Issue - meetings

To receive a discussion paper on the employer’s role in keeping staff healthy

IT WAS AGREED: That the Strategic Discussion Paper on the employer’s role in keeping staff healthy be noted.

REASON FOR DECISION: To enable the Committee to consider the discussion paper on the employer’s role in keeping staff healthy.

Audio Recording: 58:35

The HR Operations Manager presented the Strategic Discussion Paper on the employer’s role in keeping staff healthy and highlighted points including:

·         The report was requested with a focus on mental health with a backdrop on the pandemic;

·         North Herts has always been conscious of its responsibility to support the wellbeing of its employees;

·         Since the pandemic the Council has responded to the emerging wellbeing and mental health needs with a wide range of additional direct support and helpful resources;

·         The initial response to the COVID pandemic was to ensure that within the first months of lockdown every member of staff received a call from HR to ensure their wellbeing had been supported;

·         These calls allowed individuals to converse with colleagues outside of their team and to have a direct route to raise problems;

·         HR also created a lockdown toolkit on the intranet which included resources in where to find support;

·         HR launched the headspace wellbeing app which was received well by employees.

The Chair and Members thanked the HR Operations Manager for the paper.

IT WAS AGREED: That the Strategic Discussion Paper on the employer’s role in keeping staff healthy be noted.

REASON FOR DECISION: To enable the Committee to consider the discussion paper on the employer’s role in keeping staff healthy.