Agenda item

INFORMATION NOTE OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES SERVICES MANAGER

To receive an update on the progress made in the last quarter on the People Recovery Plan and general HR related activities.

IT WAS AGREED: That the Information Note entitled People Strategy Update be noted.

REASON FOR DECISION: To enable the Committee to consider the Information Note entitled People Strategy Update.

Audio Recording – 11 minutes 41 seconds.

The Interim HR Services Manager presented the Information Note entitled People Strategy Update and drew attention to points including:

·                The HR team focussed on key areas in the recovery plan and attended regular meetings of HR managers in Hertfordshire and the East of England LGA group, discussing hybrid working, the return to office working, and the success of the apprenticeship scheme.

·                Pay negotiations were ongoing and staff would be updated on progress;

·                The payroll would be backdated from April of this ear;

·                COVID grant funding had been secured for employee wellbeing and resilience support programmes across Hertfordshire;

·                The Shaping Our Future group had discussed a service manager development programme to focus on how managers can demonstrate the Council’s corporate values and develop as leaders;

·                The staff survey was concluded gathering views on the return to office working, confirming that the majority of staff were in favour of a high level of home working than prior to the pandemic; some staff were concerned about the return to office;

·                Section 3.11 of the Information Note covered absence figures; the Council ended the financial year under target for short term absences with lower numbers than prior years due to home working, with an increase in the number of long term absences;

·                The impact of COVID-19 on job vacancies and leavers had resulted in the lowest labour turnover for 10 years but it was expected this would pick back up over the coming months.

The following Members asked questions:

·                Councillor Terry Hone

·                Councillor Elizabeth Dennis-Harburg

·                Councillor Kate Aspinwall

In response to questions the Interim HR Services Manager advised that:

·                Data was not collected on the number of staff self-isolating that were not based in the office;

·                In the last year around 22 staff took absence due to COVID related reasons; this is relatively low in line with the national picture;

·                There was not an internal staff network on mental health but the subject could be raised at future Inclusion Group and/or SCF meetings;

·                The Inclusion Group had formed to gather concerns and feedback from the organisation in a way appropriate to its size, rather than producing independent support groups which could be small given the minority status of the subjects involved;

·                The project team was looking at how additional funding for mental health support could be used in developing mental health first aider skills and resilience training;

·                There were a variety of mental health and wellbeing services signposted on the intranet and the HR team conducted welfare checks on staff.

·                Staff had been encouraged to talk and meet informally while working from home;

·                The Holiday Flex scheme had smaller uptake than hoped due to timing when travel destinations were closed or limited due to lockdown regulations; interested was demonstrated from some staff that had used the scheme more than once; t

·                There was always a risk that when workloads were high employees did not take their holidays and the HR team was working with managers to update the on quarterly leave balances and encouraging people to take leave when they are able.

IT WAS AGREED: That the Information Note entitled People Strategy Update be noted.

REASON FOR DECISION: To enable the Committee to consider the Information Note entitled People Strategy Update.