eastsussex.gov.uk
East Sussex County Council People Strategy 2018 – 2021
Developing Our Workforce East Sussex County Council People Strategy 2018 – 2021
Our Strategic Priorities for 2021
Delivering better outcomes These four priority outcomes are for local people underpinned by three operating principles which set out how these Our Priorities objectives will be achieved: The Council Plan sets out our ambitions • Use of Strategic commissioning and what we plan to achieve by 2018. – to direct our efforts to where they It is centred on four strategic priority are needed most ensuring we deliver outcomes which will enable us to make good outcomes in the most cost the greatest difference for residents each effective way. day. These areas are the focus of our investment for the long-term success of • One Council – focusing on what East Sussex. The priority outcomes are: works best for our customers, driving out ineffective processes or barriers to 1. Driving economic growth – creating delivering good services or value for the conditions for growth and money. enterprise to help local business thrive and ensure local people have the skills • Strong Partnerships – with those they need to succeed. who share our ambitions so that together we can make the greatest 2. Keeping vulnerable people safe – positive impact. intervening early to help vulnerable adults and children, finding permanent solutions for children who cannot stay with their families and reduce road casualties. How does the East Sussex People Strategy Support 3. Helping people help themselves other Strategies? – enhancing what individuals, families and communities can do for The Council Plan outlines the priority themselves thereby reducing demand outcomes for the Council. Each for services and breaking dependency. Department then sets priorities which support and enable the achievement of 4. Making best use of our resources the Council’s priorities. – maximising the value from public The People Strategy supports the finance, maximising operational achievement of these priorities by efficiency and effectiveness, deliver identifying the interventions needed to services that meet the needs of local develop staff and managers and build communities and maximise resources the workforce of the future. focused on front line services.
2 East Sussex County Council People Strategy 2018 – 2021
Meeting the Challenge
Operating Principles One Council Commissioing Partnership Reconciling Policy, Performance & resources People East Sussex Priorities Strategy Better Together Driving sustainable economic growth Service Cross-Council Customer Connecting Keeping vulnerable Change people safe Facilitating Experience for You Programmes Helping people help Programmes & Comms themselves Special Educational Making best use Orbis & Needs & of resources Orbis Public Disability Law Highways Contract
Maximising Control & Resources
Devolution & Commercialisation Sub-National Transport Body Lobbying
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The People Strategy
Introduction This Strategy has been developed in the context of significant savings requirements and organisational change, most notably in the growth of our partnership agenda. In this challenging context the Strategy is intended to support and develop our managers and staff.
By 2021 we will be going into uncharted territory with national uncertainty on the impact of leaving the European Union, austerity measures continuing to affect public sector funding, and a continued increase in the demand for our services. Our success will depend on managers and staff being able to drive the change agenda forward whilst continuing to deliver good quality services. This will require resilience, new ways of working, ability to work with ambiguity and a continued emphasis on skills development.
Developing the workforce to • Enhance professional excellence, ensuring staff have up to date expertise and the meet our strategic priorities skills needed to undertake their duties to a professional level The People Strategy identifies the interventions that are planned to support the development • Add value by doing our job well every day and of the future workforce to deliver the Council’s following the Council’s processes, practices, priorities. It identifies four key themes that will procedures and systems. As managers we will help us to shape our workforce over the next effectively lead and manage teams three years (see diagram opposite, top) • Exploit new technology to deliver more In order to deliver high quality, cost efficient efficient and cost effective ways of doing services to our local residents we must continue things. to seek out new ways of operating, we will: Our workforce is the key to our success and it is • Seek opportunities to improve the way things essential that we support them appropriately to are done and be flexible and responsive to enable them to meet the challenges ahead. We change. This will require our workforce to be will work collaboratively with staff to understand open to working in ways that are smarter and the challenges they face on a day to day basis more efficient and provide them with the opportunity to shape and develop the support we provide. • Deliver quality services taking into account the diverse needs of our local communities with a clear focus on delivering improved outcomes
4 East Sussex County Council People Strategy 2018 – 2021
The People Strategy
The four key themes
Leadership Performance, and Development Management and Reward
Employee Employee Engagement Health, and Wellbeing and Recognition Inclusion
How we do things is just as important as what we do. The “East Sussex Way” are the 5 key behaviours that were developed with staff that describe our approach.
The ‘East Sussex Way’
1 2 3 4 5 We are We deliver We take We work We find customer a great responsibility together as better ways of driven service one Council doing things
How will we measure progress? Monitoring & Progress Reporting This strategy will be successful when we have We will review this strategy annually to ensure delivered against the four key themes. For continued alignment to the corporate priorities. each theme we have identified the next set As part of this review we will look at the four key of deliverables which will be measured to themes and assess the impact of what has been determine how successful we have been. The delivered at that point. measures used will vary from theme to theme and may change as different elements of the work are delivered.
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Leadership and Management
The next few years will see a fundamental change to the way the Council Next Steps operates with the challenge of meeting our priorities and shaping • Incorporate the Leadership and our services so they can be sustainable into the future. The Council is Management Capabilities into committed to responding to this challenge with strong leadership and a our recruitment processes to focus on our priority outcomes. We require empowered, strategic leaders ensure that all new managers who are confident to work in new ways, as One Council, to achieve the have the skills and abilities that best outcomes with the resources available. A key challenge is supporting we need. managers to facilitate innovation in their teams as part of their leadership • Continue to embed and on the digital agenda and income generation. We also need managers develop the Leadership & who are able to engage with their teams and manage performance in a Management Capability fair and consistent manner. The approach that we will take will depend on Framework as a living the specific circumstances of the service area: document by engaging with Partnership services managers on an ongoing basis. Many of our service areas are now being delivered in partnership • Continue to embed a coaching with other public sector partners who have their own approaches to culture by developing managers leadership and management development. Our ambition will be to work to use coaching as part of their closely with our partners, aligning approaches where appropriate and everyday approach in working sharing resources in order to provide the highest quality of development with individuals and teams and and support. by encouraging peer coaching. Corporate and other operational services • Develop the resources available for leadership and The Leadership & Management Capability Framework that was launched management development in 2017 outlines the core expectations of leaders and managers at ESCC. on the East Sussex Learning It is designed to be used by all managers in assessing and developing the Portal in order to provide leadership capabilities of themselves and the managers they manage. easily accessible development Work is planned to further embed the capabilities in these processes and support that is available when to develop their use in recruitment. and where it is needed.
Benefits to Leadership & Benefits to Staff Management Residents
Organisation is well led Staff feel well supported & managed ensuring and developed enabling achievements of Council them to deliver high priorities. quality services.
How will we • Managers and leaders will be able to articulate what is expected know we are of them and will undertake the development that they need. performing • Feedback from staff will tell us that that managers and leaders are well? engaging with their teams, using coaching styles as appropriate.
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Performance, Development and Reward
Our staff are key to the success Next Steps of the Council in the delivery of • Help to build the workforce of the future through succession high quality services. We need planning, reviewing salaries against the market and addressing people to take responsibility hard to fill posts. for providing the best possible • Enhance the County Council’s employer brand to help us become services within the resources an employer of choice through refreshing our advertising and available, to challenge themselves recruitment approach, understanding our employment proposition and others to find better ways of and actively managing our external profile. doing things, and to work together as one Council with the customer • Ensure that staff are clear about the behaviour required of them needs at the heart of what we do. by promoting the East Sussex Way and supporting the use of the Maximising Performance processes with case studies and news We will be clear about the items. performance and expectations • Help foster a culture of self-managed learning and reflection required of our staff. We will for all employees. support staff development by providing opportunities for • Use the funds generated by Apprenticeship levy to enable learning by using our Learning our staff to develop their skills and grow the workforce for Portal to provide resources and by the future at no additional cost. giving time for reflection through • Develop the way we measure our People Strategy outcomes. our coaching opportunities and • Build the skills and culture to support the Council’s digital agenda. our management style.
Performance, Benefits to Benefits to Development & Staff Residents Reward
There are clear We make best use of expectations resources by having a around standards of well managed workforce, performance, with good accountable for the quality support available services they deliver. to achieve this. Staff are rewarded appropriately for the work that they do.
How will we • The East Sussex Learning Portal provides learning & development know we are for all staff which supports and enables self-managed learning. performing • Staff understand what is expected of them and take responsibility well? for their own development.
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Employee Engagement and Recognition
To positively address the Next Steps challenges ahead we will need to engage employees through • Establish mechanisms to share best practice, promote joined up working and work as “One Council” to improve our employee encouraging active participation engagement activity and line manager communication. and constructive contribution in decision making. This will • Continued promotion of Yammer as a communication and be underpinned by open and engagement tool that allows two way dialogue and allows honest feedback between everyone to initiate conversations and develop peer support. managers and staff and will • Build on the Maximising Performance support materials to ensure include communication of the that managers understand how to use the processes to support rationale for changes and on- staff through change and to ensure that staff get appropriate going communication throughout recognition of the work that they do. change processes. All staff will be encouraged to understand • Use video and other communication to help raise the profile how their work contributes to the of senior managers and showcase employee achievements. Council priority outcomes and • Continue to review the staff benefits package in order to provide operating principles and what attractive features that help people feel valued. these mean for local communities. • Develop a scheme to allow employees to purchase additional annual leave.
Employee Benefits to Benefits to Engagement & Staff Residents Recognition
Feeling valued and The delivery of high respected with an quality services from understanding of how an engaged workforce. their work contributes to the Councils priority outcomes and operating principles and what these mean to our local communities.
How will we • Our staff tell us that they feel valued and engaged. know we are performing • Our staff tell us that their feedback is sought and that their well? views and ideas are listened to.
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Employee Health, Wellbeing and Inclusion
We recognise the importance Next Steps of having a healthy and diverse workforce, which understands the • Develop a Wellbeing & Resilience Strategy in partnership with needs of our residents, enabling colleagues from Public Health to provide a framework for employee them to provide the best service wellbeing activity. that they can. In the challenging • Introduce Mental Health Awareness as part of the corporate training context that we are operating programme. Learn from other organisations and explore new initiatives, there is a risk that the health including the introduction of Mental Health First Aiders. and wellbeing of our employees will suffer. It will therefore be a • Support employee’s financial health through the provision key priority to support people’s of advice and employee benefits. wellbeing and resilience. • Continue to support the flexible working agenda by raising the profile of different ways of working and supporting teams to work in this way. • Publicise the staff forum groups on Yammer for BME, Disabled and LGBT staff as a support and communication mechanism. • Highlight the way in which coaching can contribute to wellbeing in supporting people to achieve work life balance, address loss of confidence and adjust to changing circumstances. • Provision of training for staff and managers to support their wellbeing through change.
Employee Health, Benefits to Benefits to Wellbeing & Staff Residents Inclusion
The health and wellbeing Services that are of staff is important accessible to all our to the Council and residents, delivered by they have access to a diverse workforce that a range of wellbeing reflects the needs and initiatives. Diversity and interests of our local difference is values in the community. workforce.
How will we • Our staff tell us that they have a healthy workplace in which their know we are wellbeing is supported. performing well? • We have a workforce that is drawn from all sectors of our community.
9 East Sussex County Council People Strategy Action Plan 2018 – 2021
East Sussex Link to the What are our key activities How will we know we are performing People Strategy Council Plan well? Theme Leadership and ü Keeping vulnerable 1. Continue to embed the Leadership & Managers are clear about the expectations Management people safe Management Capability Framework on them, confident in their roles and ü Making best use 2. Continue to embed a coaching culture undertake development as required. of resources 3. Develop the resources on the East Sussex ü Use of strategic Learning Portal commissioning 4. Incorporate the Leadership and Management ü One council Capabilities into our recruitment processes ü Strong partnerships Performance, ü Driving economic 1. Help to build the workforce of the future Staff are clear about what is expected Development growth 2. Enhance the County Council’s employer brand of them and undertake development and Reward ü Making best use 3. Promote the East Sussex Way as required. of resources 4. Foster a culture of self-managed learning and Staff and managers take responsibility ü Once council reflection for all employees for their own development. 5. Maximise use of the Apprenticeship levy Employee ü Making best use 1. Improve our employee engagement activity Our staff tell us that they feel valued and Engagement of resources and line manager communication engaged, with their views being listened and Recognition ü One council 2. Continued promotion of Yammer to, and they take personal responsibility 3. Build understanding of the use of Maximising for the work they are doing. Performance to support staff 4. Continue to review the staff benefits package Employee Health, ü Helping people help 1. Develop a Wellbeing & Resilience Strategy Our staff tell us that they have a healthy Wellbeing and themselves 2. Introduce Mental Health Awareness Mental workplace in which their wellbeing is Inclusion ü Making best use Health First Aiders supported. of resources 3. Support employee’s financial health The diversity and cultural background ü One council 4. Continue to support the flexible working agenda of our workforce is respected. ü Strong partnerships 5. Publicise the staff forum groups on Yammer for BME, Disabled and LGBT staff
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