Issue - meetings

The HR Business Partner explained this report covered the Sickness Absence data for Quarter 4 2023/24.

The average number of days lost per employee for 2023/24 was 8.98 days; this was above the annual target for the Local Performance Indicator to the end of March 2024 (8.5 days).  While over the target and something to work on, the HR Business Partner noted it was still good it fell within 9 days.

One key trend highlighted was the average number of days lost per employee for Q4 2023/24 was 2.44 days; this was an increase from Q3 2023/24 and was the highest quarter of the year in terms of average days lost.  However, the 2.44 days lost per employee for Q4 2023/24 was lower than the same quarter in 2022/23.

3 Services experienced zero sickness in Q4 2023/24 and a further 4 Services experienced less than 1 day per full-time equivalent employee.

Table 3 of Appendix 1 listed the top reasons for absences, with a direct correlation between physically demanding work and health issues/problems sustained.  However, Stress/Depression was in the top 3 reasons for 2023/24 and had remained in the top 3 for every quarter since 2019/20.  Work-related cases of Stress/Depression had increased in Q4 2023/24.

Cases of COVID-19 had dropped, with only 5 days lost in Q4 2023/24; with future variants this may change.

There were 15 long term cases of absence in Q4 2023/24; 10 from physical health ailments and 5 related to Stress/Depression (3 of which were work-related).

Listed at Figure 2.4 were the steps the Council had taken to support employees.  These included: Mental Health awareness sessions being available ‘on demand’; Mental Health awareness initiatives being continually published on the Council’s intranet and weekly bulletin; the Cycle to Work Scheme; and the subsidising of gym membership.

A Menopause Policy had been introduced, the Neurodiversity Policy would be presented to Committee at the meeting, and a Transgender Policy would be introduced in the future;  the intent with such policies was to be proactive.

A new all-in-one employee benefits platform would be established, with the use of a new service called Vivup.  This would take over from previous schemes like Cycle to Work and introduce other promotional health schemes and preventative Mental Health provisions like a 24/7 helpline for independent advice (covering areas from health to finance), shopping discounts, support with medical costs and the rollout of green initiatives.  This in turn would improve staff retention, work productivity, and increase organisational savings.

An employee Health and Wellbeing Survey would take place to provide specific feedback on working at the Council to help improve offerings, and workplace health checks would be arranged; these are what the recently recruited Employee engagement Officer would develop.

It was important for the Council to always be looking for opportunities to help its employees.

A Member thanked the HR Business Partner for the report and asked how the 24/7 helpline would work.  The HR Business Partner responded that this would be provided by Vivup  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8

The HR and Payroll Manager highlighted the average number of days lost per employee for Quarter 4 2023-2024 was 2.44 days; this was an increase from Quarter 3 2023-2024 and was the highest quarter of the year in terms of average days lost.  However, the 2.44 days lost per employee for Quarter 4 2023-2024 was lower than the same quarter for 2022-2023.

When the previous 3 quarters were taken into consideration, the actual outturn figure for the average number of days lost per employee for 2023-2024 was 8.98 days; this was above the annual target for the Local Performance Indicator to the end of March 2024 (8.5 days).

3 Services experienced zero sickness in Quarter 4 2023-2024 and a further 4 Services experienced less than 1 day per full-time equivalent employee.

The HR and Payroll Manager referred to table 1 of the report which stated the total loss from sickness absence was £333,509.52 for 2023-2024.  This was lower than the previous two years, though higher than 2020-2021.  Table 2 represented the percentages of both short and long term days lost for each quarter of 2024-2024, with the previous 3 years listed for comparison.

Table 3 provided the top three reasons for absence per quarter, with Stress/Depression remaining in the top three reasons of every quarter since 2019-2020; 6 were work related and 7 were outside work related.

The UNISON Convenor noted it had been previously stated in previous Safety Committees that Stress/Depression had remained a key issue in the figures presented.  They informed the Committee that an Engagement Officer had now been employed and both of them had been looking into this issue; one of the first things being done was a mental health awareness campaign taking place in mid-May 2024 – information on this would be provided to staff to attempt high levels of engagement.  The Engagement Officer would also be looking into team events and other mental health promotional campaigns for 2024-2025.

The Chair asked about the take up rates of the mental health assistance measures/schemes already in place.  The HR and Payroll Manager answered that 35 employees had undertaken mental health awareness training, 2 had accessed the Cycle2Work scheme, and there were other schemes in place like subsidised Leisure Services, which 63 staff members currently accessed.

There was an employee assistance programme, a service shared with North East Derbyshire District Council, though only 5 employees had accessed this service in 2023-2024; reiterating that the recent employment of the Engagement Officer would be investigating alternative programmes.

The HR and Payroll Manager explained the Council had also inherited a difficult relationship with the current occupational health provider, and the Council had gone out to tender a new provider; this procurement exercise ended 3^rd May 2024 with 3 applications received – this would be investigated moving forward.

For the 2023-2024 occupational health figures, the HR and Payroll Manager listed the following: 5 employees had accessed counselling over 25 sessions; 1 had participated in 6 sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy;  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49