Agenda item

The Council’s HR Manager and Organisational Development Manager delivered a HR Annual Assurance presentation to the Committee.

The presentation covered the following topics:

·        2024 in review;

·        Recruitment workshops;

·        Staff networks;

·        Absence management;

·        Top absence reasons;

·        Turnover by year;

·        Reasons for leaving;

·        Organisational development;

·        Coaching;

·        Mentoring programme;

·        Induction programme;

·        Work experience programme 2025;

·        Insights programme; and

·        Next steps.

A Member referred to an Occupational Flu Vaccine Scheme that had been delivered in partnership with Public Health, and to other matters such as workplace stress.  It was queried whether workplace schemes to address such issues could be extended to include Elected Members.  In response, the Committee heard that, in terms of the Flu Vaccine Scheme, Public Health was currently looking at funding options to assess whether this could be further rolled out.  Any resulting communications could go to Elected Members.  It was explained that Elected Members had been supported with other matters, such as mental health; the Council’s help service, which was delivered via telephone and face-to-face appointments, was delivered by Alliance.  It was acknowledged that increased promotion could be undertaken to reach Elected Members.

A Member referred to stress and noted this as being one of the top reasons for absence between 2021-2024.  It was queried what work was being undertaken to address this.  In response, the Committee heard that several initiatives had taken place, including the relaunch of Mental Health First Aiders – 72 were currently trained; working with business partners and managers to identify potential support activities and programmes to help build resilience; offering counselling services; and formally building health and wellbeing into the annual appraisal framework.

A Member referred to the staff network and the terminology/ description associated with race, religion and belief.  It was suggested that the website description be amended to ‘non-religious beliefs’ to reflect that individuals may still hold moral and other beliefs, if not religious ones.  In response, the HR Manager advised that this would be fed back to the relevant working group(s) and any required changes arising from that would be implemented.

A discussion ensued in relation to stress, anxiety and depression.  Consideration was given to different trigger points; recording this on HR systems; the stigma associated with these; and the activities that had been undertaken to help raise awareness in traditional work areas, such as depots and warehouses.  In response to a query, it was explained that engagement work with different outside bodies, such as Alliance and Andy Mans Club, had been undertaken to help reach as many diverse groups as possible.  A Member congratulated the officers for the work that had been undertaken in supporting staff.  Further consideration was given to the management of stress, specifically in instances where the cause was senior personnel and the impact that this could potentially have if a Member of staff had a grievance.  The HR Manager outlined the procedures for assisting in these circumstances.

A Member referred to staff networks and commented how positive these were in terms of supporting and investing in staff.  A discussion ensued in relation to the transformation programme and the impact that change had had on some staff over the last couple of years.  It was indicated that redundancies had been minimised, but change was difficult for some.  Staff surveys had been carried out to ascertain how employees felt; the questions set did need to be general, but also needed to include free text to encourage engagement. In terms of the outcome of those surveys, although the results were positive in that those responding had felt valued at work, the response rate itself was low - 21%.  Work was taking place to improve this and there was optimism that the response rate would increase next year.

In response to a query from a Member regarding sickness statistics; the number of calendar days staff were absent from work; and how Middlesbrough compared to other Local Authorities in the North East, it was explained that a conversion rate was used.  An agreement was in place with NEREO for benchmarking to be undertaken on behalf of the 12 North East Local Authorities.  The last set of statistics indicated that Middlesbrough’s average was 13 days, whereas NEREO’s benchmarked average was 11 days.  The HR Manager would obtain further details of the conversion rate and other Local Authorities’ performance for the Audit Committee.

AGREED that:

1.     In relation to the comments raised regarding the staff network and terminology/ description associated with race, religion and belief, the HR Manager would feed these back to the relevant working group(s) and action any subsequent changes, as required.

2.     Further information regarding staff sickness statistics, and in comparison to other North East Local Authorities, would be obtained for the Audit Committee.

3.     The information, as presented, was noted.