Agenda item

            The Director of Human Resources submitted for the Committee’s consideration the following report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report/Summary of main Issues

1.1            To present to the Committee the People Strategy, along with plans for its launch and the launch of the Achieving through People Framework.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to note the contents of this report.

3.0       Main Report

3.1       The People Strategy has been developed in consultation with senior leaders, frontline employees and managers and via the council’s Joint Negotiation and Consultation Committee. Its purpose is to set out our approach to leading, managing, developing, supporting, and engaging with each other to deliver our corporate priorities and our Belfast Agenda goals.

It will be launched alongside the Achieving Through People Framework which sets out our organisational values and behaviours and how we want to work together to get things done. 

People Strategy Goals

3.2       The goals of the People Strategy are as follows:

·        The Council will attract, recruit, and retain a talented workforce that is motivated to achieve our ambitious plans for the City;

·        The council will engage you and provide opportunities for you to develop and progress within the organisation; and

·        The Council will be recognised as an employer that celebrates success, the diversity of our workforce and the wellbeing of you. 

3.3       The Strategy also sets out the benefits of working for the council, our values and behaviours as detailed in the Achieving Through People Framework (ATP) as well as planned activity to be delivered over the duration of the Strategy. The proposed timeframes and action ownership is detailed in the People Strategy three-year Action Plan, a copy of which is attached.

3.4       Consideration of how the ATP framework can be embedded into existing performance management and personal development planning processes will be prioritised in year 1, for example embedding the Tier 3 Senior Management Appraisal process / cascading it to other tiers in the organisation, and the review of the PDP process, currently applicable to all levels of staff.

Governance, Measurement and Reporting.

3.5       CMT will oversee delivery of the People Strategy. Progress on delivery of the actions contained in the strategy will be reported to CMT on a six-monthly basis. The following people performance indicators are proposed to measure the impact of the People Strategy:

·        % staff agree that they have opportunities to discuss their personal development

·        % staff agree that there are opportunities for career growth

·        % staff agree that they receive feedback and that their contribution is valued and recognised

·        % staff feel supported by their manager and senior leaders

·        % managers agree that have the skills and tools to support and develop their staff.

3.6       It is proposed that the performance indicators are measured end of year 1, 2 and 3 of the action plan, through short, targeted employee surveys. 

Health and Wellbeing Strategy

3.7       Members will be aware that work is ongoing to refresh the Health and Wellbeing Strategy and associated action plan. Following conclusion of consultation with the Trade Unions, the Health and Wellbeing Strategy will be presented to CMT in the coming weeks.  It is expected that some of the performance indicators used to measure the impact of the H&WB Strategy will mirror those proposed above for the People Strategy.

Launch, Implementation and Roll Out

3.8       The strategy will be launched by the Chief Executive and Directors in early October and a full communication plan to cascade the strategy to all staff is being developed.  It will be important for all staff to be made aware of the People Strategy and the Achieving Through People Framework, its content, planned activity and how it will impact/benefit individuals in their current roles and help them consider and plan for their career development.

Financial and Resource Implications

3.9       Costs associated with delivery of the People Strategy will be met from both the existing Corporate OD budget and departmental learning and development budgets.

Human Resources

3.10     A full communication and awareness raising exercise for staff and managers will be implemented and Directors will need to ensure that their own senior and middle management structures are fully briefed regarding their responsibility to communicate and roll out the strategy to their teams.

Equality or Good Relations Implications/

Rural Needs Assessment

3.11     An equality and good relations screening and a rural needs screening have been completed for the People Strategy. The screenings have indicated that there are no adverse impacts on equality and good relations or rural needs.”

            The Committee noted the contents of the report.