Agenda item

The Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development introduced the report which set out Human Resources statists for Quarter 3 to include vacancy, recruitment and sickness data alongside turnover and equality. He said that turnover was down. He added that trends showed that the first eighteen months of the pandemic held people back from changing careers, but then later pushed them to retire or to make change. He said that the Council had seen a number of retirements, several within Revenues and Benefits which was a hard department to recruit to. The Head of HR and Organisational Development said that all vacancies were being looked at carefully in line with the requirementfor savings.  He continued by saying that there had been an increase in sickness, both in an overhang of long term cases and in short term cases due to the pandemic and the side effects of the vaccine.

Councillor Dumont asked The Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development if he thought the level of short term sickness would increase now that people were returning to the office post pandemic. The Head of HumanResources and Organisational Development said that they had seen staff continue to work through sickness by working from home, but then frustrations at the length of the pandemic had negated this.

The Human Resources and Organisational Development Manager said she agreed with The Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development in that people struggled through sickness. She said there had been a drop off in the sickness of those with long term conditions, who could now better manage their conditions by working from home. The Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development added that there had been blended working offers based on such scenarios.

The Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development said that it was important that if staff were ill they should not be working from home. He said that most staff had taken well to working from home 50% of the time, but there were some who did not want to return to the office at all. He said that this was being kept in check and that the blended working offers would be reviewed in November/December 2022.  He said that having people in the office was good for both creativity and innovation and for staff mental health and wellbeing. Councillor Dumont said that it was complex and that people may have many reasons as to why they are seeking a certain life/work balance. He said it was very important that people spend some of their working life in the office, for wellbeing and creativity and to feel a sense of belonging.

Councillor Ruffles asked what qualifications/characteristics were required by candidates to fill the vacancies which existed within the Revenues and Benefits Department. The Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development said that generally they required people with experience, as training comes from on the job. He said that discussions were taking place with regard to the Revenues and Benefits Department expanding to support other districts. This would involve Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (TUPE) to obtain the experienced staff required, and would also make the Council an option for employees. He finished by saying that a new experienced Benefits Manager had been recruited, and that as a department Revenues and Benefits had seen the biggest number of recent retirements.

It was moved by Councillor Bull and seconded by Councillor Ruffles that the recommendations, as detailed, be approved. After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, the motion was declared CARRIED.  

RESOLVED – that the Human Resources Management Statistics for Quarter 3 (October - December 2021) be received.