New HR director Kathy Baker ready to take on City of Columbia's hiring challenges

Kathy Baker is not afraid of a challenge.

Following her swearing-in Tuesday as the City of Columbia's human resources director, Baker has the significant task of filling approximately 200 open positions.

The Human Resources Department is strategizing its recruitment efforts with the city's creative services division in the city manager's office.

These strategies have helped with the hiring of more officers for the Columbia Police Department through a collaboration there as well, Baker said.

"I cannot say enough (about) how dedicated city employees are. They truly believe in service to the community," Baker said Thursday during an interview with the Tribune, adding staff members are taking on the challenge of covering work to try and provide the same level of service in spite of staffing shortages.

"It is not unique to us an organization. It is happening all over."

Baker has served Columbia over the past 25 years. She was promoted to the permanent director role after serving as interim director since November.

Her first job after graduating with a bachelor's degree in business administration from Columbia College was with the City of Marshall. At that time, there was not a human resources department there; the city administrator and city clerk's office were covering most of those duties, Baker said.

"That certainly piqued my interest," she said about this career path.

Baker maintains three professional human resources-related certificates from varying professional organizations.

Baker started with the City of Columbia in 1996 through the city manager's office. When a position in human resources opened two years later, she jumped at the chance.

"I have had lots of opportunities to grow and learn. My job has evolved and I have obtained certifications so my interest has continued to grow," Baker said, adding she likes how the job is people-driven and works with all city departments and employees.

Baker is working to oversee not only the ongoing classification and compensation study, which is part of the city's 2021 strategic plan, but the bid process for updating employee insurance, which happens every five years.

A report on the classification and compensation study is expected by October or November, Baker said.

"(The study) reviews all of our pay practices and policies as well as where we are at in the market," Baker said, adding the 2013 compensation philosophy adopted by the then-council targeted the 50th percentile. "That's not competitive in the current job market. So we'll be reevaluating all of those philosophies, procedures and how we implement pay and promotion."

The department is currently waiting on market study survey responses from other public and private sector entities.

The city also is working to procure a document management system for the human resources department so that it can digitize documents, allowing for online human resources processes, Baker said.

Charles Dunlap covers local government, community issues and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on Twitter. Please consider subscribing to support vital local journalism.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: New City of Columbia HR director ready to take on hiring challenges