Agenda item

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, which would provide even more assistance than previously offered.  Employees had many different lifestyle and benefits choices, with some being more inclined to make use of the gym membership subsidy than others, who may prefer something similar to shopping discounts.

The services previously offered through another employee assistance company proved unsatisfactory, with no publicity material provided and specific data to know how many were accessing the services being difficult to collect; Vivup would be a far more proactive and professional service.

To a question on the second employee survey, the HR Business Partner stated this would be presented to the Committee at a future meeting; it had been necessary to generate the budget and build a draft survey for Managers and the Unions to ensure it encompassed everything the Council needed and maximised the number of responses.  The intent was to identify key issues and work collaboratively with stakeholders.

The Strategic Director of Services noted the average number of days lost per employee for 2023/24 being 8.98 days was only a 5% variation above the annual target.  The Committee should also highly commend those involved, particularly those in HR, for the support employees received and for their handling of long term cases.

The Committee asked the above statement to be put on the record.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.