Representative Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA)
Representative French Hill (R-AR)
Representative Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA)
The office of Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) treats staffers as “individuals to be trusted, not workers to be managed.” This includes offering generous paid time off (20 days) and “no excuse” sick days (10 days), as well as a telecommuting policy that emphasizes trust in staff with online tools in place that interface with each other to allow collaborative project tracking, impromptu video meetings, and an “open discussion” atmosphere.
When the Congresswoman first took office, the office set aside dozens of hours to draft a comprehensive employee handbook that reflected the feedback of the entire staff. They are also dedicated to doing a comprehensive re-evaluation of the handbook every Congress, collecting employee input on policies they would like to change through anonymous forms to make sure staff feel empowered to be candid in their suggestions. Listening to employees and incorporating their feedback is a regular part of their office culture.
Regarding hiring, they have developed a thorough process that includes the full staff in the evaluation process, so new employees start with an entire team that feels invested in their success. Additionally, the office sets up formal orientation programs for all new staffers. Their first two days on the job are scheduled with activities including: meetings with other members of the staff, receiving information about available listservs and resources, setting up software training, and hearing from the team about what they wish they had known when they started on Capitol Hill.
The Member’s drive for reforming Congress sets a standard for the office’s workplace practices. Because she doesn’t accept “this is how things have always been” as a good enough reason for the rules of Congress, it gives the staff freedom to think big when it comes to office policies.
Representative French Hill (R-AR)
The office of Rep. French Hill (R-AR) prioritizes professional development, communication, and management processes in their day-to-day operations. They provide three weeks of annual leave and two weeks of sick leave. Currently, each permanent staff member and intern has the computer equipment needed to be productive at their job and a contributor to the team regardless of location.
From the beginning, the office gives staff the tools they need to thrive, starting with a highly thorough onboarding process managed by the Director of Operations. All of their day-to-day work is guided by their detailed Strategic Plan, which is devised annually with input at all levels. In addition to a highly detailed Staff Handbook and the "Top Ten" tips for being successful, the office has approximately three dozen Standard Operation Procedures that are concise and explain the most common activities in the office. The Director of Operations manages compliance with required staff training, and internally, their ethics training obligation is double that required by the House and conducted in-office (or virtual) for all staff and the Member.
Regarding professional development, the office recently engaged an management consulting firm to design and deliver a multi-month training and coaching program for all staff at every level. In addition to the live monthly trainings, staff are able to consult with the senior leadership of the firm for one-on-one coaching sessions and pull information from their website at any time through their user license where they have access to thousands of podcasts and proprietary, highly detailed guidance. In addition, each staffer enjoys weekly one-on-one meetings with their manager and continual feedback as well as a robust performance review at the end of the year.
