Transcript- Episode 152: Powering the Future: Rebuilding Resilient Workforces for Tomorrow with Tracey Pierce, Chief People Officer at LADWP Episode 152

Tracey Pierce [00:00:00]:

I always believe that people want to do great work. I don't think we get up every day saying, “What can I not do today”? I think people want to do great work, but I don't know that we necessarily take the time to explain, and evaluate, and share. This is what it looks like, and this is why we're doing it, and this is the return we hope to see. And, oh, by the way, if you give this a try and it doesn't work, I'll be the first one to go back to, you know, take the necessary steps to adjust.

 

Christina Barsi [00:00:31]:

The workforce landscape is rapidly changing, and educators and their institutions need to keep up. Preparing students before they enter the workforce to make our communities and businesses stronger is at the core of getting an education. But we need to understand how to change and adjust so that we can begin to project where things are headed before we even get there. So, how do we begin to predict the future?

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:00:56]:

Hi, I'm Salvatrice Cummo, Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development at Pasadena City College and host of this podcast.

 

Christina Barsi [00:01:05]:

And I'm Christina Barsi, producer and co-host of this podcast.

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:08]:

And we are starting the conversation about the future of work. We'll explore topics like how education can partner with industry, how to be more equitable, and how to attain one of our highest goals: more internships and PCC students in the workforce. We at Pasadena City College want to lead the charge in closing the gap between what our students are learning and what the demands of the workforce will be once they enter. This is a conversation that impacts all of us, you, the employers, the policymakers.

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:39]:

The educational institutions and the community as a whole.

 

Christina Barsi [00:01:42]:

We believe change happens when we work together. And it all starts with having a conversation. I'm Christina Barsi.

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:50]:

And I'm Salvatrice Cummo. And this is the Future of Work.

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:01:56]:

Hi. Welcome back to the Future of Work podcast. I am your host, Dr. Salvatrice Cummo. Today, we're joined by Tracy Pierce, the Chief People Officer at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Tracy brings a rare blend of public and private sector experience to one of the largest municipal utilities in the country. With over 30 years in HR and organizational leadership, from healthcare systems to global corporations, she's now helping guide LADWP's workforce through a time of huge change, innovation, and opportunity. We're talking about what it means to lead people through transformation at scale, especially in a city like Los Angeles that's actively rebuilding, whether it's recovering from natural disasters, keeping up with tech change, or tackling climate goals.

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:02:47]:

Tracy's work is part of a bigger story about how we build stronger, more, more resilient systems from the inside out. Tracy, welcome to the show.

 

Tracey Pierce [00:02:57]:

Oh, thank you. I appreciate the invite, and I'm glad to be here.

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:03:00]:

Thank you for joining our cal,l and thank you for being a part of this podcast. Tracy, I'd like to just jump right in and talk about your journey and what led you to LADWP.

 

Tracey Pierce [00:03:12]:

Well, I think it's a culmination of many things I've always followed. Big transformational work. I think that's what I enjoy the most. Areas that are looking to evolve from wherever they are. It's great learning for me. It's taken me to three continents, and the ability to say, yes, I'll give that a try, is kind of how I got here. My last Organization started at 55,000 and ended at 170,000 through acquisition and mergers. And so the opportunity here, although unexpected because I've never worked at a utility, it was really several interactions that took place, and I was so impressed with the CEO, Janice Canaroth, that I said, yes, I would want to work from that person because I think I could learn a lot from her.

 

Tracey Pierce [00:04:02]:

And I think what LADWP is facing is something I'd like to be a part of. So that's really kind of how I got here.

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:04:10]:

Fantastic. Fantastic. Well, LADWP plays a vital role in keeping LA running. Right, we know that. And the city is in the middle of rebuilding across many focuses. Infrastructure, climate, resilience, and even equity. What does rebuilding LA look like for you in your seat?

 

Tracey Pierce [00:04:32]:

It's significant, but it's also something that's been planned and mindful anyway. We knew we were going to have the World Cup. We knew we were going to host the Olympics. We were.

 

Tracey Pierce [00:04:44]:

We know we have 4 million customers that we're trying to ensure that we give high-quality, low-cost water and power to. So, those things are always at the forefront with our customers and our community being probably the top priority. And this element of continuous improvement, where the complication comes of an unexpected, you know, the fire unexpected. And I think the Los Angeles, for the size of the city, has always had a capacity to show resilience and come out better and stronger. And quite frankly, that's what I suspect will come from this is that we're going to end up being better and stronger in the rebuild. It allows us to be innovative. It allows us to do things that we're on the project to do quicker. Is it a choice you would make? No.

 

Tracey Pierce [00:05:33]:

But again, with A community full of people that all their paths have led them to this great city and to be part of this community. We know how to take up where we are and progress forward. And I think that's one of the most impressive things that I've learned in the time that I've been here. That is what Los Angeles is made up of. A lot of migrants that have kind of come to America, made it great, and have made the city great. And we get the pleasure of being in service to those people.

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:06:00]:

Yes, it's certainly like a community of collective impact. It's so large, it's considered a country. It's considered its own country at this point. You know, to have those impacts that are desperately needed. A utility like LADWP plays a critical role in all of that. And one of the major goals I think that I understand is around sustainability and clean energy. And I was wondering, what is your approach to those goals, and how are you building teams to kind of take that on?

 

Tracey Pierce [00:06:34]:

Yeah, we have significant goals around sustainability and clean energy. Things like delivering energy with net-zero kind of greenhouse effects. That's one of ours. Greenhouse gas emissions. That's one of our building local sources of water supply through water recycling, groundwater emissions, and all kinds of other projects that require skills that we have today and emerging skills that we need to recruit for tomorrow. All of these are really huge undertakings. And we're doing it with the idea that building a workforce that has the capacity today, but also the knowledge to grow with what we're facing. And so for an HR person, that means every time I look at a role, I look at the role of what the role can emerge to be.

 

Tracey Pierce [00:07:21]:

When you talk about alternative fuels, when you talk about hydrogen, and yet I have to meet our organization where they are, because we have a lot of great people that we also want to make sure that we take them along the journey. So that's a skill up. So identifying. Are you organically growing? Are you skilling up, or are you hiring quicker, faster in partnership with the city to bring that talent in space? It is daily work and regular discussions to make sure we prepare ourselves for. And we don't wait to deliver on those things. We have to be prepared to move quickly but wisely.

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:08:01]:

Right.

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:08:01]:

And speaking of that, being prepared quickly and wisely, and you mentioned something incredibly important, which is upskilling the existing workforce. And so we continue to have these conversations. Yes, those are two really big goals. But we're also being faced with how AI and automation play a role in executing and implementing some of these goals. And I'm curious to hear from you. As AI and automation become more embedded into the water infrastructure, how are you building your teams, or how are you acquiring new talent or upscaling the existing talent to be more comfortable with it and not be overwhelmed by these new tools?

 

Tracey Pierce [00:08:40]:

Probably the most important thing is to meet people where they're at. There's a lot of perceptions that are often wrong, that to accept and kind of use AI means someone's losing their job, when in actuality the reality is the use of AI will be for those kind of very simple repetitive things so that your team and staff can go on to more complex things. It's not about replacing people, it's really about ensuring when you do the work that you are able to do your work and get to the work that drives the, the deliverable to the ratepayer as opposed to those kind of simple reoccurring thing. That's number one. And where does it make sense to use AI? It's not a blanket slate. You have to be incredibly thoughtful as to where AI makes sense. We're never going to lose the desire and the need for the human touch as we interact with our community and our ratepayers. And I would not want anyone to think that we will be so automated that somebody can't have a conversation with a person if they're having difficulties with their service or something like that.

 

Tracey Pierce [00:09:45]:

So, first is to educate and make sure that people understand. The level of maturity that AI is today is not necessarily where we will use it. It is that we want to evaluate how it can further enable us to be more efficient, more accurate in the services that we render with whatever technology, frankly, not just AI, whatever technology. Most recently, we had a significant implementation of Workday, which just brings a lot of legacy platforms, different verticals into one integrated system. And with that technology, it requires that you just look at your work differently. It's no longer vertical divisions, it is a holistic, integrated. So I have to know what's going on in payroll, I have to have conversations with people in benefits in order for the system to really benefit us. So AI is one component, but today the most important component I think, is making sure that our employee has a development plan, has a continuous improvement mindset, and is committed to ensuring that we give the best service to our rate payer.

 

Tracey Pierce [00:11:02]:

And in doing so, we'll identify how the other pieces integrate to that to make us better at what we do. That was probably very long winded.

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:11:11]:

Oh no, it's perfect. It's Perfect. Because it kind of makes me think about, you know, you mentioned an integrated system across all areas, because that integration is essential to the development of people and the services that are being offered. And I wonder, it makes me think about innovation in general. Innovation within a legacy system like LADWP. What does that look like? How do you do that? And maybe even just the example of that integrated system across departments is a good example. But I often wonder because we struggle with it too, right? We're a huge system of community colleges, and it sometimes can become quite challenging to do innovation that's in an environment that's embedded with such heavy policy and culture that sometimes is resistant. So what does that look like in an organization as essential as LADWP?

 

Tracey Pierce [00:12:05]:

I think it's really critical that you have a lot of conversations with your employee based around what the goals of the organizations are. Help people understand what's in this. For me, I think one of the reasons that I'm sitting in the Chief People Officer role, a role that didn't exist before Janice, is to further the importance that none of this works without the human in the conversation. So innovation is a word that lots of people like to throw out. But innovation may be something as simple as why wait for a new employee to arrive before you start the onboarding process? What would it be like for that person to receive a welcome letter and have all their equipment ready to go, and to have a buddy when they arrive? Depending on where the organization is, that could be considered innovation all the way over to the ability to put in underground equipment to make sure that we lessen the burden and the danger of having overground wiring. There's different levels of innovation depending on where the organization is and what it is we're talking about. So I think the first thing to do is to identify what is innovation or what's the improvement with the situation and the condition that you're referencing. It's a very broad, applicable word.

 

Tracey Pierce [00:13:33]:

So speak and integrate it where it makes sense. You don't innovate for innovate sake and nobody uses the tool or nobody uses the process, then that was a waste. So getting an understanding and bringing people along is critical. Absolutely critical. You got to bring the staff along. I know, by the way, very clearly in all my years what I continue to learn. The subject matter experts are the people doing the job. My job as a leader is one, to listen more than I speak, and then two, to make sure people know that they've been heard.

 

Tracey Pierce [00:14:06]:

And if we are going to use a suggestion, galvanize people around it. And if we're not, which is as important, explain why they're not right so that people know they were heard, and this is why the decision was made. I think those are all critical to innovation and to get the innovation to stick within the organization.

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:14:26]:

And how do you combat resistance to it?

 

Tracey Pierce [00:14:30]:

Resistance is often part of just a fear. I don't understand it. I don't know what we're doing, why we're doing it. And therefore, what I am comfortable with is what I will stay with, redefined as resistance. Why are you resistant? What is it? What could we do to make you more comfortable? And I always believe that people want to do great work. I don't think we get up every day saying, what can I not do today? I think people want to do great work, but I don't know that we necessarily take the time to explain, evaluate, and share. This is what it looks like, and this is why we're doing it. And this is the return we hope to see.

 

Tracey Pierce [00:15:09]:

And oh, by the way, if you give this a try and it doesn't work, I'll be the first one to go back to take the necessary steps to adjust, you know, to adjust. But articulating the why and what the impact is to those who have to conform to it I think is very, very critical. And so I don't like to use the word resistant or believe that they're not well informed. And so we need to do better in that space.

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:15:34]:

Yeah, I really liked how you reframed that. Just in the reframing of words makes it more digestible and easy to hear. Because you're right, it's just information. And until we all have the appropriate information, then we can move forward with solving a problem, thinking differently about how we operate. Even the examples you used on onboarding, right?

 

Tracey Pierce [00:15:58]:

Yeah. It seems very simple when you hear it. Well, yeah, of course. Right. But that's not what you're doing. It's not that simple.

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:16:04]:

That's right. That's right. I want to shift gears just a little bit on what we just experienced. We experienced the disasters, most recently the L A fires, unpredicted. Just an absolute heartbreak for the L A region. And with climate changes being what they are, we know that we're going to continue to see more, unfortunately, of some of these natural disasters. And so I'm curious, from your perspective about your workforce strategies, how does that impact or not the workforce strategies that you have in plan for LawDP?

 

Tracey Pierce [00:16:39]:

Oh, no, it absolutely impacts the approach. You know, first of All I should give a shout out to that incredible team that got so many people back up and running in a time frame that people are still talking about. The work that was done from the day one to day 14 was incredible. And so I say again, you don't wish for a fire, but I have to tell you, if a fire has to happen to la, they could not be in better hands with the emergency response team that we had from LADWP and you know, as much from the fire and other city organizations. They really came together and worked as a team and got the community back on track. So that was fantastic to be a part of under such a terrible situation.

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:17:24]:

That's right.

 

Tracey Pierce [00:17:25]:

What it ends up doing as far as your workforce is the readiness. And frankly, it is not just. I think there was a tsunami warning this morning. So yesterday evening, all through the evening, we were having a chat to say, where are we? What do we need to do? When we look at the types of teams that we're building around emergency management, we have a whole office that's around emergency management and we're making sure that the office is populated with subject matter expertise, but also with a trained team horizontally across the organization where each department had to contribute personnel to be part of that team. So that when we are informing our staff, it's not because the emergency is here. So there's a lot of proactive preparation work that is occurring that I don't know would be occurring 15 or 20 years ago. Right. I think often on the back end of emergencies, fantastic minds get together, think and come up with responses so that anything in the future would not go that way.

 

Tracey Pierce [00:18:38]:

It would. That return would be faster, would be quicker, would be far more responsive. So what does that look like in work? I can tell you our customer service department, as an example, did not go down. We still had in multiple language service, and we were still delivering in minutes to the customer. So you train people for those situations that you hope never happen. Right, right. And I think we are far more conscious in a place like California. Everybody should have that out bag.

 

Tracey Pierce [00:19:11]:

If there's an emergency, it's in your car, and you go right. You don't you have an emergency exit plan with the family? I mean there's other places you would go that. That sounds like a foreign thing, but that shouldn't be a foreign thing. Today, just given we're speaking specifically about weather, but how people operate today, the sensitivities that we're all currently facing, you have to be empathetic and sensitive with your workforce. Not knowing what they had to go through to even get to the office.

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:19:40]:

That's right.

 

Tracey Pierce [00:19:41]:

Right. So I'd like to think we have a huge sensitivity around that. We had employees that were impacted by the fires ourselves. And as a public entity, you well know, we took care of our own. We made sure people knew that we were in support of them. And I was so proud. That's all I can say. I was just really proud and very humbled how people came together.

 

Tracey Pierce [00:20:03]:

So our job now is to be proactive and have a workforce that understands emergencies can happen. Hope we never need these skills, but we are going to train to make sure we have these skills in the event something does happen.

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:20:17]:

That's right. That's right. Well said. And us too. We felt, we activated, we activated as to the best of our ability. And I, too, am proud, I'm incredibly proud of how the community, not just us as an entity, but as a community, we rose up and we figured this out. We figured it out.

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:20:35]:

When I hear you say we have to be better prepared our workforce, we need to be more intentional about the needs of our workforce preparations. I'm curious through your perspective, through your lens, how can community colleges be a part of that solution for a large entity like LADWP, but in general would really appreciate your perspective on that.

 

Tracey Pierce [00:21:02]:

Well, I tell you, I have a lot of opinion on that because.

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:21:04]:

Yes, let's hear it.

 

Tracey Pierce [00:21:06]:

I really believe in training and development. You know, I think one of the challenges that you have in an institution is all of the accreditation that's often required to even bring something to life. And what ends up happening is some of the private, more for-profit colleges don't have those same barriers to get something up and running. So I would say the number one thing would be to acknowledge and partner with organizations like ours to come up with accreditations that work for the community with which we represent. Right. So we are in LA, downtown LA. There is no reason that 95 - 99% of our hiring shouldn't be from the population of which we serve. That makes all the sense in the world.

 

Tracey Pierce [00:21:54]:

Which means then that our partners like yourself have to be far more flexible. And I do get it, that it has to make sense.

 

Christina Barsi [00:22:02]:

But.

 

Tracey Pierce [00:22:03]:

But far more flexible. How we create curriculum, how people get credit for work experience? And where can we make it easier for someone to go back and get an education or to go into the college system that hasn't necessarily been a student in the past? Right. Not everybody enjoyed high school, and not everybody goes to college. But there are programs that colleges can have for a variation of people to participate in and for profits. Do that far quicker and far easier and at the end of it, you still end up with the same accreditation when you get your degree. So that's the number one thing. I would love to see more partnerships with entities like LADWP where we can create apprenticeship programs that gives somebody some kind of associate degree or something, credit that encourages them then to go further.

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:23:05]:

Yes, yes, 100%. And we have covered quite a bit today, you know, broad strokes on things. And I would love to dive deeper with you on some of these topics at a later call. Although I know you're incredibly impacted right now. I recognize that and I respect that. And so if there was one key takeaway that you would like our listener to understand and walk away with from this conversation, what might that be?

 

Tracey Pierce [00:23:36]:

I'm going to be very self-serving. I think if there was one thing the listener could take away, I would say, regardless of what your plan is for your career, stop and look at LADWP. We are much more than power and water. We have a huge range of services we give the city that require our community and give people a career place to be for a career. There's a key difference, I think to be in service and the people that join a civil service know that they are contributing to the community with which they operate in and the return can be seen everywhere you go. Civil service is a missed opportunity by a lot of people because, ultimately the people that are often in it are generational. So we have the joy of having two, three generations work here. And so people follow the example, and they know it's a good quality of life.

 

Tracey Pierce [00:24:38]:

You can find us on Facebook, you can find us on Instagram. But I think people may be surprised and shocked at the vast amount of careers that go on at LA DWP if they really were to go look. So if you haven't fully decided, and I'm assuming, of course, that this audience is more at Pasadena College audience, right?

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:25:02]:

No, it's actually streams across California and even outside of our state, believe it or not.

 

Tracey Pierce [00:25:08]:

Or even better, even better. Because integration is what we're about. That's LA, but give us a review, give us a try. Don't assume that you fully know the skill set that is needed here because I suspect that you don't.

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:25:24]:

Excellent. Very well, thank you so very much. We'll be sure to include all of your details in the show notes, and we'll connect soon.

 

Tracey Pierce [00:25:32]:

My pleasure. Thank you.

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:25:34]:

Thank you.

 

Salvatrice Cummo [00:25:36]:

Thank you for listening to the Future of Work podcast. Make sure you're subscribed on your favorite listening platform so you can easily get new episodes every Tuesday. You can reach out to us by clicking on the website link below in the Show Notes to collaborate, partner or just chat about all things Future of Work. We'd love to connect with you. All of us here at the Future of Work and Pasadena City College wish you safety and wellness.