The Service Manager (Human Resources and
Organisational Development) provided an update on the actions
within the Workforce Strategy, which had been approved in April
2018. The Panel were reminded that the
Strategy set out five strategic priorities which focussed
on:-
-
Skills and Behaviours
-
Recruitment and Retention
-
Pay, Reward and Recognition
-
Health and Well-being
-
Workforce Planning and Data
The following updates were then provided:
Skills and Behaviours
-
Service restructures
-
Learning and Development / Skills and Training / Corporate Training
Programmes
-
Apprenticeship Levy
-
Review of the first year implementation
of the Personal Development Review (PDR) Scheme
Recruitment and Retention
-
The development of the Council’s recruitment website (this
item was also the subject of a demonstration later on the agenda)
-
Recruitment and retention within the public sector in Suffolk
-
Apprenticeships
Pay, Reward and Recognition
-
Non-financial benefits for staff
Health and Well-being
-
Health checks and workplace well-being (including cholesterol
checks; under 40’s health checks; flu vaccinations;
men’s health awareness month; mental health awareness)
Workforce Planning and Data
-
This item was subject to a presentation later
on the agenda
Some Members of the Panel expressed their
concerns with regard to the low rate of
pay for apprentices and whether this would prevent some people from
being able to afford to apply for an apprenticeship
post. The Service Manager (Human
Resources and Organisational Development) explained that the
National Apprenticeship Wage rate was paid for the first year of
their employment (which was currently £3.90 per hour) and
then they received the national minimum wage (dependent on age) for
the remainder of their apprenticeship.
If apprentices were appointed to a permanent post before they had
completed their qualification, then they were moved to the
appropriate salary for the job and would continue to be supported
until they finished their studies.
Following on from the concerns raised by the
Panel, the Service Manager (Human Resources and Organisational
Development) agreed to look at the demographics of the Apprentices,
to ascertain whether the rate of pay was affecting where people
were choosing to apply from.
There being no decision required, the Panel
noted the update.