EB Paper – HR Update
Agenda Item6Executive Board MeetingMemo No 20/1325 November 2013
HR UPDATE
Purpose
- To provide the Board with an update on the strategic HR issues relevant to the business.
Pay 2013-14
2.The pay negotiations with the Unions concluded in October. The Unions rejected the FC’s pay offer. The pay award was implemented by administrative action and delivered on time for the October payroll.
Equal Pay
3. Improving the gender pay gap (currently 10.6%) was a primary aim of this year’s pay award. A full equal payaudit is underway to review in more detail the FC pay system, not only in relation to gender, but also other protected characteristics as identified in the Equality Act 2010.
Review of Operational Pay
4.A commitment to review operational pay was included in the three-year Pay and Reward Strategy. Phase 1 of the review, information gathering and analysis of risk, has been completed. The next phase of the review involves managers from across the FC in order to provide a strategic view of current and future operational requirements, to agree how current operational working conditions can be established and, with full consideration of the requirements of equal pay, agree how operational working conditions should be defined within the FC.
Facility Time Agreement
5.HR continues to work with the FCTU on the review of current trade union facility time arrangements with the intention of introducing a new agreement that adheres to the key principles of the new Cabinet Office Central Framework.
Civil Service Reform of Terms and Conditions
6.The FC responded to the Cabinet Office recommendation to re-brand 1½ days privilege leave and communicated the change to staff in October. There has been no change of entitlement for staff.
PMS/Competencies
7.Work continues in preparation for the launch of the Civil Service Competency Framework and Performance Management System (PMS). ‘Face to face’ PMS training has been delivered to staff in Central Services and timetables for its delivery across the rest of the Forestry Commission have been agreed with each country and Forest Research Agency. E-learning modules have also been developed and are being tested. These will be available for all staff from January 2014.
FC Values
8.Learning & Development, in conjunction with HR Business Partners, are engaging management boards to agree how staff should be engaged in the ‘light touch’ review of our values. Focus groups and one to one discussions will take place during December and the initial findings and recommendations will be presented to the HR Management Board and HR Service Board in January/February before being presented to the EB in Spring 2014.
Civil Service Learning
9.Civil Service Learning is the successor to the NationalSchool for Government (NSG) and hosts all learning previously provided by NSG, plus the Professional Skills frameworks and associated training. The Forestry Commission does not currently subscribe to this service, which means that we do not have access to this training and other resources. The FC has the opportunity to join in 2014 and HR is considering the benefits and risks of subscribing, along with resource implications.A paper will be presented to the HR Service Board in February 2014.
Health and Safety
10.The Safety, Health & Environment (SH&E) team is working with the country health and safety committees to develop their action plans. These will link to the high level FC action plan to ensure that the FC delivers against the Health and Safety Strategy. The SH&E team is working with Learning and Development to ensure that health and safety becomes one of the FC’s core values.
11.In terms of evaluation of progress the team has attended a training seminar on the Safety Climate tool and has discussed it with companies using it. As a result the team will be recommending to the FC Health and Safety Strategy Group that the FC should use the Safety Climate Tool to measure its safety culture baseline, evaluate progress and provide evidence-based improvement.
12.On 30 September a wildlife ranger who was working alone died of a heart attack. This sad incident has raised some concerns regarding the FC’s lone working and emergency procedures. The team is working with the countries to improve management of current lone working and emergency procedures. The team is also working with Radio and Electronics and the countries on a procurement exercise to ensure future systems meet all FC requirements.
13.The Fatal Accident Inquiry into the Skye overhead power line accident will take place on the 19 and 20 November 2013. Five members of FC staff have been cited to appear.
Impact on Resources
14.The programmes of work detailed above are being carried out within existing budgets and resources.
Risk Assessment
15.None.
Communications
16.Communications plans are underway for the new PMS and Competency Framework as outlined above.
Recommendations
17.The Board is asked to note the contents of this paper.
Jean Lindsay
Director, Central Services
November 2013
Appendix 1
Baseline Reporting as at 31 October 2013
Country/Area / Original Baseline / 2013/14 Bus Plan Baseline / April / Difference +/-England / FC / 263.66 / 224.50 / 227.52 / + 3.02
FE / 954.73 / 785.10 / 777.92 / - 7.18
Scotland / FC / 157.03 / 134.20 / 143.97 / + 9.77
FE / 845.82 / 837.30 / 823.16 / - 14.14
FR / 250.00 / 164.00 / 183.90 / + 19.90
Silvan House / 329.01 / 253.30 / 220.55 / - 32.75
Total / 2800.25 / 2398.40 / 2377.02 / - 21.38
1 | EB Paper – HR Update | Jean Lindsay | 12/02/2018