Hiring Reform with Humans at the Center: Lessons from St. Louis and San Francisco

Government agencies across the country struggle with outdated hiring systems that slow down recruitment and create barriers for qualified candidates. Lengthy processes and outdated requirements often prevent agencies from attracting the diverse, skilled talent needed to deliver for communities.

In this workshop, Work for America will share how the cities of St. Louis and San Francisco reimagined their hiring practices with people—not paperwork—at the center. Participants will learn how these governments streamlined recruitment, reduced time-to-hire, and improved the candidate experience while still maintaining fairness, transparency, and compliance.

Through case studies, practical strategies, and lessons from the field, this session will highlight how public servants can cut through bureaucratic red tape, design more accessible hiring processes, and build teams that reflect the communities they serve. Whether you work in HR, manage a team, or are responsible for shaping workforce policy, this workshop will offer tools you can apply immediately to make government jobs more accessible and strengthen your organization’s capacity to deliver.