Agenda item

The People, Performance and Development Committee gave its endorsement to a behaviour framework created by the HR & OD Team at its meeting in June 2016. The behaviour framework applies to all staff across Surrey County Council and outlines how they can contribute to the success of the organisation and to their own development. The purpose of this report is to request the Members’ approval for updates to the Behaviour Framework update and to advise on progress being made in embedding the Framework across the organisation through the HR&OD strategy.

Declarations of interest:

None

Witnesses:

Ken Akers, Head of HR & OD

Lavern Dinah, Strategic OPD Manager

Key points raised during the discussion:

1.     The Committee noted that SCC’s Human Resources and Organisational Development Strategy was on the agenda for consideration by the Committee and inquired as to why work undertaken to embed the Behaviours Framework had not been included as part of this item. Officers stated that the HR & OD Strategy was a high level document and that there were a number of strands to actually implementing the strategy of which the Behaviours Framework was just one. It was therefore felt to be beneficial for Committee Members to review the steps being taken to embed the Behaviours Framework in isolation rather than considering it as part of the wider HR & OD Strategy.

2.     Members asked whether there was a role for the Behaviours Framework in supporting staff to remain motivated. Officers emphasised that the majority of staff are motivated by recognising their role in helping SCC to deliver its stipulated goals and that continuing to highlight these will contribute to staff remaining focused. The Committee was advised that the Behaviours Framework had been developed in consultation with a variety of stakeholders and that the aim of the report was to outline how the officers were embedding the Council’s values and behaviours through the framework. An MC3 tool was deployed through the Staff Survey to provide feedback on SCC’s managers. This tool can be used to support the embedding of the Behaviours Framework and to identify any areas that Learning & Development and Organisational Development need to focus on in work plans.

3.     Further clarity was sought regarding the extent to which the Behaviours Framework applied to staff within the Orbis Partnership. Officers acknowledged that there were some challenges to embedding SCC’s values within Orbis on account of it being an independent organisation. Staff within the Partnership were, however, aligned to the SCC’s appraisal process which was closely tied to the Behaviours Framework while training had also been provided to Orbis employees.

4.     The Committee expressed concern that the report didn’t make any specific mention of how the Behaviours Framework applied to County Councillors, particularly in regard to how officers and Members worked together and understood each other’s specific roles within the organisation. Members stipulated that officers should consider how the corporate and executive aspects of the organisation understand each other and the role that they play within the running of the Council. It was agreed that the Committee would receive a report at its meeting in June 2018 outlining work being undertaken to support closer working between officers and Members within SCC and to help them better understand each other’s roles and responsibilities.

Actions/ further information to be provided:

1.     The Committee to receive a report on work being undertaken to support closer working between officers and Members within the organisation and to help them better understand each other’s roles and responsibilities.

RESOLVED:

It is recommended that People, Performance and Development Committee:

i.       approves the updated behaviour framework guide; and

ii.      notes progress made to embed the behaviours within the organisation.