AGENDA ITEM NO.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND POLICY SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
WEDNESDAY 4 MARCH 2009
CHRO/04/09S
REPORT FROM CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER:
“HUMAN RESOURCES MONITORING”
PURPOSE OF THE REPORT
This is the Quarter 3 report for 2008-09 which provides an update for the Corporate Governance and Policy Scrutiny Committee on the following Human Resources monitoring information:
- Numbers of staff employed
- New jobs created
- Sickness absence levels
- Accidents at work.
The information is presented in accordance with agreements reached with the Committee with regard to the frequency of reporting as determined in February 2005, and with regard to the format of reporting as determined in September 2007 and April 2008.
INFORMATION
For 2008 / 09, it has been agreed by Corporate Governance and Policy Scrutiny Committee that the Chief Human Resources Officer continues to present quarterly HR monitoring statistics in an information report to the Committee. Should particular concerns be identified during the year, the Chief Human Resources Officer will bring these to the attention of the Scrutiny Facilitator at the earliest opportunity so that full reports and / or attendance of relevant officers can be commissioned as required.
From August 2008 Human Resources monitoring information has been made available on the Human Resources Intranet pages. This information is updated for each Department monthly – go to
At the end of quarter 3 the information indicates:
- Some upward movement in the number of staff employed in Children and Young People (CYP) -Learning and Achievement since the last financial year and fluctuations between the numbers of staff in CYP Departments. A decline in the number of FTE’s in Environment Department in the last quarter compared to the last full year is due to seasonal variations. An increase in the number of Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) in Information Systems Department is mainly related to Galw Wrecsam/Contact Wrexham.
- The number of new jobs created April to December 2008 at 33 is greater than the total of 26 in the previous financial year.
- A drop in the days lost to sickness absence in the year to date for all staff from 4.31% in the last financial year, down to 4.24% for the period January – December 2008.
4.Sickness absence for all staff at 4.24% is less than the National Assembly for Wales Core Indicator (2008) at 5.10%. WAG indicators demonstrate that Wrexham had the 2nd lowest sickness absence rates of all reporting Welsh Authoritiesfor the corresponding year April 07 – March 08.
5.The number of days lost to sickness absence is greatest for staff in our Social Care and Legal & Democratic Services Departments, and fewest for those in Chief Executive’s / Strategic Directors.
6.The overall number of accidents at work for quarter 3 is 45 compared to 205 in the last financial year, 2007/08 (51.25 quarterly average.) This includes, on the positive side, a 50% reduction in the number of accidents reported in Environment Department in Q3 compared to Q2 but a significant increase in accidents reported for CYP Departments.
More detail on the monitoring statistics is provided in the tables attached.
BACKGROUND PAPERS
None.
WEBSITE INFORMATION
None.
APPENDIX 1
Notification of concerns re workforce monitoring information
In addition to bringing quarterly information reports on Human Resources Monitoring to CGSC, the CHRO committed to bring to the Committee’s attention any particular concerns arising during the year from the workforce monitoring information.
Figures analysed in late January / early February have given some cause for concern – particularly regarding the levels of sickness absence in December and the continuing number of missed Occupational Health Appointments.
Sickness Absence Levels in December 2008
Between April and November 2008 the number of working days lost each month due to sickness has numbered around 3500 - the equivalent of 3.77%. Figures for December reveal a startling increase in the number of lost days to 5138. This brings the year-to-date average percentage of working days lost to 3.95%.
This increase in levels is replicated in other authorities as shown below and is, to a large degree, influenced by seasonal norms and national health problems such as the norovirus outbreak.
Local Authority / Quarter 2 Absence Rate / Quarter 3 Absence RateDenbighshire / 2.74% / 6.12%
Flintshire / 3.93% / 5.79%
Wrexham / 3.70% / 4.48%
HR Officers are working with departments to analyse attendance levels, and to identify and resolve any issues.
Missed Occupational Health Appointments
Despite repeated appeals to departments to encourage staff to attend Occupational Health appointments scheduled for them, or to give sufficient notice (24 hrs) of their need to cancel, the number of missed occupational health appointments, averaging around 30 each month, continues to cost the Authority around £1600 per month. Assuming this rate continues in Quarter 4 that represents a total cost to the Authority of nearly £20,000.
The Chief Human Resources Officer is discussing again with Trade Unions a proposal to recharge employees the cost of their missed appointment if without good reason they fail to attend or they cancel without sufficient notice.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND POLICY SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
Index of HR Monitoring Tables
Table 1Numbers Employed - shows the number of full time equivalent (FTE) staff employed by each Department.
Table 2New Jobs - this gives the number of new permanent and temporary jobs created between April 08– December 2008, together with the proportion which are externally funded. All new jobs are approved by the relevant Chief Officers.
Table 3Sickness AbsenceStatistics - shows the percentage of days lost to sickness absence for staff in the 12 month period January –December 2008, split by % lost to periods of absence under and over 7 days.
Figures are also provided to show how this period compares to rates in the last financial year.
Table 4Accidents to Employees – shows the number of accidents recorded by Departments for the relevant quarters between April – December 2008 compared to the last financial year.
TABLE 1
SUBJECT:NUMBERS EMPLOYED (Full Time Equivalent)
Department
/ April 2007 – March 2008 / April – June 2008 / July – Sept 2008 / Oct.–.Dec2008 / Significant Movement (< or > 5%)
FTE
(to nearest whole no) / FTE
(to nearest whole no) / FTE
(to nearest whole no) / FTE
(to nearest whole no)
Chief Executive’s -Strategic Directors / 12 / 12 / 12 / 12
Economic Development / 120 / 122 / 127 / 130
Environment / 350 / 361 / 364 / 334 /
Finance & Performance / 163 / 161 / 162 / 161
Housing
Public Protection / 416
64 / 406
64 / 413
69 / 418
71
Information Systems / 62 / 64 / 65 / 75 /
Legal & Democratic
Services / 72 / 73 / 74 / 75
Leisure, Libraries & Culture / 229 / 214 / 206 / 200
Human Resources / 60 / 65 / 65 / 65
Planning / 57 / 56 / 56 / 59
Learning & Achievement* / 308 / 310 / 307 / 293
Learn & Ach.
– Teachers & School based Staff* / 1,637 / 1,740 / 1,737 / 1797
Prevention & Inclusion* / 173 / 242 / 241 / 234
Safeguarding & Support* / 252 / 141 / 142 / 143
Social Care** / 796 / 715 / 720 / 719
Transportation & Asset Management / 220 / 214 / 213 / 213
4,991 / 4,960 / 4,973 / 4999
DEFINITION: Average number of full time equivalent (FTE) staff employed by quarter during
April – December 2008 compared to figures for last financial year.
* Due to movements within teams in CYP staffing numbers may change between these departments. N.B. In Q1 FTE reported for Learning & Achievement – Teachers and School based staff was 1825, this has been adjusted in Q2 to 1740 to reflect that, incorrectly the number of posts had been recorded rather than FTE’s. This obviously affected total staff numbers, figures recorded here reflect FTE’s.
** FTEs in Adult Social Care based on contracted hours as recorded in the main HR information system, CPIS. Note: within this department, workers often work different hours to those officially contracted, as such the FTE count does not necessarily reflect the resources required to meet workloads in this department.
TABLE 2
SUBJECT: NEW JOBS
Last financial year /This financial year
No of new jobs
April 07–March 08
/ of which /No of new jobs
April – Dec. 08
/of which
Externally Funded
/Temp
/Both
/No
/Externally Funded
/Temp
/Both
Chief Executive’s – Strategic Directors / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0Economic Development / 9 / 0 / 1 / 5 / 6 / 4 / 5 / 4
Environment / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
Finance & Performance / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0
Housing
Public Protection / 2
1 / 0
0 / 1 / 0
0 / 7
6 / 4
3 / 6
3 / 4
3
Information Systems / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 3 / 0 / 0 / 0
Legal & Democratic Services / 2 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0
Leisure, Libraries & Culture / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1
Human Resources / 1 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
Planning / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0
Learning & Achievement / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
Prevention & Inclusion / 4 / 0 / 0 / 4 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
Safeguarding & Support / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 1
Social Care / 3 / 0 / 0 / 2 / 2 / 0 / 1 / 0
Transportation & Asset Management / 1 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 3 / 2 / 2 / 2
26 / 0 / 3 / 11 / 33 / 15 / 19 / 15
DEFINITION: This gives the number of new permanent and temporary jobs created between 1 April 07 and 31 March 08, compared with April – December 2008 together
with the proportion externally funded.
All new jobs are approved by the relevant Chief Officer.
TABLE 3
SICKNESS ABSENCE STATISTICS - 1 JANUARY- 31 DECEMBER 2008ALL STAFF - (228 Potential Working Days per year)
Department / No. of Staff / Possible No. of Days Worked / Sickness Absence / % Figure for Jan - Dec 2008 / % Figure for last financial year April 2007 - March 2008
Over 7 Days / Under 7 Days
% / % / % / %
Chief Executive's Strategic Directors / 12.2 / 2,782 / 0.00 / 0.52 / 0.52 / 0.90
Economic Development / 124.0 / 28,264 / 1.72 / 1.47 / 3.19 / 2.98
Environment / 355.8 / 81,120 / 2.93 / 1.32 / 4.25 / 4.25
Finance & Performance / 161.4 / 36,795 / 0.67 / 1.83 / 2.50 / 3.69
Housing / 423.8 / 96,634 / 3.65 / 1.55 / 5.20 / 5.03
Public Protection / 68.2 / 15,557 / 0.85 / 2.32 / 3.17 / 3.45
Information Systems / 66.9 / 15,315 / 2.12 / 1.54 / 3.66 / 2.33
Learning & Achievement / 306.4 / 69,848 / 3.21 / 1.12 / 4.33 / 5.66
L & Ach - Teachers / 990.8 / 193,206 / 1.80 / 1.21 / 3.01 / 3.78
L & Ach - Other School Based Staff / 766.2 / 149,409 / 1.82 / 1.49 / 3.31 / 3.40
Legal & Democratic Services / 72.4 / 16,501 / 5.21 / 1.19 / 6.40 / 1.93
Leisure, Libraries & Culture / 212.2 / 48,366 / 0.72 / 0.47 / 1.20 / 1.06
Human Resources / 64.6 / 14,723 / 1.47 / 1.57 / 3.04 / 2.56
Planning / 57.0 / 12,991 / 1.41 / 2.14 / 3.55 / 2.64
Prevention & Inclusion / 239.1 / 54,525 / 2.07 / 1.26 / 3.33 / 4.27
Safeguarding & Support / 166.9 / 38,063 / 3.49 / 1.49 / 4.98 / 4.34
Social Care / 734.2 / 167,390 / 6.32 / 1.70 / 8.02 / 7.21
Transportation & Asset Management / 205.0 / 46,740 / 1.77 / 1.10 / 2.87 / 2.70
TOTAL / 5027.1 / 1,088,229 / 2.85 / 1.39 / 4.24 / 4.31
* Due to movements within teams in CYP, staffing numbers may change between these departments.
The National Assembly for Wales Core Indicator (2008) equates to 5.10%. WAG indicators demonstrate that Wrexham had the 2nd lowest sickness absence rates of all reporting Welsh Authorities for the corresponding period April 07 – March 08.
TABLE 4
SUBJECT:ACCIDENTS TO EMPLOYEES
Last FY / Last FY / 2008/9 Q1 / 2008/9 Q2 / 2008/9.Q3Department
/ 1 April 07 –31 March 08 / Quarterly average / 1 April 08-
30 June 2008 / 1 July 08-
30 Sept 2008 / 1 Oct 08 – 31 Dec 2008
Chief Executive’s - Strategic Directors
/ 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0Economic Development / 4 / 1 / 1 / 0 / 1
Environment / 29 / 7.25 / 12 / 15 / 7
Finance & Performance / 8 / 2 / 1 / 0 / 0
Housing
Public Protection / 320 / 8
0 / 7
0 / 7
0 / 0
0
Information Systems / 1 / 0.25 / 0 / 0 / 0
Legal & Democratic Services / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0 / 0
Leisure, Libraries & Culture / 8 / 2 / 0 / 2 / 0
Human Resources / 1 / 0.25 / 0 / 1 / 0
Planning / 1 / 0.25 / 0 / 0 / 0
CYP:
Ln’g & Achievement
Prev’n & InclusionSafeg’ding & Support / 84 / 21 / 17 / 8 / 20
Social Care / 29 / 7.25 / 18 / 12 / 15
Transportation & Asset Management / 8 / 2 / 0 / 1 / 2
OVERALL / 205 / 51.25 / 56 / 46 / 45
DEFINITION: These are the Q3 figures for 2008/9 compared with annual figures for 2007-8 and Q1-Q2 figures. Levels are greatest where there are large numbers of manual occupations. Quarter 3 figures indicate that accidents leading to absences of three days or more were attributed to 5 cases. All of these were investigated and measures put in place to limit the same possibility occurring.