Agenda item

To consider item 14.

Station Commander – HR Projects advised Members that the People Strategy 2020-2025 was approved at the October 2020 Fire Authority meeting. The Service reviewed progress and provided an update to Members on an annual basis.

Key area one – Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I), the Service secured a Change 100 Intern working within the Resource Management Team. The candidate started on 10 July 2023, additionally the Service had delivered bespoke ED&I training for all employees to embed ED&I throughout the Service. The Service had also been awarded the ENEI Silver accreditation.

Key area two – Employee Engagement, the Culture Survey Working Group had evolved into the Employee Engagement Working Group and was made up of employees from across the Service. The group continued to use the feedback loop as a tool to encourage idea generation and capture feedback and crucially ensure the Service remains focussed on completing the cycle by offering feedback and celebrating success. The People Awards were held in July to celebrate employee achievements.

Key area three – Organisational Development and Resourcing the Organisational Development Team were developing a BFRS staff development pathway project which was being designed to align to the NFCC’s Core Learning Pathway and Leadership Framework. The Pathway will provide clarity to employees looking to develop themselves either within their existing role or with aspirations for the next level role within BFRS or another organisation.

Key area four – Training, Learning and Development there had been a significant commitment delivering a range of wholetime recruitment, transferee and on call firefighter courses supporting the Service’s strategic objective of increasing the operational establishment. This had been delivered alongside recruitment for support roles.

Key area five – Employee Health and Wellbeing the Service’s mental health support network, had been reviewed and updated providing a robust support structure across the Service. 37 mental health champions had been trained to provide a range or support to employees. Trauma support training had been provided for 12 new debriefers, bringing the cadre of available trauma support debriefers to 22. The purpose of trauma support was to provide reassurance about natural reactions to traumatic situations and an opportunity to discuss coping strategies.

The paper identified future opportunities of the Strategy for year four. These opportunities would allow the Service to measure and record progress made in each key area, identify further opportunities to develop the People Strategy, and improve how both existing and future employees are developed. 

A Member asked about the Equal Pay Act, and the section on diversity and also that the strategy did not mention the unions.

The Head of Human Resources advised that there was a Equal Pay Audit in 2020, and that report was presented to Members. The gender pay gap was reported every March and next year the Service would also be looking at the ethnicity pay gap. The People Strategy goes out to the Trade Unions through the Joint Consultative Forum, to get their input.

The Chairman asked about the equality impact assessment, a number of areas were assessed as a positive impact from the strategy, but there were two that stood out where it was highlighting no negative impact and asked why. Also, the staff survey was due to take place in January, had altering the month been considered.

The Head of Human Resources advised that in terms of the equality impact assessment, and those areas shown as neutral, this was only for the People Strategy.

In terms of the survey, the last two surveys had been undertaken in January and also it had been balanced against the HMICFRS survey which was part of the HMICFRS inspection and so it did not clash at the same time. It was also trying to be set at the same time each year, so staff knew when to expect it. January had been chosen as it allowed the results to be fed into next year’s plans.

The Chairman requested that consideration be given to having the staff survey later in the calendar year as it has been noted in some sections surveys in January can produce more negative responses.

RESOLVED –

That the contents of the update and progress made in the key areas are noted.