Although the current reality at the Hesperia City Hall may be rough, one woman is working to make sure that city employees stay focused on a bright future. By moving the conversation towards the future, she has helped maintain positive morale despite the challenges.

Her work gained the attention of one High Desert newspaper and they decided to profile her and her work as part of their series on High Desert’s Most Inspiring Women.

One of the most impressive programs she developed is a mentoring program for city employees. While they may currently be subject to a hiring freeze, that doesn’t mean that the freeze will last forever. So the employees are preparing for future promotions by shadowing and mentoring. The program has not only won awards, but it’s been a hit inside the city as well. 49 of the 170 city employees have taken part.

From the Victorville Daily Press:

As they are almost everywhere, times are tough at Hesperia City Hall. There are ever-fewer employees trying to maintain the same level of services for residents. Pay has been cut. Salary increases are on hold, as are promotions.

What this means for morale can be seen at many places of business around the country. At city hall, though, Kim Summers, assistant to City Manager Mike Podegracz, decided to find something positive to offer employees despite the hard times. Her efforts helped earn Summers a nomination as one of the Daily Press’ 2012 Most Inspiring Women.

Read the full article here.