PERSONNEL & TRAINING SERVICES
DRAFT SERVICE PLAN 2008/11
CONTENTS
Item /Page
1Key Service Responsibilities2Related Strategies and Plans
3Specific Targets linking to Policy Priorities, Objectives and Activities
3.1Other Specific Targets
3.2Projects
4Performance Management
4.1Other Performance Measures
53 Year Overview of the Service
6Resources
6.1Staff
6.2Budget
6.3Assets
6.4Technology
6.5Partnerships
7Stakeholder Consultation
8Continuous Improvement
9Risk Assessment
10Equalities
11Workforce Planning
12Financial Planning
13Capital Items / 1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
5
5
5
5
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
Appendices
Budget
Risk Assessment
Equalities
Workforce Planning
Financial Growth and Reductions
Stock Transfer and Efficiency Gains
Capital Items
Benchmarking / Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Appendix D
Appendix E1
Appendix E2
Appendix F
Appendix G
Name of Service and Directorate
Personnel and Training Services is one of 5 services within the Directorate of Strategic Services. In the Corporate Planning framework, Personnel Services is an enabling service contributing to Corporate Governance for the Council and supporting and contributing to Service and Corporate Priorities as set out in the Strategic Plan.
1Key Service responsibilities
As an enabler, our key objectives are:-
- To provide an effective recruitment service including advising recruiting managers, vetting of adverts and other documentation, ensuring procedures are fair, up to date and ‘best practice’ and that recruitment cycles are completed within target timescales.
- To facilitate good employee relations throughout the organisation by developing and maintaining effective personnel policies and procedures, providing advice to managers and employees, and creating a climate where employees are well motivated, hard working and enjoy working for the Council.
- To undertake the administrative support to the personnel function efficiently and effectively, including contractual documentation, maintenance of employee records and collection and analysis of personnel statistics and performance indicators.
- To ensure employees are properly trained, developed and motivated to undertake their roles in accordance with the Workforce Development Plan and IIP Standards and to provide a corporate training programme in support of service and corporate priorities for the coming year and a draft programme for two years ahead.
2Related Strategies and Plans
Plan / Service / Officer Responsible
People Management Principles / Personnel / Personnel and Training Manager
Comprehensive Equality Policy and Corporate Equality Plan / Corporate Development / Consultation Manager
Investor in People accreditation and the associated Improvement Plans / Personnel / Personnel and Training Manager
Corporate Training Policy / Personnel / Personnel and Training Manager
Workforce Development Plan / Personnel / Personnel and Training Manager
3Specific Targets linking to Policy Priorities, Objectives and Activities
Human resources management is an enabling function that supports other services and partners in meeting their planned targets.
5.2.1.1 – All BVPIs are in the DLGE Upper Quartiles year on year
5.2 - Delivery of high quality services, effectively, efficiently and economically by:-
5.2.3.1 - Providing a workforce planning framework
5.2.3.2 - Providig access to training and personal development
5.4.– HR is closely concerned with maintenance of high standards in respect of employees and employment practices by means of the various policies and procedures it is responsible for developing and reviewing although no specific strategic targets established in this area.
5.5.2.1 – Attain level 2 of the Equality Standard by 2006/07 and Level 3 by 2007/08
3.1Other Specific Targets
HR objectives are derived from a number of other areas many of which are inter-linked, for example, Chief Executive’s personal objectives and priorities, Director of Strategic Services personal objectives and priorities, the Council’s Workforce Development Plan, CPA and IIP improvement plans and the aim to continuously improve the personnel function.
Priorities for 2008/2009 set out in the Strategic Services Service Plan are:-
- Resourcing -
-Review and progress the Workforce Development Action Plan, taking forward to implementation the agreed actions and recommendations.
-Further reductions in sickness absence to increase overall workforce capacity and fulfil declared Gershon savings
-Investigate reasons for rising staff turnover and review ways to stabilise at previous levels.
- Employee Relations -
-Support cross departmental work to achieve Local Government Equalities Standard Level 3
- Pay and Benefits -
- Training and Development -
3.2Projects
- Joint Working -
- Safeguarding of children -
4Performance Management
The service is responsible for recording, monitoring and reporting on a range of Best Value and Local Performance Indicators, all of which currently relate to Corporate Health rather than specifically the performance of the HR team. However, the Indicators do reflect in part the effectiveness of Personnel policies and procedures.
PI Ref / Description / 2006/07
Actual / 2007/08 Target / 2007/08 Actual / 2008/09 Target / 2009/10 Target / 2010/2011
Target
BV 11a / Percentage of top 5% earners that are women. / 22.33% / 30.0% / 30.0%
BV 11b / Percentage of top 5% earners that are from ethnic minorities / 0.0% / 5.0% / 5.0%
BV 11c / Percentage of top 5% earners that have a disability / 0.0% / 5.0% / 5.0%
BV 12 / The number of working days/shifts lost due to sickness absence per member of staff / 7.2 days / 7 days / 7 days / 6.5 days / 6.5 days
BV 14 / The percentage of employees retiring early (excluding ill-health retirements) as a percentage of the total work force / 0.29% / 0.0% / 0.0%
BV 15 / The percentage of employees retiring on grounds of ill health as a percentage of the total workforce / 0.0% / 0.0% / 0.0%
BV 16a / The percentage of local authority employees declaring that they meet the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 disability definition / 2.3% / 3.1% / 3.3%
BV 17a / The percentage of local authority employees from minority ethnic communities / 6.0% / 6.0% / 6.5%
TR 312 (i) / Hours per annum offered per employee (training) / 7.7 / 7.4 / 7.4 / 7.4 / 7.4
TR 312 (ii) / Percentage training offered that was attended / 89% / 80% / 80% / 82% / 85%
TR 312 (iii) / Percentage training hours offered provided by externally funded trainers / 69%
TR 313 / Voluntary leavers as a percentage of staff in post / 9% / 11% / 11% / 11% / 11%
TR318a / Percentage of top 10% earners that are women. / 30.0%
TR318b / Percentage of top 10% earners that are from ethnic minorities / 5.0%
TR318c / Percentage of top 10% earners that have a disability / 5.0%
4.1Other Performance Measures
- The service co-ordinates IiP Accreditation which was re-assessed in March 2006 and awarded for another 3 year period – re-assessment date March 2009. Improvement plan prepared and to be progressed and monitored during 2007/2008 and 2008/2009
- Awarded Two Ticks – Positive about people with disabilities. Successful annual re-accreditation in August 07- need to continue to monitor effectiveness during 2007/2008 and 2008/2009
- IdeA Member Training accreditation
- Chartermark - annual re-assessment to take place in Tranche 3
53 Year Overview of the Service
The issue of small local authorities not having the critical mass to remain as standalone service providers when their housing goes to LSVT or other functions are outsourced remains a key concern. The effects are felt most acutely in back office or support functions and national government is encouraging a range of solutions.
The various routes to avoid an inevitable increase in overhead cost falling on front line services are:
- reducing quantity and quality of support functions – although this incurs risk for an organisation,
- to share support services with other organisations to obtain economies of scale
- to combine front line services across wider geographical areas to obtain economies of scale – incurs loss of local ‘ownership’
- to apply each of these solutions as appropriate to different services or functions.
6Resources
6.1Staff
Job Title / Grade / No. / FTE
Personnel and Training Manager (Fully qualified) / MG 3 / 1 / 1
Personnel and Training Officer – Employment (CIPD training started) / MG 1 / 1 / 0.54
Personnel and Training Officer - Training / MG 1 / 1 / 1
Assistant Personnel Officer (Partial CIPD qualification) / Sc 5/SO 1 / 1 / 0.68
Administrative Assistant - Employment / Sc 3-4 / 1 / 1
Administrative Assistant - Training / Sc 3-4 / 1 / 0.76
6.2Budget – See Appendix A
6.3Assets
Laptop, laptop and projector for training, document scanner and fax machine, printer within section for confidential documents. 6 PCs. iPAQ
6.4Technology
Intellect Workforce Personnel Information System
6.5Partnerships
We outsourced the Payroll service to East Herts DC under a contract managed by Accountancy Practice. We undertake Personnel work for West Herts Crematorium for which we charge an annual fee. We undertake joint procurement exercises with WatfordDC, e.g. on vacancy advertising, occupational health. We have an arrangement with WatfordBC to share Health and Safety resource – budget with Environmental Health.
7Stakeholder Consultation
Consultation is carried out at a number of different levels and includes:-
-Management Board
-Local Liaison
-Other staff consultation groups on specific topics
-Exit Interviews
-Annual meetings with directors
-Attendance at DMTs
-Focus groups
-Training evaluation
-User survey
8Continuous Improvement
The service utilises a number of information streams to measure and compare its performance with other organisations. These include:-
-BVPIs and TRPIs
-IiP improvement plans that are used to prepare for accreditation
-Membership of IPF HR Benchmarking Group
-Attendance at Network groups on general HR work and workforce development and training
-Benchmarking with near neighbour group
-Reports to Executive, Scrutiny and Resources Review panel on Sickness absence and staff turnover.
9Risk Assessment – See Appendix B
10Equalities – See Appendix C
11Workforce Planning – See Appendix D
12Financial Planning – See Appendix E1 and E2
13Capital Items – See Appendix F14Benchmarking – See Appendix G
1
Appendix A
Appendix B
PERSONNEL & TRAINING SERVICES
RISK REGISTER
RiskRef / Risk / Impact / Likelihood / Risk Tolerance
Requires Treatment
Yes/No / Next
Milestone
Date / Next
Review
Date
1 / Failure to support managers in resourcing their services / IV / D / Yes / - / Annual
2 / Pay and Benefits not sufficient to attract high calibre employees / IV / D / Yes / - / Quarterly
3 / Failing employee relations / IV / D / Yes / - / Annual
4 / Employees not fully trained to undertake their jobs / IV / D / Yes / - / Quarterly
PERSONNEL & TRAINING SERVICES
RISK ASSESSMENT
Risk / Vulnerability / Cause/Trigger / Impact / Impact Classification / Likelihood Classification1 / Work Area 1 – Resourcing:
Failure to support managers in resourcing their services /
- Poor appointment decisions by managers
- Appointment process results in claim for race, gender or other discrimination against Council
- High sickness absence levels reduce capacity
- Managers unaware of laid down procedures
- Managers do not follow laid down procedures
- Procedures incorrect or out of date
- Lack of personnel staff to respond to requests for supplementary advice
III
/E
Financial Loss / IIReputation / III
Legal Implications / III
People / IIII
2 / Work Area 2 –
Pay and Benefits:
Pay and benefits not sufficient to attract high calibre new employees /
- Low numbers and quality of applicants leading to long term vacancies and lack of choice in appointments
- Staff turnover rises higher than benchmark comparators
- Employees leaving to go to higher paying organisations
III
/E
Financial Loss / IIReputation / IV
Legal Implications / I
People / III
3 / Work Area 3 – Employee Relations:
Failing Employee Relations /
- Low employee morale, claims of harassment, etc - Could be Council wide or in ‘hot spots’ within departments
- Rising no. of ET claims
- Industrial Action
Not addressing issues in timely way so problems are exacerbated. / Service Disruption /
III
/E
Financial Loss / IReputation / IV
Legal Implications / III
People / IV
This assessment assumes that the Council will be able to tolerate loss of service for a period of no more than 1 week.
No experience of industrial action for periods > 1 week
4 / Work Area 4 – Training & Development:
Employees not fully trained to undertake their jobs /
- Annual Corporate training programme not provided
- Training courses poorly attended
- Departmental training not provided
- Need for training not properly identified
- Lack of capacity in Personnel services
- Lack of budget/resource in departments
- Lack of time to attend training
- Appraisals not carried out by managers
II
/E
Financial Loss / IIReputation / III
Legal Implications / I
People / III
/ Likelihood / A / Impact / Likelihood
B / V = Catastrophic / A = >98%
C / IV = Critical / B = 75% - 98%
D / III = Significant / C = 50% - 75%
E / 1, 4 / 2, 3 / II = Marginal / D = 25% - 50%
F / I = Negligible / E = 2% - 25%
I / II / III / IV / V / F = <2%
/ Impact
Risk Management – Controls and Responsibility
Risk / Existing Control / Adequacy of Control / Action Required / Responsibility / Critical Success Factor / Key Dates / Review Date1 / Work Area 1 – Resourcing:
Failure to support managers in resourcing their services /
- Advice on intranet
- Spot checks on recruitment files
- Regular review of recruitment procedures and annual update training.
- BVPIs and Local PIs for monitoring of progress
- Exit interviews
- HR service benchmarked against other authorities HR depts
Investigation of any rise in turnover above benchmark comparators.
Central monitoring of sickness continued / MON/AW / Attract sufficient good calibre applicants so that managers have choices
Attendance rate improves / Monitoring of turnover and exit interview information / Annual
2 / Work Area 2 –
Pay and Benefits:
Pay and benefits not sufficient to attract high calibre new employees /
- Regular monitoring of staff turnover (PI)
- SMS scheme
- Aware of pay and benefit trends in employment market
- Good induction process to aid retention
Early leavers (i.e. < 2 yrs minimised) / Flexible working, innovative recruitment methods encouraged / Departmental managers and MON / Staff satisfied with pay / effort balance and work/life balance
Employees feel welcome and confident to do jobs / Quarterly
Monitoring report deadlines / Quart’rly
Risk / Existing Control / Adequacy of Control / Action Required / Responsibility / Critical Success Factor / Key Dates / Review Date
3 / Work Area 3 – Employee Relations:
Failing Employee Relations / Policies and Procedures regularly reviewed and on intranet for employees to take action.
Local Liaison
Unison and non-Union representation
Good communication via LLC, noticeboards, AllAboard, dept’l mtg. cascades. / Generally low level of employee unrest.
ET Pattern is now settling down to 1-2 cases per annum. Currently cases relate to appeals against award of Ill Health Pensions rather than ET. / Ensure good records maintained and prompt action taken at all stages of procedures
Managers trained and refreshed in people management techniques and pols/prcs / MON/LS / Staff feel fairly treated even if grievances raised.
Colleagues feel cases fairly and firmly handled / Deadlines for responses to grievance, appeals, ET statements / Annual
4 / Work Area 4 – Training & Development:
Employees not fully trained to undertake their jobs /
- Appraisal cascade regularly monitored
- Annual TNA produced
- Local PI on training attendance
- Charging ‘real’ money for courses not attended
Appendix C
Service: PERSONNEL SERVICES
Equality Impact Assessment Reviews
Service Area / Lead Officer / Review Completion DateReview of all Personnel Policies and Procedures – assessed as medium priority in Corporate Equality Plan / Marilyn O’Neill / March 2008
Service Equalities Objectives 08/09 / Targets / Review process / Review date / Resources / Lead officer / Relevant Equalities Groups
Promoting Equality Of Opportunity In Employment & Training
Support work to achieve Local Government Equalities Standard Levels 2 and 3 / Level 2 - April 2007
Level 3 - April 2008 / Contribute to work of Corporate Equalities Task Group / Annual / Existing Resources / Karen McMurray / Race
Gender
Disability
Age
Religion
Sexual Orientation
Improving position on Equalities BVPIs 11a,11b, 11c,16a and 17a / See BVPI targets / Reports to Management Board and Committees / Quarterly / Existing Resources / Marilyn O’Neill / Race
Gender
Disability
Age
Religion
Sexual Orientation
Progress Pay Review Improvement Plan arising from the Equal Pay Audit/Pay Review in 2006/2007 / See Improvement plan timescales / Update reports to Management Boardand Resources PP / 6 monthly and as requested / Existing Resources / Marilyn O’Neill and Loraine Sibson / Race
Gender
Disability
Age
Religion
Sexual Orientation
Appendix D
WORKFORCE PLANNING
Service name: ___PERSONNEL SERVICES______
OverviewPersonnel Services is responsible for collating workforce development issues from all the Council’s Service Plans and incorporating the requirements in the annual update of the Council’s Workforce Development Plan. Therefore, until all the Service Plans are completed, there is an element of uncertainty in workforce planning for Personnel.
In addition, Personnel Services has its own section requirements which are set out below. Known key issues for 08/09 are supporting the re-crafting of the organisation with a reduced Personnel section when Housing and Leisure transfers have been carried out. In addition, there is the on-going contribution to the Shared Services project which, in the short term,represents additional work - although,in the longer term, it is the solution to the loss of resilience in the service due to reductions in personnel staff.
Workload - Trends and changes / Staffing implications - Impact on Service / Individuals / Options and Preferred solutions / Outcome / Financial implication
Housing Transfer Implications / Currently P&TM is spending approximately 35% of time on LSVT. Admin Asst (training) is undertaking project support for the TRDC project group –estimated 7 – 10 hours per week. There will be a requirement to provide personnel advice to Thrive re setting up staff structure, etc. up to 1 April 2008. These commitments should reduce when transfer is complete but may be some follow up issues in 08/09. / During 07/08 some additional temporary admin. assistance is being procured to cover system input and basic clerical work.
Lower priority allocated to other new work or projects / Effectve TUPE transfer and start up position for Thrive.
Additional expenditure on temporary staff in 07/08 which is not expected to continue in 08/09 / Funded by stock transfer support budget
Leisure Outsourcing Implications / Transfer is progressing smoothly within existing capacity. Little impact expected on workload beyond 1 Jan 2008. / Effective TUPE transfer / None specific
Implications on Personnel function of reduction in organisation numbers resulting from the above transfers / Although HR workload is recharged based on staff numbers, there is a level of staff capacity required that is not elastic. For instance, HR staffing has remained at 5 f.t.e.s since 2000 when there were278 permanent employees. The section absorbed the employment of an additional 70+ staff when Waste and Ground contracts and the Gas section were taken on. Organisational reductions of any size in that period were only Watersmeet (9 staff)
In numeric terms (inc. leisure) there will be a potential reduction of approximately 128 on the current figure of 387 permanent employees. In people terms, this would equate to a reduction of 1.6 people in Personnel. 3.4 staff could not adequately cover the range of essential functions remaining that are unrelated to the number of staff in the organisation. Benchmarking indicates that HR numbers per fte are lower in TRDC than comparable authorities although cost per fte is higher (See Benchmarking, Appendix G). / Maintain level of staffing until re-crafting of Council is completed and Shared Services, if approved, is implemented.
or
TUPE transfer to Thrive as appropriate and obtain temporary help to maintain range of services. / Service provision maintained during period when greater demands being place on it.
Increased salary budget for 2008/2009 / Growth bid or funding via budgetary provision for Shared Services
Shared Services / P&TM is currently Service Lead for HR on the project and devoting 50% of time to it. The detailed business case phase will continue to Jan/Feb 08. If approved the implementation phase will then commence and is likely to involve as much, if not more, input, both in terms of the development of the new Service and in supporting those managers and staff employed by TRDC who may transfer or be seconded to the new Service.
See also Health and Safety below / Backfilling by means of staff in the section temporarily increasing hours and acting up to more senior duties. This needs to continue in order to maintain service performance while the project is being developed. / Greater resilience in provision of HR services in the Shared Services unit post 1 April 09. Additional expenditure will occur on salaries budget due to payment of acting up allowances. / Funding to support backfilling to be met from Shared Service annual provision.
Other Employee / Capacity Considerations / P&TM is able to retire from 16 May 2008 and is currently the only fully qualified HR officer.
Benchmarking shows fewer HR staff are qualified than in comparable authorities.
Health and Safety Officer, currently shared with Watford, is due to retire in March 08 and provision for future H&S advice and input needs to be procured. / CIPD qualification training for a P&TO has commenced.
BTEC e-learning course approved for Admin. Asst.
H&S is in-scope for the Shared Services HR unit. It sits with HR in both Watford and Dacorum and consideration is being given to transfer from Env. Health. / Improved services and greater resilience due to greater expertise.
Greater job security in time of uncertainty for staff. / Within existing budgets
New workload or projects /
- New Look Pension Scheme introduced with effect from 1 April 2008 will require significant communication and explanation to staff and possible procedure reviews.
- Investigation of increasing staff turnover across Council
- Investigating provision of Skills for Life training
- Chartermark re-accreditation December 2008 and annually thereafter or until Shared Services implementation.
- Preparation of, and agreement to, implementation plan for IIP re-accreditation March 2009
- Revisions expected to the Statutory Disputes Regulations which will involve a review of disciplinary and grievance procedures
General workload issues / Unpredictable incidence of workplace disputes and Employment Law cases. These usually arise unexpectedly, must be handled immediately and their duration and complexity stretches capacity and available expertise within the section and can delay other planned and improvement work. / Mediation interventions earlier in disputes might prevent legal action by employees and we are looking to mutually exchange mediation facilitation with other Herts Districts.
Greater resilience possible in Shared Services HR unit. / Quicker end to manager- employee disputes and without ET claim / Within existing budgets.
Appendix E(1)