ICMA Life Member Patricia Vinchesi, who retired from ICMA as Northeast Regional Director in June 2023, shared her perspective on working in smaller communities on a recently released podcast.

Since the pandemic altered the way many of us work, recruiting and retaining employees in smaller communities has gotten a little easier with the advent of remote work, flexible scheduling, and hybrid positions.

Because they have less staff members, managers who work in a smaller community get to learn how to do everything, providing a deeper understanding of things; communication and breaking down silos are easier due to the smaller workforce; and employees tend to stay longer and develop close connections to the community.

As a newcomer to a community, it takes some time to build trust. Everyone knows everyone and everyone is watching the new manager, who is living in a fishbowl. The manager sets the tone for all local government employees, so needs to lead by example.

In smaller communities, with less resources, things tend to get done faster because the scope is smaller, with projects making a bigger and more immediate impact.

Listen to more insights from the 15-minute podcast.