Covid-19 Employee Recognition
North Lanarkshire Council · 9 June 2022
Back to Council — 9 June 2022 and its agenda
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North Lanarkshire Council Report North Lanarkshire Council Does this report require to be approved? ☒ Yes ☐ No Ref FW/ LC Date 09/06/22 Covid –19 Employee Recognition From Fiona Whittaker, Head of People & Organisational Development E-mail whittakerf@northlan.gov.uk Telephone 07973 728628 Executive Summary Over the last two years, we know that there have been significant challenges experienced by all Council staff working in a Covid-19 environment, and that these same staff have worked tirelessly through these challenges, playing a vital role in keeping our services running in unprecedented circumstances. This includes the significant flexibility, commitment and effort shown by staff who were required deliver services through the most difficult periods of the pandemic, or were needed support to vulnerable residents and contribute to wider regional public health and NHS efforts to minimise and manage the impact of Covid- 19 in our communities. With all of this in mind, the Council has explored ways in which we could potentially recognise our staff for these efforts. Elected Members will be aware that health and social care staff and teachers were both awarded national recognition payments in the last 2 years, and whilst this has been welcomed by the relevant staff within those services, there are still many more staff who were critical during this time, who we have not been able to recognise appropriately across the Council. As we move into a more stable operating phase, it is felt that the timing is now right to consider a proposal which would be seen to adequately recognise our staff at a local level for their efforts during the pandemic. It should be noted that some other Local Authorities have now moved to directly recognise their staff in a similar way, including Scottish Borders Council and most recently West Lothian Council. Set out in this report is a proposal to recognise and reward staff that is believed to be appropriate and affordable in the current climate. This proposal has been fully discussed with our joint SJC and SNCT trade unions who are fully supportive, and we are now seeking the endorsement and approval of Elected Members to proceed. Recommendations It is recommended that Council: • agree the proposal set out in section 2 of this report to recognise all of our staff for their efforts during the covid-19 pandemic
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1. Background 1.1 Throughout the pandemic period, the Council has regularly sought to consider ways in which staff could be supported and recognised for their significant efforts. 1.2 This is in context of a general agreement that the Council’s workforce went above and beyond through all phases of the pandemic, showing significant commitment, flexibility, and service delivery performance, even during the most difficult periods when our rates of Covid-19 community transmission were some of the highest in Scotland. 1.3 As the pandemic evolved, and due to ongoing restrictions and other barriers, including shielding for vulnerable staff, it became an increasingly complex matter to fairly establish which staff should in fact be eligible for recognition and which not, and for this reason, no detailed staff recognition proposals were progressed at that time. 1.4 Under the direction of Gold Command, positive actions were taken by officers to support staff during the most difficult periods, such as providing key workers with access to lunch during periods of lockdown and heavy restrictions. These initiatives were widely welcomed by both staff and trade unions. 1.5 Two years have passed since this time, and the SJC trade unions remain of the opinion that large proportions of the Local Government workforce have never been fully recognised for their efforts and commitment over the course of the pandemic, and this has been directly referenced in recent pay negotiations. 1.6 This has recently led other Local Authorities to consider staff Covid recognition schemes including Scottish Borders Council who at the end of March agreed an additional “wellbeing day” for staff who have contracted hours and have been employed for a period of three months or more on 31 December 2021. 1.7 It should be noted that this additional day’s leave in Scottish Borders Council is to be taken in 2022/23, and is over and above the additional day which has already been awarded as part of the Platinum Jubilee. The Council has also enabled teaching staff to participate in the scheme, through the conversion of one of their approved in-service days to an annual leave day. 1.8 Most recently West Lothian Council have agreed a similar scheme to award staff one additional day of “recognition” leave to be taken over two years. Again, this is in addition to the Platinum Jubilee day, and all staff are in scope, including teachers, who will replace an in-service day with an annual days leave. • endorse the relevant officers to take forward the proposal with appropriate communication and engagement of staff and trade unions. The Plan for North Lanarkshire Priority Improve North Lanarkshire's resource base Ambition statement (23) Build a workforce for the future capable of delivering on our priorities and shared ambition
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2 Report 2.1 To enable the Council to move forward on an affordable proposal, which recognises staff locally for their efforts over the course of the pandemic, it is proposed that North Lanarkshire Council consider the award of one additional day of leave in the form of a “wellbeing day”, to be taken over the next two leave years (January to December). 2.2 It is also proposed that all staff, including teachers are in scope, and agreement has been reached with the SNCT trade unions that this additional leave day will be accommodated using an in-service day. 2.3 For all other staff, and following approval by Elected Members on the 9th June 2022, the additional days wellbeing leave will be available to be booked up to December 2023 in conjunction with and following approval by service line managers. 2.4 With respect to costs, Financial Solutions have fully reviewed the proposal and are satisfied that taking the leave day over two years ensure that any additional costs accrued can be accommodated within existing service budgets. 3. Measures of success 3.1 Council wide support to take forward the proposal outlined above, with an opportunity to properly recognise the staff of North Lanarkshire Council for their significant efforts, flexibility, and commitment during the Covid-19 pandemic. 4. Supporting documentation 4.1 n/a Fiona Whittaker Head of People and Organisational Development
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5. Impacts ( http://connect/report-template-guidance ) 5.1 Public Sector Equality Duty and Fairer Scotland Duty Does the report contain information that has an impact as a result of the Public Sector Equality Duty and/or Fairer Scotland Duty? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? As all staff are included, the proposal reflects positively in terms of the Council’s responsibilities under the Public Sector Equalities Duty. If Yes, has an assessment been carried out and published on the council’s website? Yes ☐ No ☒ 5.2 Financial impact Does the report contain any financial impacts? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, have all relevant financial impacts have been discussed and agreed with Financial Solutions? Yes ☒ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Financial Solutions have been fully sighted on the content of the proposal and are satisfied that it can be managed within existing service budgets. 5.3 HR policy impact Does the report contain any HR policy or procedure impacts? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, have all relevant HR impacts have been discussed and agreed with People and Organisational Development? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.4 Legal impact Does the report contain any legal impacts (such as general legal matters, statutory considerations (including employment law considerations), or new legislation)? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, have all relevant legal impacts have been discussed and agreed with Legal and Democratic Solutions? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.5 Data protection impact Does the report / project / practice contain or involve the processing of personal data? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, is the processing of this personal data likely to result in a high risk to the data subject? Yes ☐ No ☐ If Yes, has a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) been carried out and e- mailed to dataprotection@northlan.gov.uk Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.6 Technology / Digital impact Does the report contain information that has an impact on either technology, digital transformation, service redesign / business change processes, data management, or connectivity / broadband / Wi-Fi?
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Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Where the impact identifies a requirement for technology, has an assessment been carried out (or scheduled) by the Enterprise Architecture Governance Group (EAGG)? Yes ☐ No ☐ 5.7 Environmental / Carbon impact Does the report / project / practice contain information that has an impact on any environmental or carbon matters? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? 5.8 Communications impact Does the report contain any information that has an impact on the council’s communications activities? Yes ☒ No ☐ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the impact? Communications will be engaged following agreement of the proposal and to ensure that staff are fully aware of the additional leave day and the Council’s desire to fully recognise their efforts and commitment. 5.9 Risk impact Is there a risk impact? Yes ☐ No ☒ If Yes, please provide a brief summary of the key risks and potential impacts, highlighting where the risk(s) are assessed and recorded (e.g. Corporate or Service or Project Risk Registers), and how they are managed?