Issue - meetings

The Chairman said that staff had worked very hard all year and their health and wellbeing was imperative to the Council’s continued progress. She said that it was good to see short term absence was down, but drew Members’ attention to the fact that stress was the third most common reason for short term absence.

The Head of HR and OD said that working from home had played a part in reducing absence, as discussed by the Committee at previous meetings, although the Council had been making good progress in reducing it prior to the pandemic in any case. Short term absence had increased slightly in quarter four, with one of the main drivers of this being staff having adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccinations. The target for long term absence had been achieved, but Members were told it would not be advisable to lower this further currently as the gradual return to working in the office may mean absence levels rose slightly again.

Councillor Ruffles said that the Council should be sensitive to staff’s wellbeing and not inappropriately encourage them to work through illness just because they were working from home. He also asked whether this pattern of lower absence when working from home had been seen across the sector more widely.

The Head of HR and OD said that he was aware that some figures suggested this was a wider trend. The Council would be careful not to foster a culture of staff working excessive hours from home as had been seen elsewhere and to ensure that staff were supported with their wellbeing and work-life balance. The Council’s Live Well, Work Well scheme and provision of mental first aiders aimed to prevent burn out and stress, and the results of the wellbeing surveys had been positive.

Councillor Newton asked whether absence caused by stress had increased. She also said that the Council should be aware of the risk of ‘long COVID’ to staff.

The Head of HR and OD said that although he did not have data to hand, his impression was that absence had not increased due to stress; stress and workloads had always posed a challenge. Stress factors had increased during the pandemic but attendance levels were positive. HR had an established practice of using stress risk assessments which was enhanced in the revised absence management policy, this had been useful during this period and meant that staff suffering from stress were supported with an action plan. One member of staff had suffered with long COVID, although they had since returned to work. Members were also advised that feedback was being collated from the agile working trial, particularly regarding the COVID-secure measures in the office, and this would be considered when shaping policy going forward.

RESOLVED – that the report be received and considered.