utility worker

police officer

recreation leader

grounds maintenance worker

administrative assistant

TOWN OF GILBERT

This review is for driving a garbage truck. 

Everyone starts of as a residential ASL driver. Even if you have roll-off or front load experience they make you drive ASL first. The majority of their routes are these routes. There are only a few commercial routes. 

You begin your career as a Solid Waste Operator I. If you cross train and learn rear load (if you drive a rear load truck you will need a class A CDL for all other positions you will only need a class B CDL), roll-off or front load you can promote into a Solid Waste Operator II position. If you are a “yes man” and want to be a supervisor eventually, you can possibly promote into a Solid Waste Operator III position. Each one of these positions pays a whopping 5% more than the position below it.

The mechanics can barely keep the trucks running mainly because Gilbert buys trucks like a kid with ADD. They have about 8-10 different types of trucks/configurations.

It also doesn’t help that they expect the operators to lube the vehicles, blow out the radiators, fill up fluids, wash the vehicles, etc. Basically all the things that no drivers do anywhere else. (And they don’t monitor if those things are actually being done so vehicles break down WAY too much!)

The best part of the job is that you only work a four-ten schedule and never work weekends (front load drivers work one Sat a month). Most days you work 11 hours so there is built in OT. You can sign up on your day off and work if you want more hours. (It’s hit or miss if they will actually use you)

The Town of Gilbert advertises itself as "The Google of Government" which, in itself, is eye-roll inducing but it also couldn't be further from the truth. They are by far THE LEAST innovative organization I've ever been a part of. Everything is still done on paper, the technology they do use is dated and obsolete, and everyone uses terms from techniques they don't understand such as "Lean Six Sigma" and "Agile". The only thing Lean about Gilbert is the workforce because they constantly fire people. While I was there they fired the chief town innovation officer, 2 HR directors, the asst town manager, the presiding judge, and an uncountable amount of lower level employees. Everyone is terrified of losing their job, and with good reason. The whole place is a mess and stress levels are constantly through the roof. No one has any idea what their jobs actually are, and it's no surprise because the job descriptions are purposely very vague (just check out a couple of their job postings if you need an example). Typical job posting: 5 paragraphs about how great and innovative the town is and 3 sentences about the actual job duties. There is definitely potential for improvement if they would just stop spending all day throwing around fluffy words that literally mean nothing (if I hear the words "innovative", "dynamic" and "cadence" ever again it'll be too soon) and start actually trying to make worthwhile changes to the actual processes and procedures. Here's a tip, Gilbert: if 7 different people have to have their hands on a process that should be able to be completed by 1 person, something isn't working!

Despite all of the recently posted positive reviews (that sound similar and happen to be written within a few days of each other), I was compelled to write an honest review and the truth is that this is not a well run organization and the morale is very low across the board. I work in a position where I’m able to interact with people from many areas of the town and while the employees are great, most of them are miserable. The pay is subpar and there are very few opportunities to advance, especially if you’re a person of color or not in the “in crowd”. There is high turnover and a lack of action from upper management. Their overall vision for the town is really not in line with how it’s actually managed which leads to confusion amongst the employees in terms of purpose. There is a large overall disconnect between the upper and lower level employees. The “people team” will occasionally roll out different ideas to increase morale but the bottom line is that people don’t want lunchtime yoga or useless swag items if they can’t afford to pay their bills (or simply just feel they aren’t being paid fairly for the work they do). Furthermore, yoga doesn’t fix poor management or take extra work off the plate of a person doing 3 peoples’ jobs - and the money allocated to those initiatives would be better spent just paying people a fair wage. Overall, this is just not a quality organization and not a place you should work if you have other options available to you.

I will start with the good: fair benefits, work from home capabilities, 4/10s. That’s where it ends. The employees in town hall - mainly those who are completely disconnected from reality and don’t experience their jobs the same way the majority of us do - are the only ones saying this is a great place to work. They tout an inclusive environment, but there is a severe lack of diversity especially at the higher levels. They insist that every voice matters, but what they mean is people who sound, think, and look like them can have a voice. There is no room for disagreement here, which means no room for improvement. Of course your job is great if you work in a cushy office, push paper for a living, and get to make all of the decisions. What about the rest of us? In this job market, good benefits are truly a dime a dozen. Every organization is trying to woo employees, so you have to do better. What good is an abundance of time off if I’m already consistently working through my days off? What good is paid parental leave if I can’t afford to have children? Don’t even get me started on the worthless prizes they give out. We don’t want a water bottle - we just want a good place to work. Please…just listen to your employees. Not the ones who sit next to you - the ones out here doing the real jobs. We matter and we deserve better. Lying about what a great place this is to attract new employees is a disservice to you, them, AND us. Just look inward and then do better, Town of Gilbert.

I've worked for Gilbert for about 15 years in various roles, and also at a few other municipalities in the Valley. Gilbert is head and shoulders above the others. We truly hire the best people- those who want to make a difference in the quality of life here. As many of the reviews here state, we've got amazing staff! We also are expected to achieve a lot, with minimal resources compared to other cities; but this is the kind of challenge that makes this place such a great environment. The people are achievers and are asked to be creative to get results- if you like that kind of challenge then this is a comfortable, rewarding place to work. That kind of place is not for everyone though, and some people can understandably not enjoy the level of difficulty we're faced with, especially in the current environment where government is treated with hostility.
The kind of people that are successful here are very driven to achieve results, but are also very people oriented and are pleasant to work with. In many teams you are given the ability to find an answer to a problem without being told what to do; of course some jobs don't have that freedom, but many do. You also get a wide variety of tasks to complete, which is refreshing compared to other places where you have one job and don't get exposure to other areas. It's definitely a place where you will be challenged and can grow.

For Future applicants I would highly disregard applying for the solid waste dept. I worked for this department for 3 years and never seen so turn over rate in my years of working there.  Management is so inconsistent with following policies and procedures they make the rules as they go kind of thing.  The workload will be heavy expect to work 10 1/2 11 hour workdays. Taking breaks will only Hinder you from getting your job duty done on time.  Mechanic shop is pretty much non existent for nothing ever gets repaired which is highly dangerous for the safety of the employees and community. New work trucks have been ordered and are now being used which are great and reliable. The more you know at this department the worse it'll be for you. Management does not balance workload through out the department leaving certain people to pick up the work loads. That's a good thing right? You say, no there is no room for advancement and everyone gets paid the same or less. There is hardly any motivation at this place and could see this place going private. Raises are little too none because of downtown likes to keep their pockets nice and full. So this is the end of the review slash rant best of luck on your job search just don't apply for this department.

I was a heavy equipment operator in the bulk department. The schedule and benefits were the only good parts of working here. The workweek was four ten-hour days Monday through Thursday. The management was awful, promotions were impossible as were pay raises. The pay scale is a joke compared to other companies or cities in the same industry. Also, keep in mind that Gilbert is part of the Arizona State Retirement System. This means that they deduct a mandatory 12+ percent of your paycheck for your retirement. This was as of the time that I left and was constantly increasing. Not a bad thing in and of itself, but must be considered when applying and calculating your pay range needs. Trying to get into different positions within Gilbert was absolutely not possible. Supervisor positions would open up for employees to apply to but it was just a dog and pony show as an outsider was always hired to fill those positions. Avoid Town of Gilbert and look elsewhere if you're seeking a position within a government agency.

The Town of Gilbert the "Google of Government" more like the Goof Balls Of Government! The Town of Gilbert has a been very successful in creating and keeping a toxic work culture. They  continue to achieve this by promoting a place where you are not valued and fear reigns supreme. This is a place where their idea of diversity is hiring women directors as if that covers it. The Town Manager is known for churning directors and staff in and out like opening and closing a door. All the while preaching a culture of "a cadence of accountability," "innovation, "and "Team Gilbert" blah Please! The best is if you're willing to backstab your co-workers any job is yours for the taking. The word is that kind of behavior is rampant in the Town Managers office and the Municipal Court. Don't be fooled though its rampant in every department. Be cautious though the moment you are caught not singing the Gilbert tune... door open and out you go. The Town Manager and his goonies have no problem steam rolling right over you.

I should've known when I had to attend a 2-day orientation that this was going to be a bad place to work. Nothing here is efficient (or "innovative" as they like to constantly insist). Every process runs slowly and nothing ever makes sense. They employ a person who comes around to try to help you improve your processes but the problem is that this is government and there is red tape and lack of resources (as much as they like to insist they don't operate like a government org..its like "Im not a regular mom - Im a COOL mom!!"). The only people I've met here who have a college degree got that degree from University of Phoenix so.... Also - they fire everyone. Don't have their same "values" - fired. Present a different idea than theirs - fired. Literally everyone gets fired..their turnover must be through the roof!! It's just a ridiculous place to work and everyone is miserable. I know you will probably still apply..and get the job..and be miserable..but I tried to warn you!

The Town of Gilbert is progressing rapidly! Very collaborative environment where voices are heard and acted upon. No workplace is ever perfect, but between the remote/hybrid work initiative, ample paid time off, holidays, floating holidays and an exceptional benefits offering, TOG is pretty amazing. Starting a family? TOG offers paid parental leave and a Baby-at-Work program! Are you a member of the Reserves or National Guard? TOG offers supplemental military pay! The Town is supportive of employee wellness and has a dedicated Wellness Consultant on-staff who coordinates programs that help support and enhance the well-being of TOG employees. Did a mention a 4/10 work schedule? 

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Utility worker 1 salary reported	$26.74 per hour
Police officer 5 salaries reported	$38.80 per hour
Recreation leader 6 salaries reported	$19.46 per hour
Grounds maintenance worker 9 salaries reported	$23.39 per hour
Administrative assistant 5 salaries reported	$27.48 per hour

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