Issue - meetings

The Human Resources and Organisational Development Manager presented a report to inform and update the Scrutiny committee on progress with the Health and Wellbeing Framework. She explained some of the initiatives that had been undertaken:

1. Access to an Employee Assistance Programme offering 24/7 telephone and on-line support to employees covering a range of topics, including confidential telephone counselling.

2. Health Checks offered to employees

3. Occupational Health, Counselling, Physiotherapy and Eye examinations

4. Procurement of a new Occupational Health P

5. Resilience Briefing Sessions

6. Mental Health Training

7. Flu vaccinations

8. Covid Briefings

9. Covid-19 Guidance

10. Agile Working Policy & Briefings

11. Health & Wellbeing Notice Boards at all sites

12. Promotion of Work Well initiatives and information (including H&W Bulletin)

13. Facilitating access to Council Leisure facilities

She referred to some of the sickness absence information in the report and explained how sickness absence had been very low during the Covid pandemic because of people working from home.

Councillor David Dixon asked how Human Resources dealt with employees during the Covid era who had mental health issues. The Human Resources and Organisational Development Manager explained that mental health training had been offered to all employees, Occupational Health offered support, managers had regular 1-2-1 meetings to check on people, and mental health ‘cards’ would be sent out to people with support information. She added that when an employee had been on sickness absence, HR went through a process to find out if it was due to stress, and then find out if what the trigger of it was.

Councillor Janet Tait asked how long the period of absence had to be before an employee was referred to Occupational Health. The Human Resources and Organisational Development Manager explained that if HR thought it was urgent, they would refer them immediately.

Councillor David Dixon asked what the Westfield Health scheme involved and if they offered mental health support. The Human Resources and Organisational Development Manager explained that it was a scheme employees could pay into, and she would investigate whether or not Westfield Health offered mental health support.

The Chair asked if the low sickness absence statistics during the Covid pandemic was because employees working from home were more likely to struggle through illness. The Human Resources and Organisational Development Manager explained that the Home Working Survey would seek to find this out.

It was moved by Councillor David Dixon and seconded by Councillor Janet Tait to note the report.

(N.B. The Human Resources and Organisational Development Manager left the meeting at this point.)

RESOLVED that the progress update be noted.