Letter - Corporate Services Panel to Chief Minister re launch of People and Culture Follow-up review - 26 July 2023

States Greffe

Deputy Kristina Moore Chief Minister

19-21 Broad Street

St Helier

Jersey

JE2 3RR

BY E-MAIL 26th July 2023

Dear Chief Minister,

Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel People & Culture Follow-up Review

I write to inform you that the Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel has agreed to undertake a follow-up review of the People & Culture Review 2021 [S.R.12/2021]. Attached to this letter are the Terms of Reference for the Panel’s review. The Panel has agreed to co-opt the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Deputy Feltham , to the Panel for the review to bring additional experience and knowledge.

We intend to begin our work immediately and shall hold public hearings with you. Our Officers will liaise with your Private Secretary to arrange these in due course. We also intend to hold hearings with the States Employment Board and other relevant stakeholders. Moreover, we shall request the views of Government departments and targeted external stakeholders to collect evidence and insights. The general public and stakeholders will also be able to contact us via the Scrutiny communications channels that are available to them.

We hope that the evidence we gather, and our final output will help inform the work of the Government  relating to  people  and  culture  within  the  workplace. Should  you  have  any questions regarding the Panel’s work for this review, I would be happy to address these.

Yours sincerely,

Deputy Sam Mézec

Chair, Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel

Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel

People and Culture Follow-up Review Terms of Reference

1. To evaluate the policies and procedures in place for the States Employment Board and the implementation and impact thereof since the previous People and Culture Review in 2021. This will include, but is not limited to, consideration of:
   1. The procedures for handling complaints of inappropriate behaviour, bullying and harassment.
   2. The grievance and disciplinary procedure, its effectiveness and impact.
   3. The impact of policies and procedures on workplace culture.
2. To consider the effectiveness of the States Employment Board in implementing actions to secure improvements for employee wellbeing since the People and Culture Review in 2021. This will include, but is not limited to, consideration of:
   1. The action taken, and the impact thereof, following the HR Lounge reviews and reports into ‘bullying and harassment’, including analysis of the initial report (February 2018) and follow-up progress report (February 2021).
   2. The action taken, and the impact thereof, following the recommendations published in the reports by the Comptroller and Auditor General, ‘Role and Operation of the States Employment Board’ (March 2019) and in the follow-up report ‘States Employment Board – Follow up’ (September 2022).
   3. The action taken, and the impact thereof, following the Best Companies Be Heard Surveys’ findings for 2020 and 2023.
   4. The report and recommendations by Professor Hugo Mascie- Taylor (August 2022).
3. To consider the culture within the Government of Jersey as a workplace since the commencement of the new term of Government. This will include, but is not limited to, consideration of:
   1. The current status regarding inappropriate behaviour, bullying and harassment.
   2. The impact of Government restructure, policy and procedures on employee well-being.
4. To consider the restructure of the Chief Executive Officer role, its impact on the Cabinet Office and workplace culture. This will include, but is not limited to, consideration of:

1. The recruitment process for the interim and permanent Chief Executive Officer.
2. The changes to the structure and functions of the Chief Executive Officer role.
3. The resultant changes to the structure of the Cabinet Office and its functions.
4. The impact of the restructuring on employee well-being.