Council / New SIC staff engagement policy has to wait after vote in chamber
A DECISION on whether to approve a new council policy on staff engagement went down to a vote at a meeting on Monday following concerns from an elected member.
Lerwick South councillor John Fraser said he did not feel ready to approve the new Continuous Conversations policy, which focuses on regular talks between managers and staff.
Following a vote the approval of the policy was deferred.
The policy aims to engage all employees, apart from teachers where separate national arrangements apply, in “meaningful conversations” about their performance and development.
It comes as compliance in the current personal development plan policy remains “generally low”.
The new policy was developed by a staff focus group made up of volunteers from each council directorate.
An employee survey in December 2020 showed that only 64.4 per cent of respondents said they received regular feedback about how they were doing.
Further data highlights that seven in ten line managers had not carried out personal development plan meetings with staff in 2020, with lack of time a key factor.
But feedback showed that some managers felt the personal development plan process was “too formal”, and that they spoke regularly to their performance and wellbeing anyway.
Human resources manager Denise Bell said the new policy replaces the current requirement for an annual appraisal, which is “now viewed as old-fashioned”.
Shetland Central member Catherine Hughson said a system involving more relaxed conversations with managers would be a “really positive thing”.
Fraser asked a number of questions, particularly around line managers working from home, how many staff they can oversee and also how compliance with the policy will be monitored.
During debate he said a number of his concerns remained.
“A manager and a subordinate is a relationship, and that relationship is built over a period of time, building trust, building rapport,” Fraser said.
He said there can be “barriers” to that, such as managers working from home who may be unable to pick up on aspects like an employee’s wellbeing.
Fraser also raised worries in managers having the relevant skills to be effective in carrying out the policy, and how the effectiveness will be monitored.
He said he appreciated the work that had gone into the policy, but added that the “buck stops here” and said councillors would be accountable if things did not work out.
The councillor requested that the decision to approve the policy be deferred until his concerns were addressed.
With council leader Emma Macdonald proposing the policy be approved at the meeting, as staff were consulted in the drafting process, the decision went to a vote – with Fraser receiving four votes to three.
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