Agenda item

To inform the Committee of progress made against actions in the current People Strategy.

To inform the Committee of a draft new People Strategy to cover the period of the new Corporate Strategy.

To share the results of the 2023 Employee Survey.

Recommended          -           That progress and proposed actions are noted and any further suggestions regarding the proposed People Strategy given to the Head of Policy and OD.

The Chair welcomed Kirsten Burnett, Head of Policy and OD to the meeting to present this item.

Kirsten summarised the report and highlighted the following:

-       Learning and development

-       Apprenticeships

-       Workforce equality

-       Employee survey results

-       Recruitment and retention difficulties

-       Replacement HR/Payroll system

She also drew attention to the appendices to the report, which included an update on the Council’s People Strategy and the 2023 Workforce Report.

The Chair thanked Kirsten for the report. The following questions and detailed responses and were submitted and answered.

To what extent are skills shortages and recruitment an issue for the Council? Is it a corporate problem or service specific?

Answer: It is service specific, especially in teams such as planning, legal and environmental health, as outlined in the report.  This has become more difficult in the last decade or so with public sector pay restraint meaning that salaries have not kept pace with the public sector.  Also, reduced funding has meant that teams cannot afford the costs of additional trainee posts, although in some cases this has been the only option and managers have worked creatively to grow our own in many cases.  This same issue applies right across local government, meaning there is a simply far more competition for people. For example, some research by the Local Government Chronicle, reported in May 2023, showed that only 1 in 10 planning departments were fully staffed.  The increased ability of remote working has expanded opportunities for people to find better paid alternatives.

Staff turnover has increased. Why is this? What are the Council doing to improve staff retention?

Answer: It has increased significantly in the last financial year.  We have had a number of staff who have decided it is time for them to retire – there is a theory that the pandemic made people reflect on what’s important to them and what they want from work and their lives.  Members may have read or heard about the so called “Great Resignation”.  With cost of living increases far exceeding pay awards, people have also looked for jobs which pay higher.

A survey reported in People Management Magazine in May of this year showed the total labour turnover rate at 22.5 per cent, compared to 14.6 per cent in 2021. Some of our leavers have had incredibly long careers with HBC and some retirements were well past 65. Looking at the staff for this period, nearly half have been employed by Hyndburn for over 10 years, a quarter of all staff for over 20 years, and 10% for over 30 years.

I have looked for comparator info and note that RVBC had gone up to 26.69% over the same time period. The committee should note that we do have several instances of people returning to HBC after a short period elsewhere. 

Does the Council do exit interviews to establish why staff are leaving? Of the staff that resign, is there a breakdown of reasons given?

Answer: We offer an exit questionnaire to all leavers and the opportunity to have a 1-1 discussion with HR. 92% of respondents said that, where they were leaving for another role, the pay was better. We are planning to review the process as not very many people are completing the questionnaires.

The % of women top earners is down, why is this?

Answer: This was a very welcome question!  ON checking the data to understand what and who had changed, I noticed that one female chief officer had not been counted.  The figure is actually 35.4%, which means it went up.  I can only apologise for this error and assure the committee that the report published on our website has not been changed.  This does show how easily the percentage can change and the significance – in a small council like Hyndburn – one person being appointed.  Obviously we recruit on merit, but we have many policies in place, as a well as working culture, which we believe remove barriers based on a person’s sex.  For example, we welcome flexible working at all levels.

Kirsten responded to additional questions on the following:

-       Employee survey results

-       Apprenticeship levy

-       Work will local colleges to recruit apprentices

-       Staff retention and comparison with other Councils

-       Reviewing the current process for exit surveys

-       Staff communication and Cabinet on tour

The Chair thanked Kirsten for the report, which was noted by the Committee.