The Six P’s of Recruitment and Retention: A Blueprint for Local Government Workforce Success

In today’s complex and fast-evolving public service landscape, local authorities are under increasing pressure to deliver more with less   all while navigating a fiercely competitive labour market. The challenge of attracting, developing, and retaining skilled professionals is no longer just an HR issue; it’s a strategic imperative. To support councils in tackling this head-on, the Local Government Association (LGA) has developed a comprehensive framework for recruitment and retention best practice. At its core is a simple yet powerful model: the Six P’s Plan, Promote, Process, Partnerships, People, and Pledge. This framework offers a structured, values-driven approach to building a resilient, inclusive, and future-ready workforce.

1. Plan: Workforce Planning with Purpose

Effective recruitment starts with clarity. Councils are encouraged to take a strategic approach to workforce planning   identifying current and future skills needs, understanding demographic trends, and aligning talent strategies with long-term service goals.

This means moving beyond reactive hiring and towards proactive workforce design. It involves using data to forecast demand, mapping career pathways, and ensuring that recruitment aligns with broader transformation agendas, such as digital innovation, climate action, and community resilience. The LGA provides a suite of tools to support this, including templates for workforce audits, scenario planning, and succession mapping.

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2. Promote: Reframing the Local Government Brand

Local government offers meaningful, varied, and impactful careers   but this message isn’t always reaching the right people. The “Promote” pillar challenges councils to rethink how they present themselves as employers.

This includes:

• Developing a compelling employer value proposition (EVP)

• Showcasing real stories from staff

• Using inclusive language in job adverts

• Leveraging social media and digital platforms to reach diverse audiences

Promotion isn’t just about visibility   it’s about authenticity. Councils must communicate not only what they do, but why it matters, and how individuals can make a difference by joining the sector.

3. Process: Making Recruitment Seamless and Inclusive

A great candidate experience can be the difference between securing top talent and losing it to another sector. The “Process” element focuses on streamlining recruitment workflows, removing unnecessary barriers, and ensuring fairness at every stage.

Key actions include:

• Reviewing job descriptions for clarity and accessibility

• Simplifying application forms

• Reducing time-to-hire

• Embedding inclusive recruitment practices, such as anonymised shortlisting and diverse interview panels

The LGA encourages councils to adopt digital tools and automation where appropriate, freeing up HR teams to focus on strategic engagement rather than administrative burden.

4. Partnerships: Building Talent Pipelines Together

No single organisation can solve the workforce challenge alone. The “Partnerships” pillar highlights the importance of collaboration   with schools, colleges, universities, professional bodies, and other public sector employers.

These partnerships can:

• Create clearer pathways into local government careers

• Support apprenticeships and graduate schemes

• Enable shared recruitment campaigns

• Foster innovation through joint working

By working together, councils can amplify their reach, share resources, and build a more diverse and sustainable talent pipeline.

5. People: Investing in Growth, Belonging, and Wellbeing

Retention is about more than pay   it’s about purpose, progression, and people feeling valued. The “People” pillar focuses on creating a culture where staff can thrive.

This includes:

• Offering continuous professional development

• Supporting flexible and hybrid working

• Promoting wellbeing and mental health

• Creating inclusive environments where everyone feels they belong

Councils are encouraged to listen to staff, act on feedback, and celebrate success. A strong internal culture not only boosts retention   it also enhances reputation and attracts new talent.

6. Pledge: Making a Visible Commitment

The final “P”   Pledge   is about making a public, values-led commitment to being a great place to work. This could take the form of a local employer charter, a diversity and inclusion statement, or a set of guiding principles co-created with staff. A pledge is more than a PR exercise. It’s a signal of intent   to current employees, potential recruits, and the wider community   that the council is serious about its people. It also provides a framework for accountability and continuous improvement.

For Elected Members and Senior Leadership: Leading the Workforce Strategy from the Front

The success of any recruitment and retention strategy in local government hinges not just on HR teams, but on the active support and leadership of elected members and senior officers. The Six P’s framework developed by the LGA provides a strategic lens through which councils can build a resilient, inclusive, and high-performing workforce   but it requires visible commitment from the top.

Why It Matters to You

• Strategic Alignment: Workforce planning must be embedded in the council’s broader strategic priorities   from climate action and digital transformation to community wellbeing and financial sustainability.

• Reputation and Influence: How your council is perceived as an employer affects its ability to attract talent. Senior leaders and elected members play a key role in shaping and championing that narrative.

• Culture and Accountability: A values-led culture starts at the top. Your behaviours, decisions, and communications set the tone for the entire organisation.

• Investment and Impact: Recruitment and retention are not costs   they are investments in service quality, innovation, and long-term resilience.

Your Role in the Six P’s

• Plan: Ensure workforce planning is a standing item in strategic discussions. Ask for data, challenge assumptions, and support long-term thinking.

• Promote: Be ambassadors for the sector. Use your platforms to highlight the value of public service careers and celebrate staff achievements.

• Process: Support efforts to modernise recruitment. Champion inclusive practices and remove unnecessary bureaucracy.

• Partnerships: Leverage your networks to build strategic alliances with education providers, other public bodies, and community organisations.

• People: Prioritise staff wellbeing, development, and inclusion in budget and policy decisions. Listen to staff voices and act on feedback.

• Pledge: Make a public commitment to being a great place to work. Co-create a local employer charter and hold the organisation accountable to it.

Challenges in Implementation: What Gets in the Way?

Despite the clarity of the Six P’s framework, councils often face real-world barriers to putting it into practice. Here are some of the most common challenges:

1. Resource Constraints

• Issue: Limited budgets and stretched HR teams can make it difficult to invest in strategic workforce initiatives.

• Impact: Recruitment becomes reactive, and retention efforts are deprioritised.

• Solution: Frame workforce investment as a driver of service improvement and cost avoidance. Use data to demonstrate ROI.

2. Siloed Thinking

• Issue: Workforce planning is often seen as an HR function, disconnected from service design and strategic planning.

• Impact: Missed opportunities to align talent with transformation goals.

• Solution: Embed workforce strategy into corporate planning and ensure cross-departmental collaboration.

3. Inconsistent Leadership Buy-In

• Issue: Without visible support from senior leaders and elected members, workforce initiatives lack momentum.

• Impact: Staff disengagement and fragmented implementation.

• Solution: Create leadership champions for each of the Six P’s and build workforce KPIs into performance frameworks.

4. Outdated Systems and Processes

• Issue: Legacy recruitment systems and manual processes slow down hiring and frustrate candidates.

• Impact: Talent loss and reputational damage.

• Solution: Invest in digital tools and streamline workflows. Involve staff in redesigning the candidate experience.

5. Cultural Barriers

• Issue: Resistance to change, lack of psychological safety, and unconscious bias can undermine inclusion and retention.

• Impact: High turnover and limited diversity.

• Solution: Foster a culture of learning, openness, and accountability. Provide training and create safe spaces for dialogue.

Final Thoughts: A Call to Action for Local Leaders

The Six P’s framework is not a checklist   it’s a mindset. It invites councils to think holistically about workforce strategy, to lead with purpose, and to put people at the heart of public service transformation. As the sector continues to face financial constraints, rising demand, and shifting expectations, investing in recruitment and retention is not a luxury   it’s a necessity. The LGA’s guidance offers a timely and practical roadmap for councils to build the teams they need to deliver for their communities, now and into the future.