Agenda item

To consider a report on the progress with Human Resource issues

The Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development, aided by the HR Strategy and OD Manger, presented a report which provided a general update on Human Resource issues, including Health & Safety, Organisational Development, HR Delivery and HR Policy and Reward.

Health and Safety

A total of 1380 accidents reports were entered onto PRIME in Quarter 1, of which 31 were RIDDOR reportable to the Health & Safety Executive.  This represented a continuing downward trend in the number of reportable incidents which were occurring, quarter on quarter.

A total of 149 delegates had attended 16 Health and Safety training courses and briefings. Courses included Use of Defibrillator, Manual Handling and Tool Box Talks.

Following a visit from HSE in March 2012, the development of Route Risk Assessments in the Waste & Recycling service was a priority.  The process involved the identification of hazards which drivers and loaders could encounter on all of the 580 collections rounds in the Borough.  Symbols had been attached to ‘Lookout’ sheets for each road to highlight the hazards.  Briefing sessions had been held with the Trade Union representatives to keep them involved and updated on progress.

Organisational Development

Seventy young people were currently on apprenticeship placements across the Council.  The recent A Team Conference and Awards Ceremony had been a huge success.  Sixteen apprentices had been nominated for the Apprentice of the Year award.  The A Team had also been recognised as national finalists in the Training Journal’s Best Apprenticeship Programme in the UK.  The winner was expected to be announced in November. 

Five new management trainees had started a two year graduate programme and had commenced their first of four, 6 month placements. 

The Learning Lounge had been successfully launched and more than 800 employees had already enrolled on the on-line programmes. The on-line training complemented other forms of learning by providing a cost effective and flexible means of learning in bite size pieces.

HR Delivery

The HR Delivery Team was focusing on attendance management.  A range of actions had been taken to address sickness absence across the Council.  Reports highlighting employees who had met triggers within the Attendance Management Procedure have been taken to Directorate and Senior Management Teams.  Absence management training was being delivered and there had been an increase in the use of case reviews involving managers, HR and Occupational Health Physicians.  A range of Health and Wellbeing events had been organised to promote a healthy lifestyle and raise awareness of important health issues.

One of the measures which could be adopted to manage sickness absence and provide an alternative cost effective counselling and support service for staff would be the introduction of an Employee Assistance Programme.  It had been found that if employees are referred for help/advise and counselling at an earlier stage, they were far less likely to have an extended period of absence and more likely to be able to control their individual stress levels.  

HR Policy and Strategy

In order to improve understanding of Equality and Diversity a mandatory half day course for managers involved in budget and policy decisions had been set up and would take place during November and early December.  The aim was to equip managers with the knowledge and confidence to ensure equality of opportunity was embedded in all decision making.

The Council had appointed Comensura as a neutral vendor to manage a supply chain of a wide range of recruitment agencies.  Since the introduction of the new arrangements, virtually all off contract spending had been eliminated and all new requirements for agency workers were being dealt with via the Comensura contract.  The contract had resulted in reductions in agency fees by approximately £70,000 since April 2012.