Aug 20 2026
- State of DOTs is changing, and rapidly!
- Retirement cliff
- Generational differences
- Work/life balance
- There is some research around generational differences; we are more concerned with using principles of OM to structure agencies + integration (both directions)
- Noteworthy practices, strategies
- Personas/Profile - Younger person, large debt from student loans vs. Older person retiring soon, has a nest egg, maybe more conservative.
- Learn what it means to be a well-run organization
- How to integrate new employees into the organization, and how to meet different expectations
- Integrating employees into the culture + meeting their needs through organizational adjustments (both of these are critical)
- Structural change (such as flexibility in position descriptions, promotional pathways, ways to bring folks up to speed)
- Changing workforce demographics, needs, and expectations
- How different generations work together, and how they approach work
- Decision-making frameworks
- Career paths
- Flexibility, adaptability
- Deliverables: guide/strategies to meet these goals that will provide practical, implementable activities DOTs can take.
- Agencies are dealing with age differences, cultural differences, and associated expectations.
- Improve DOTs as a place people want to work.
- Flexibility will serve DOTs well in learning how to adapt.
- Retention.
AASHTO CPBM