Agenda item

The Committee received a report of the Director Workforce and Change updating the Committee on the Council’s latest data from the HR dashboard and employee experience surveys and illustrated key trends alongside other information on recruitment and retention. The details of this were as set out in paragraph 4 (a-m) of the report.

Key trends from the HR Dashboard including information on recruitment and retention were:

1.      The council’s headcount had reduced by 5% over the 12 months up to 31 March 2023 and the council’s number of Full Time Equivalent (FTE) positions had reduced by 4%.

2.      The average number of working days lost due to sickness absence had increased by 4% over the same period.

3.      Turnover within the council had remained broadly the same over the last 12 months at 16%.

4.      The number of applicants shortlisted and offers made to Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic applicants remained below the working age population of the city.

5.      Representation of Disabled staff and the number of Disabled applicants shortlisted and offers made was above the Quality-of-Life 2020/21 to 2022/23 three-year average of 8.4%.

6.      Representation of women and number of female applicants shortlisted and offers made was above the working age population of the city.

7.      The number of applicants shortlisted and offers made to 16 to 29 years olds remained below the working age population of the city.

8.      The number of Lesbian, Gay, or Bisexual (LGB) applicants shortlisted, and offers made was above the working age population of the city, though the representation of LGB staff remained below the working age population of the city.

9.      Representation of staff with a religion or belief and number of applicants, shortlisted and offers made was slightly below the working age population of the city.

10.  The Council’s employee experience survey for starters indicated that 97% of new starters agreed that they were happy in their job and 95% felt able and supported to be themselves in the workplace. 11% did not agree that they had the equipment to do their work effectively.

11.  47% of new starters identified career development as the main reason for joining the Council. 17% identified an interest in the public sector were their main reason.

12.  The Council’s employee experience survey for leavers indicated that 76% of leavers agreed that they felt able and supported to be themselves in the workplace and 72% felt they were treated fairly as an employee. 21% did not agree that they were listened to and 20% did not agree that they were happy in their job.

13.  33% of leavers identified career development as their main reason for leaving the Council. 13% identified personal reasons. 31% of leavers had worked for the Council for over 10 years.

Arising from members questions the following points were made/clarified –

14.  Information about where applicants for BCC jobs lived was available and would be included in future reporting as it was recognised that social mobility needed to be encouraged wherever possible.

15.  Information about grading structures and what type of jobs were being applied for would be included in future reporting.

16.  Recruitment and retention was recognised as being of vital importance going forward and more detailed information about how this could be improved would be gathered, as this was a key matter of the Workforce Strategy.

17.  Career development was recognised as a reason to both join the council and to leave at some point. Members were informed that this was being actively looked at and that meetings with trade unions and staff led groups were being held to explore options, this could include more emphasis on secondments, talent development, steering groups, reverse mentoring, and project work.

18.  More work would be done about why staff leave the council including a look at the age profile of leavers.

Resolved – that the report be noted