To the editor:
I think we can all agree that when employers ensure a positive work culture for their employees, everyone benefits — both employees and those they serve. So, when a number of culture-related complaints from Leelanau County employees surfaced last year, I was glad to see our Board of Commissioners act — convening a three-commissioner personnel committee, chaired by Commissioner Kama Ross, to examine the county’s work environment.
The chairperson conducted informal interviews with county workers, whose collective responses — publicly shared, albeit without attribution — echoed concerns raised in the earlier complaints. To broaden the number of workers providing data, the Board then contracted with an outside firm to implement a formal employeewide survey. The results confi rmed the need to improve the work environment for county employees. The Board is now exploring solutions and identifying related responsibilities both for the Board and for the county’s professional staff.
