Democracy Spraffa

Appendix 1 A&B_People Strategy_24

Argyll and Bute Council · 27 March 2024
Back to Argyll and Bute HSCP Integration Joint Board (IJB) — 27 March 2024 and its agenda

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Page 1

People Strategy
2024 - 2028
Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil … #abplace2b

Page 2

Argyll and Bute Council People Strategy
Every day our workforce finds creative ways to overcome the challenges of reducing budgets
and our vast geography, to deliver services to the communities of Argyll and Bute. As the council
transforms its operating model to deliver our Connect for Success principles, our people remain 
the single most important asset we have in delivering on our ambitious corporate outcomes. 
This People Strategy outlines the strategic objectives we will achieve in relation to our people 
over the period until 2028
Linked to our People Strategy are our Strategic Workforce Planning priorities. We review 
our strategic workforce planning outlook and assumptions annually and any actions from this 
review, will be incorporated into our annual people strategy delivery plan.
Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil … #abplace2b

Page 3

CONNECT FOR SUCCESS: Argyll and Bute Council People Strategy
Attracting
and Keeping
Talented people
In the post-pandemic labour market
attracting and retaining talented
people is proving challenging in
a number of areas: from national
shortages in the social work and
social care workforce, to the local
challenges we face staffing some
of our lifeline ferry services to the
Islands. Attracting and retaining
talent will be key to our council’s
success over the life of this strategy.
We have a lot to offer as an
employer. Our unique area
means we have to find unique
and creative ways to deliver our
services. We think that makes us
stand out as an employer with
interesting roles and opportunities.
We can directly contribute to the
Council’s abplace2b aspirations
by developing our employer brand
and marketing the varied career
paths and favourable employment
deal on offer by the council and by
continuing to develop a pipeline of
talent into our workforce through
our Growing Our Own activities.
Developing and market our
employer brand
Deliver an employment deal that
supports business need and
workforce planning priorities
Redesign our approach 
to recruitment
Grow Our Own talent linked to our
risk based workforce planning
Purpose and Mission
Purpose and Mission
Purpose and Mission
(abplace2b)
Purpose and Mission
Data and Evidence Driven
Agile
Purpose and Mission
Data and Evidence Driven
Agile
Data and Evidence Driven
Deliver actions to support our
strategic workforce planning
priorities
Collect and review data to better
understand our recruitment and
retention challenges
PEOPLE
STRATEGY 
THEME
EXPLANATION COMMITMENTS
OVER THE LIFE 
OF THE STRATEGY
CONNECT
FOR SUCCESS
THEME

Page 4

CONNECT FOR SUCCESS: Argyll and Bute Council People Strategy
PEOPLE
STRATEGY 
THEME
EXPLANATION COMMITMENTS
OVER THE LIFE 
OF THE STRATEGY
CONNECT
FOR SUCCESS
THEME
Providing a
positive employee
experience
We want our employees to have 
a positive experience of working
for the council. We know that
when our employees have the
right tools and a positive working
environment they can achieve
great things. Our goal is to create
an environment where everyone
can thrive.
The Connect for Success
programme outlines a desired
operating model for the council,
built on a culture of trust, inclusion,
empowerment, collaboration and
learning. We aim to make that the
experience of everyone who joins
our team.
Provide a safe and healthy 
working environment
An employment relationship built
on quality conversations, trust
and psychological safety
We are an inclusive employer
Develop ways to involve employees
and capture their voice
Empowerment
Empowerment
One council one place
Empowerment
Empowerment
Involvement
Empowerment
Agile
Leaders will provide clarity on our
goals, priorities and standards
empowering employees to find
innovative ways of achieving them
Create agile jobs and ways 
of working.

Page 5

CONNECT FOR SUCCESS: Argyll and Bute Council People Strategy
PEOPLE
STRATEGY 
THEME
EXPLANATION COMMITMENTS
OVER THE LIFE 
OF THE STRATEGY
CONNECT
FOR SUCCESS
THEME
We have big ambitions for our
council and our area and we
recognise that working together
with each other and with our
partners is the best and most
effective way to achieve those
ambitions. To support our
Connect for Success programme
our leaders will collaborate
across team and organisational
boundaries for the greater good 
of our area. They will empower
their teams to come up with
creative and cost effective
approaches to delivering the
services that support achievement
of our mission and purpose
As a leader for our area, we want
to make it as easy as possible for
individuals and groups to work with
us in achieving the best outcomes
for Argyll and Bute.
Identify opportunities for and
ways to make partnership,
codesign and collaboration easier
One council one placeCreating a 
One Council, 
One place culture

Page 6

CONNECT FOR SUCCESS: Argyll and Bute Council People Strategy
Supporting
Learning 
and Growth
We want to encourage and develop
a growth mind-set at individual,
team and organisational level.
We will create a culture where
reflection and learning is celebrated
and helps us to improve and
continuously develop our approach
at all levels. Our leaders will take
their own development and growth
seriously, adopting a growth
mindset, championing change and
embedding a culture of reflection
and learning within their teams.
Embed coaching to
support learning and
change
Redesign our corporate 
learning programme
Learning council
Empowerment
PEOPLE
STRATEGY 
THEME
EXPLANATION COMMITMENTS
OVER THE LIFE 
OF THE STRATEGY
CONNECT
FOR SUCCESS
THEME
Redesign our leadership
development to deliver our target
operating model and make our
council a great place to work
Learning council
Empowerment
Learning council
Empowerment
Acknowledge and celebrate our
successes and share learning
when things don’t go to plan
Learning council
Empowerment
One council one place

Page 7

CONNECT FOR SUCCESS: Argyll and Bute Council People Strategy
PEOPLE
STRATEGY 
THEME
EXPLANATION COMMITMENTS
OVER THE LIFE 
OF THE STRATEGY
CHANGE
PROGRAMME
THEME
Championing
Change and
Innovation
We will continue to champion
change and find innovative ways
to deliver our services. In the
context of a challenging financial
climate we will focus on using
data and evidence to support 
our decision making ensuring the
changes we make will have the
biggest impact on our priorities.
Redesign our approach to
performance management to
support our target operating model
Improve and simplify our people
processes
Purpose and Mission
Learning council
Our workforce are digitally enabled
Empowerment
Making the most of technology
Making the most of Technology
Our workforce are data literate Data and Evidence Driven

Page 8

Bute • Helensburgh • Islay • Oban • Mull • Campbeltown • Iona • Dunoon • Tiree • Lochgilphead • Seil … #abplace2b
FURTHER
INFORMATION
For further information please contact:
HR Advice Line
HRemployeerelationsenquiries@argyll-bute.gov.uk
Telephone number – 01546 605513 Option 2