MEMORANDUM22 April 2008
To:All Members of Resources ScrutinyCommittee
All Chief Officers / From:COUNTY SECRETARY’S
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WORKFORCE PLANNING TOPIC GROUP
20 MARCH 2008
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
ATTENDANCE
D Beatty (Chairman), D E Billing (substituting for G M Cook), P V Goggins (Vice - Chairman), J Morton, S Quilty.
Also in attendance
A M R Searing (Chairman of Overview & Scrutiny Committee)
Officers
C Grimwood-Assistant Director (Human Resources), Corporate Services Dept
H Blowers-Senior H R Officer (Workforce Information & Planning), Corporate
Services Dept
J Brown-Human Resources Manager, Corporate Services Dept
T Hawkyard-Head of Scrutiny
A Service-Group Democratic Services Officer
1.APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN
That D Beatty be appointed Chairman of the Topic Group.
2.REVISED REMIT OF TOPIC GROUP
The Topic Group Chairman opened the meeting by explaining the rationale behind revising the remit and work of the Topic Group which previously was too far ranging and would take many years to complete. He believed the main reason for setting up this Topic Group was to concentrate on workforce planning and the problems that would occur / come about as consequence of the increasing age of its current workforce including senior management which could lead to a considerable level of senior managers retiring in a short period of time. Consequently the Topic Group’s remit had been revised to reflect this main issue and to also consider initiatives to recruit and retain a higher level of young people plus look at succession planning.
The Topic Group in particular noted the constraints proposed to be included in its scrutiny work. It was agreed that if the Topic Group’s work needed to include guidance on employment law,in particular age discrimination, this could be provided by one of the CountySecretary’s Solicitors. The likely consequences of the school leaving age being increased to 18 years old should also be considered.
The Topic Group after considering the management information on the workforce contained within the submitted report plus the revised issues and questions to be tackled felt that a more realistic target date for completing its report on its findings was 31 December 2008 rather than September 2008.
The Topic Group,subject to the target date for completing its final report being end of December 2008, agreed the revised scoping document and remit dated 14 January 2008.
3.MINUTES
The Minutes of the meeting held on 10 September 2007 were agreed as a correct record.
4.WORKFORCE PLANNING - AGE
Carole Grimwood gave a presentation outlining management information held giving an age breakdown of the Council’s workforce which in particular highlighted emerging age related issues which could be used to investigate workforce planning, the level of young people employed and succession planning.
She stated that the Council’s age profile had been consistent for a number of years and was generally similar to many local authorities in the South East with a relatively high proportion of staff aged between 40 and 59 (58.6%) and an ongoing challenge in attracting young people.
Currently this high age profile is potentially problematic with engineers and senior management [holding PM {principal management} grades].
Joanna Brown advised that whilst the new Regulations setting the arrangements for the new Pension Scheme to come into operation on 1 April 2008 had not yet been issued,the likely contents were not expected to dramatically change the retention of staff.
Carole Grimwood stated that the Council’s staff average level of annual sickness had increased and was now 8.5 days andfor staff aged over 55 years oldcurrently was 1½days higher than this average.
It was commented that recruitment problems in the public sector always tended to improve when the national economy was dropping.
The Topic Group made the following observations / asked questions on the information presented : -
- The general breakdown of the workforce was 80% women and 20% men does the level of sickness experienced differ between the sexes? Further data to be provided.
- 60% of the Council’s jobsare filled by part time staff – why is this ?
Carole Grimwood stated that this was due to a number of reasons for this including extended operating hours e.g.libraries opening for longer periods plus flexible working initiatives.
- With regard to succession planning are there any issues relating to part time senior managers ? Further data to be provided.
- Previous work undertaken by Human Resources staff [Heather Goffee] with engineers has that continued ?
Carole Grimwood stated that thishad continued and the most recent recruitment initiative with engineers had resulted in 24 older people being engaged by Herts Highways. Recent activities in London had created extra demands for engineers i.e Transport for London plus the London Olympics.
Regret was expressed that teaching of engineering skills was stopped 20 years ago and it was felt that lobbying should be considered to bring this back into the national curriculum.
- Is the Council’s Graduate Training scheme continuing to increase year on year ?
Carole Grimwood stated that the number of management graduate trainees is increasing from 3 to 4 this year. A graduate training scheme for engineers has been introduced with our commercial partners. A graduate scheme for planners involving East Herts District Council had been established this year.
Graduate training schemes involved a high level of support and the number of recruits has to be based on management resources available.
- Is enough activity undertaken with schools to encourage students to consider choosing a career with the Council ?
Carole Grimwood stated that probably more should be done with this aspect. Currently Council officers attend Schools career events and are involved in supporting the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, Young Enterprise, mock business days.The Council also provides speakers on request forCitizenship / PSE sessions.
- Given that the school leaving age could rise to 18 year olds, schools may have hours to fill with such students will this present an opportunity to promote
the work undertaken by the Council and its staff and in turn assist recruitment?
Carole Grimwood felt that there was a need to update and respond to the perceived image that young people had of local government.
- Is enough assistance obtained from Connexions ?
More assistance should be sought – Speaker to be invited to attend a future Topic Group meeting.
- It was noted the Youth Support Service was back in house and this resource should be used to encourage youths to consider seeking jobs with the Council.
- There are no details in the submitted report on the LeadershipAcademy
Currently there were 11 places within the Council’s LeadershipAcademy
and due to sickness only 10 persons were in the current Academy.
The Academyis a feature of the Council’s succession planning.
- There is a need for Human Resources to identify from PMDS [Performance Management Development Scheme] the high fliers with the view to retain them and assist with succession planning(e.g. the top 20).
Carole Grimwood in response to a question on the possibility of requiring HR to elicit information from PMDS forms stated that given there were 10,000 odd staff and records, Human Resources staff would not have the resource capability of monitoring and policing this system and instead each member of staff’s supervising officer was responsible for completed and updating PMDS records.
H R could however work with service managers to identify high fliers linked to the PMDS process.
- There is a need to tap into University students whilst they are studying with the view to engaging them when qualified and assist them by sponsorship / other possible forms of support, similar to that given by law firms, the NHS etc.
- Wherever possible, the key worker housing scheme should be used to engage workers, in short supply
- Are Initiatives still being followed to engage overseas people to fill skill shortage jobs?
Carole Grimwood stated that such initiatives[involving recruitment from countries including S Africa, Canada, Australia, Holland] had been undertaken
4 years ago to fill numerous teachers and social workers posts.The initiative had been successful as a short term measure but now UK initiatives are starting to deliver, overseas recruitment has been stopped.
- An increased level of work experience should be offered
The Chairman gave an example of work experience that he was aware of
in particular shadowing Council officers in undertaking their daily duties and the possibilities of developing this approach further.
Carole Grimwood stated that amore structural approach to this working with Connexions and the schools would be worth exploring. There would be a need to draw up a programme of the activities and ensure it was adequately supported and managed to ensure a positive experience for trainees.
It was noted that the current system of work experience was not centrally recorded and there probably would be benefits in so doing and if undertaken, it would be possible to obtain feedback for persons who had undergone work experience asking their views on how useful they had found the experience and whether they may be interested in a career in local government.
- What are Buckinghamshire and Hampshire doing differently to Hertfordshire
to retain a higher % of younger people [under 35 years old]? Further data to be gathered.
- Are people with disabilities attracted to Council jobs / do staff with disabilities tend to stay with the Council ?
Joanna Brown stated that the Council welcomed people with disabilities to apply for Council jobs. Generally staff with disabilities once recruited tended to stay for long periods if not all of their careers.
Carole Grimwood, in response to a question stated that exit interviews were undertaken when staff left the Council‘s service and provided useful general information on why staff left. She stated that in respect to social child care workers, ‘burn out’ is a factor and HR and CSF Department staff are exploring ways to deal with this.
The Topic Group made the following requests for data and suggestions for discussion with external organisations which should be encompassed withinits work programme: -
General issues
a)Review data on sickness absence split by age and gender
b)Review data on turnover by age
c)Review data on reasons for leaving - by age and in shortage skill groups.
d)Discuss issues and ideas with UNISON (regionally or nationally)
e)Discuss issues and ideas with IDEA colleagues - what is happening nationally
Young People
f)Review the Council's work experience policy and practice
g)Gather evidence from Connexions on work experience and careers generally for young people. How can HCC market itself better to young people and how can Connexions/Careers Service help?
h)Explore options for increasing the Council's participation in work experience programmes including marketing to schools, 14-19 diplomas etc
i)Discuss options for involvement in schools with CSF staff - careers advice/PSE/ Citizenship etc
j)Review the ACS Care ambassadors scheme - does this have wider potential?
k)Review evidence about young people's expectations about work
l)Review the Council's involvement with the Modern Apprenticeship scheme
m)Discuss issues and ideas with young employees - what are their perceptions about the future of work/ what can we do to attract and retain young people
n)Benchmark HCC against other local authorities - what can be learnt from them?
o)Explore the potential/feasibility of sponsoring students through university, especially in key skill shortage areas
p)Review the approach of Universities to shortage skills - are there specialistUniversities and how does this impact on our recruitment strategies.
Succession Planning
q)Review the LeadershipAcademy
r)Review current processes for identifying and nurturing employees with high potential - including the performance management scheme
s)Benchmark HCC against other local authorities and the private sector - what can be learnt from them?
t)Review current processes for senior manager succession planning
u)Discuss issues and ideas with Engineers - particularly those in the younger age groups.
v)Review the graduate training programme for engineers
w)Explore the potential/feasibility of sponsoring engineering students through University
Older Workers
x)Review the Council's policy and practice
y)Review flexible retirement options and implications
z)Discuss issues and ideas about employment with older workers - what are their perceptions/what can be done to attract and retain older workers
aa)Benchmark HCC against other local authorities and the private sector (including B&Q) - what can be learnt from them?
The Topic Group agreed that the three key issues requiring more detailed scrutiny were:
1) Attracting and retaining young people
2) Succession planning - including:
- identifying and nurturing employees with high potential,
- senior manager succession planning and
- addressing the age profile of engineers.
3) Responding to the challenges of employing older workers.
- DATES OF NEXT MEETINGS
It was agreed that the next two meetings be held on Monday 12 May 2008 at
10.00 am and Wednesday 4 June 2008 at 11.00 am.
Andrew Laycock
CountySecretary
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S:\HERTFORD01\CSERV\LAHERT\SHAREDIR\SHARE\Member & Committee\Committees\SCRUTINY\Resources Scrutiny\Topic Grps\Workorce Topic Group\Workforce Topic Group Mins of 20 March 2008.doc