Client need

A Florida public power utility found employee recruitment difficult due to geographic location and a high cost of living. Over the years as positions were vacated, the organization had consolidated positions and departments, leading to organizational structure inefficiencies. Several employees were also eligible for retirement in upcoming years and the organization sought support to develop a transition plan that would maintain a high level of customer support and satisfaction.

Baker Tilly solution

Baker Tilly's state and local government specialists conducted an organizational review analyzing the utility’s existing organizational structure for these departments: customer services, engineering/control center, executive, finance, generation, human resources and communications, and transmission and distribution.

The experienced team worked with the utility to identify service delivery efficiencies by realigning its departmental structure in consideration of pending retirements and appropriate distribution of staffing functions and duties.

In addition, Baker Tilly’s dedicated professionals developed a transition plan for the utility to gradually transition to the proposed department structures. This roadmap included phasing out positions due to upcoming retirements as well as increasing staffing through short-term contracts and developing relationships with local technical colleges.

Results 

Using a Baker Tilly-prepared transition plan, the public power utility reviewed the options for improving its organizational structure and prepared for workforce changes effected by retirements and industry shifts to best meet current and future customer needs. The utility moved to implement 32 of Baker Tilly’s 34 recommendations and also worked with Baker Tilly to update job descriptions and compensation schedules in support of the broader organizational transition.