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Appendix I Workforce Plan Progress July 2021
Key Theme |
Need / Driver |
Outcome |
Action |
Responsibility |
Update / Timescale |
Organisational culture and change
|
Increased partnership work. |
Flexibility in workforce movement. |
Secondments arranged into and out of partner sector
|
HR Manager
|
Ongoing
|
Maintain and develop the organisation culture to be consistent with the values and priorities |
Increased levels of employee engagement |
Employee engagement survey
Team talks/briefs; One Council meetings; Service planning and appraisal
Develop a Council engagement plan |
Wider Leadership Team (WLT) |
Outcome of survey presented to CLT, WLT and all staff. Follow up pulse survey sent to all staff in Jan 2021. Run another engagement survey in Jan 2022
Team talks ongoing. Delivered One Council briefing on 10 Feb 2021 which includes staff awards. Monthly webinars led by CEO continue to be delivered.
New staff engagement group created. Hold meetings regularly and develop an engagement plan with involvement of staff group – monitored by WLT
|
|
Changes in the way we work |
Guidance on agile working for managers and staff
|
HHR
HR Manager |
Framework provided to managers on different workstyles to meet the needs of the business and change in working practices
Joint Swale and Maidstone policy on agile working to be agreed by management teams – Sept 2021 |
||
Workforce culture |
Organisational culture meets the changes in working practices |
HHR |
Review behaviours, values and competencies to support agile ways of working Identify structure and processes to support changes Outline future programme of change for the council |
||
Training needs for staff on agile working, mental health and wellbeing |
Training for staff and managers to support agile working and manage mental health and wellbeing conversations |
L&D Manager
|
Training Plan for 2021-2022 agreed by WLT. Monthly webinars delivered on wellbeing including mental health. Further training on remote working and managing teams to be introduced.
|
||
Increased income generation including through regeneration and commercialisation |
Organisation structure designed to meet key priorities |
Senior management structure and development programme
Strengthen creative and innovation skills
Expansion of Payroll services
|
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with Corporate Leadership Team (CLT) and WLT
HHR |
On-going capital projects
To be delivered through the culture change programme
Payroll service for Dartford Borough council - ongoing. To explore opportunities with other external organisations to expand payroll service. |
|
Senior Leadership is visible |
Employees feel that senior leaders are approachable, listen and live the values |
One Council briefings, back to the floor and attending local team meetings
|
Policy, Wider Leadership Team (WLT) |
One Council briefings All staff monthly webinars – held virtually Directors attending team meetings – held virtually
|
|
WLT to visit staff during wellbeing week and birthday teas |
WLT |
On hold.
|
|||
Employees are engaged with organisation purpose |
Employees know where they fit in to the organisation and how they help deliver priorities
|
Team talks delivered by line managers |
WLT Line managers |
Ongoing |
|
|
Organisation design |
Accommodation design meets the new ways of working |
Changes to office accommodation to meet agile ways of working |
HHR Head of Commissioning & Business Improvement |
Staff survey results reviewed. HOS feedback received. Accommodation options considered and changes to be taken forward |
Key Theme |
Need / Driver |
Outcome |
Action |
Responsibility |
Update/ Timescale |
Resourcing
|
The organisation is fully resourced with the right skills to deliver council priorities |
Streamlined processes for greater efficiency |
Review induction programme for all staff |
Head of HR (HHR) Web Team |
New digital onboarding induction programme has been designed – launched Sept 2020
|
Council is presented in the best light to attract good candidates |
Council jobs provide attractive information for candidates |
HR Manager |
Recruitment advertising contract tendered and awarded. New job page created with information on the borough and the council.
|
||
Competitive employment package to attract and retain good people |
Appropriate use of market supplements in skill shortage areas |
HR Manager |
Ongoing and has improved recruitment in hard to fill areas (Planning and Building Control) |
||
Maximise effectiveness of the full team to deliver council priorities |
Line managers are trained and address performance and absence issues |
Line managers |
Absence management and Performance management training on-going. New absence records created in iTrent to monitor Covid-19 absence and general sickness |
||
A representative and balanced workforce |
Increase the % of employees under the age of 25 |
Apprenticeship programme |
HHR |
Training and qualifications agreed for existing staff through the apprenticeship levy. Recruitment of apprentices to continue. Careers fairs at local schools and colleges – on hold |
|
A representative and balanced workforce |
Council that values equality, diversity and inclusion |
Meet the Disability Confident employer status
Calculate and report on the Gender Pay Gap
|
HHR |
Ongoing
Figures to be updated and published on the Govt website to meet the deadline of 31 March 2021. Minimal difference between male and female pay rates |
|
The organisation is fully resourced with the right skills to deliver Council priorities |
No skill / knowledge gaps because of retirements or turnover |
Succession planning and multi-skilling to ensure business continuity |
WLT |
To complete ‘Developing Everyone’ analysis following Clear Review Performance conversations in April 2021 |
|
Organisational effectiveness increased, workloads reduced |
Change in mind-set of employees to overcome challenges in their roles
|
L&D Manager
|
Personal Best training for staff – to be delivered in 2021/22
|
||
Key Theme |
Need / Driver |
Outcome |
Action |
Responsibility |
Update/Timescale |
Development
|
Develop consistency of approach by leaders and managers |
Managers and leaders know what is expected of them as a ‘Maidstone Manager’
|
Management development; 360°feedback. All new managers to go through the manager induction programme
|
L&D Manager and WLT |
New online induction programme for managers launched in Jan 2021
Management development framework updated
|
Pilot new software on performance management |
L&D Manager |
Clear Review system – implementation programme being delivered to all teams. Roll out completed in Feb 2021
|
|||
The organisation is fully resourced with the right skills to deliver council priorities |
Blended approach to learning All employees engaged in personal development |
All employees have development plan; training plan in place to address future skill gaps |
L&D Manager Line managers |
Recorded in Clear Review and managed by managers during regular meetings. |
|
Development of new eLearning package with tailored programmes |
L&D Manager |
Tender process started on eLearning system
|
|||
A flexible workforce |
Internal recruitment and selection enables horizontal movement to develop careers and give employment stability |
Streamline processes for internal re-deployment. Training for new roles and ways of working eg arising from service reviews and business transformation |
HHR |
Ongoing |
|
A flexible workforce |
Develop a range of skills |
Secondments encouraged
|
HHR |
Ongoing |
|
Work shadowing process developed to facilitate people spending time in other areas |
HHR |
WLT/CLT Job Swap programme in place. |
|||
A safe workforce |
A strong health and safety culture with minimal accident levels.
|
Deliver the Health and Safety action plan |
Health and Safety Officer Line managers |
Ongoing monitoring through the Health & Safety Committee. |
|
Key Theme |
Need / Driver |
Outcome |
Action |
Responsibility |
Update/Timescale |
Rewards
|
Retain competitive position as an employer |
Reinforce benefits package so that employees feel they are fairly rewarded. |
Update and re-issue employee handbook |
HR Manager |
To update with new Strategic Plan |
Health and wellbeing initiatives developed |
HR Manager Community Development |
Ongoing, virtual Well-being week held in February 2021. Roll out wellbeing events during the rest of the year. Flu vaccinations delivered in Oct 2020 Webinars introduced on staff wellbeing and support provided through EAP and occupational health |
|||
Total benefits statement developed |
HHR |
Webinars on total rewards and benefits delivered regularly |
|||
Enhance rewards and benefit provision at the Council |
HR Manager |
Ongoing – continuous review of benefits and rewards
Introduced payroll giving benefit
|
|||
Employees feel they are fairly rewarded |
Review pay for lower graded staff Review rewards in terms of future working methods Promote current rewards and benefits |
HHR |
Implemented Real Living wage in April 2020 for lowest paid staff. Review on car travel allowances – completed Regular communication provided on staff benefits |
||
Staff feel valued for their contribution |
Awards ceremony continued and strengthened |
HHR |
Included as part of One Council event in Feb 2021 |
||
Mechanisms developed to increase the ways for recognising staff |
HHR |
Ongoing – webinar to all staff in July 2020 to say ‘thank you’ Revised recognition process through policy & performance introduced |