, and high performance team management.
About Clear Career Professionals
Clear Career Professionals is a specialized recruitment and strategic consulting firm focused on the public sector. We believe that the strength of any municipality or school district lies in the quality of its leadership and the cohesion of its teams.Our team is comprised of former practitioners and retired executives who understand the nuances of public service. We provide organizations with more than just a list of candidates; we provide the strategic oversight and expertise necessary to navigate transitions, maximize taxpayer funds, and implement long term solutions.
Our Strategic Services
Executive Search and Recruitment: A tailored approach to identifying top tier talent for leadership roles in cities and school districts.
Interim Leadership: Providing experienced professionals to guide organizations through critical periods of transition.
Governance and Board Training: Specialized sessions designed to strengthen board relations and help leadership teams function as a unified School Board or City Council & Executive Team.
Shared Solutions Initiative: A program focused on fostering collaboration between municipalities and schools to address shared community challenges.
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