Agenda item - Our People Promise - Developing our Employer Offer

Report of the Executive Director for Finance & Resources (copy attached).

12.1  RESOLVED: That the Committee approve the on-going programme of work to improve our employer offer, and provide member endorsement for Our People Promise as our employer brand.

12.1  The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director Finance & Resources, which updated the Committee on the development of the Council’s People Promise.

12.2  Councillor Janio thanked the administration for pursuing this, and said that the workforce was the Council’s greatest asset and so it was important that they were happy and motivated. The programme needed to be meaningful and asked that if it were not working that it come back to this Committee so it could be reviewed.

12.3  Councillor Mac Cafferty agreed that staff were the Council’s greatest asset, and said that they were being asked to work harder and under more pressure as a direct result of austerity. He said that some staff did not have access to laptops and asked how they would be included. The Executive Director Finance & Resources confirmed that they would be given paper copies. Councillor Mac Cafferty said that First Care had been appointed to try to reduce the level of days lost through staff sickness, and asked if there had been any impact. The Executive Director Finance & Resources said that the number of return to work interviews had increased significantly, but the stats were a bit skewed ad whilst some types of absence had reduced, many staff were choosing not to say what was wrong with them.

12.4  Councillor Sykes noted that there would be a staff benefits portal offering a range of discounts on shopping, days outs and financial advice etc, and asked if the Council could try to engage local suppliers in the offers to staff.  The Head of HR said that an organisation the Council were working with called My Staff Shop, were liaising with local businesses re offers for staff.

12.5  Councillor Mitchell welcomed the report, and agreed with Councillor Mac Cafferty that all staff should have access to the People’s Promise.

12.6  Councillor Hamilton referred to paragraph 3.14, and said that it wasn’t just this authority but other Orbis partners and so some of the offers would be for national companies but some would be for local businesses. He added that the benefit package would also include staff working at schools in the city.

12.7 Councillor Peltzer Dunn noted that the programme was to benefit all staff, and it was important to consider the minority groups and that diverse staff felt comfortable within the organisation. He noted that there was a target, and asked if that target were set against the makeup of the city, or those of working age in the city, and was advised it was those of working age.  The Chief Executive said that the organisation was working with HPO, and they were looking at recruitment and retention of BME staff, and a report would come back to the Committee in the future.

12.8  RESOLVED: That the Committee approve the on-going programme of work to improve our employer offer, and provide member endorsement for Our People Promise as our employer brand.