38 PEOPLE & CHANGE WORKFORCE UPDATE PDF 236 KB
Purpose of the
report: To provide the up to date
position on the key workforce challenges facing the organisation
and how the People & Change Service is working to help address
and mitigate these challenges. In
addition, the report gives a progress update on previous queries
raised by the Select Committee and aims to give clarity on current
actions and programmes of work being undertaken to address specific
areas of concern.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Witnesses:
Ayesha Azad, Cabinet Member for
Finance and Resources
Leigh Whitehouse, Deputy Chief
Executive and Executive Director of Resources
Bella Smith, Head of Insight,
Programmes and Governance
Tom Holmwood, Head of
Recruitment
Key
points raised during the discussion:
- The Chairman asked
what the three current key challenges in relation to workforce were
compared to the last year, and likely to be in the next two
years.
- The Head of Insight,
Programmes and Governance said that for the past two years
challenges had centred around COVID including the management of
staff sickness levels, staff wellbeing and ensuring staff had the
correct personal protection equipment (PPE). Due to the pandemic,
the market had changed with people wanting to work differently and
as a result the Council has increased its plans for focus on
recruitment and retention over the next two years. Current
challenges around the cost of living were being addressed to ensure
staff financial wellbeing with the roll out of initiatives to
support this planned over the next six months. The Head of
Resourcing added that the cost of living was resulting in an
increase of turnover and this was expected to continue for some
time. Work around maintaining the Council’s employer brand in
the market would continue. Analysis of data to support the
development of a corporate exit survey was underway to provide
insight around a proportion of staff leaving the Council for other
public sector organisations.
- The Chairman queried
the reasons for staff moving to other public sector organisations.
The Head of Recruitment noted that recent exit interviews indicated
factors such as pay and reward in addition to work, life balance
and committed to share an analysis of exit interview data with the
Resources and Performance Select Committee at the next People and
Change update. Action: Head of Recruitment
- The Chairman was
concerned at the emphasis on ‘line managers’ to conduct
‘why stay’ conversations with staff. The Head of
Insights Programmes and Governance explained a broader approach in
relation to the ‘why stay’ interviews was being piloted
in Children’s Services with human resources business partners
and other colleagues within the service involved in conducting some
of those conversations, supporting the development of peer-to-peer
discussions.
- The Chairman asked
when tangible results could be expected in relation to recruitment
and retention improvements. The Head of Insight, Programmes and
Governance explained that whilst the voluntary turnover rate had
risen from February 2022 to July 2022, a slight plateau was
evident, and the current economic situation was resulting in more
people choosing the stability of remaining in their roles at the
Council.
- A Member asked if
there were sufficient opportunities for extra annual leave and
sabbaticals as requested by 29 per cent of staff surveyed for the
Children’s, Families and Lifelong Learning ‘in
job’ questionnaire. The Head of Insight, Programmes and
Governance explained that in addition to a re-evaluation of pay
grades, the total reward package for staff was being revisited and
would include, flexible working, annual leave and the promotion of
sabbaticals ...
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