Letter - MHA to CSSP - People and Culture Follow up Review - Department specific response - 18 August 2023

19-21 Broad Street | St Helier Jersey | JE2 3RR

Deputy Sam Mézec

Chair, Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel

VIA EMAIL

18 August 2023

Dear Deputy Mézec

Corporate Services Scrutiny Panel - People and Culture Follow-up Review  

Thank you for your letter of 2 August regarding your Panel’s follow up Review on People and Culture.

Please find below responses to the questions posed.

1. The internal processes and procedures in your department which can be used by employees to address complaints and grievances including for inappropriate behaviour, bullying and harassment. We are aware that there are set States of Jersey policies relating to these matters, however we would like to know the specific process that would be followed by employees within your department.

Justice and Home Affairs follows the government (GOJ) policies and procedures. Employees can raise concerns with their Line Mangers or their Line Manager’s Line Manager. We expect Line Mangers to act swiftly to resolve concerns, to benefit all those involved. We place a strong emphasis to resolve concerns informally to give the best opportunity for a successful outcome to all parties. If the matter cannot be resolved an investigation may be required and the Government of Jersey policies and procedures relating to the specific matter would be followed.

2. Whether any internal employee processes and procedures followed in your department differ from those within other departments and, if so, how and why. For example, we note that there is a Freedom to Speak Up Guardian in the Health and Community Services Department to ensure that the voices and concerns of staff are heard and acted upon.

In addition to GOJ process the following exists within JHA, listed below by Service:

• Jersey Customs and Immigration Service (JCIS) - their People & Culture provide a forum for raising concerns.

• States of Jersey Police (SOJP) – SOJP have dedicated Wellbeing officers as well as the One Voice Group for DEI matters and the Police Association, which represents members of the police force.

• States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service (SoJFRS) – benevolent committee and managerial support from the business support unit.

• States of Jersey Prison Service (SoJPS) – Jersey Prison Service Association union & Independent Prison Monitoring Board.

• States of Jersey Ambulance Service (SoJAS) – Wellbeing leads

3. The relevant officer(s) in your department available to employees as a first point of contact to raise concerns or grievances.

The Line Manger or the Line Manager’s Manager or a member of People and Corporate  Services. If the employee does not wish to raise their concerns with their Line Manager,  they can contact HR Case Management or contact the dedicated speak-up line.

4. What management information is available to your senior leadership team to enable you to gauge or measure the numbers of informal or formal concerns, grievances or disciplinary actions and how your management information is gathered and recorded.

Line Managers have a responsibility to act swiftly to resolve any informal concerns. Any formal concerns of Disciplinary and Grievance are recorded by the Case Management Team. The HR Business Partners review cases with the Case Management Team on a regular basis and provides management information to their Senior Leadership Teams and report on the outcomes and any learning from the specific cases.

In addition, information as to the reasons an employee leaves is provided via the operational dashboard which is shared with the senior leadership team.

The Chief Officer is appraised on a monthly basis by JHA’s HR Business Partner with information provided by case management.

5. The challenges, if any, within your department in improving and maintaining a satisfactory workplace culture.

Strategic Workforce Plan priorities:

• Creation of a recruitment and retention plan, to overcome issues such as attracting a diverse range of candidates, and reducing the large number of vacancies the directorate has.

• Improved Performance management, through encouragement of using the full capabilities of the new Performance Connect tool and upskilling of line managers to a coaching culture with continuous feedback.

• Staff Wellbeing – Delivering resilience training to all staff in the directorate and making everyone accountable for wellbeing and welfare.

The latest Be heard results – BCI score 648.7 vs 569 in July 2020. GoJ score is 630.8

• 61% of respondents within JHA reported an overall pleasant experience in the workplace – a 5% increase since 2020.

• 25% of respondents reported an overall unpleasant experience in the workplace – a 9% reduction since 2020. Of this total 76% is due to being anxious - the biggest challenge is therefore how we reduce anxiety in the workplace and is a key priority as mentioned above.

• We are making good progress – Wellbeing score are up 11%, Personal Growth by 12%, My team by 13%, My Manager 15% and Leadership by 21%. The challenge is how we maintain this trajectory.

6. Whether your department has any trade union shop stewards or representatives and, if so, the type of relationship held with those people to assist with resolving employee matters that are brought to the department’s attention.

Throughout JHA, each of the Services have Union Representatives in the following Unions:

• Police Association;

• Fire and Rescue Service Association;

• JCSA Prospect and:

• Unite the Union

These cover Police, Customs & Immigration, Ambulance, Fire & Rescue and Prison. Regular quarterly meetings are held, and the respective Union Representatives are easily accessible for staff assistance in the first instance. If issues cannot be resolved at this level, then they can be escalated to the Officers of the respective Unions, and finally to the Head of Employee Relations.

7. Specific actions taken within your department to improve staff wellbeing and morale.

Wellbeing is included as part of the Department’s Strategic Workforce Plan to ensure that progress and actions are regularly monitored.

Wellbeing strategic principles have been drafted and agreed with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) as follows:

• Mental - Develop Leaders that are empathetic, celebrate success, navigate difficult conversations proactively, and encourage staff development. Encourage and develop resilience through training of all staff and facilitate access to other mental health initiatives such as EAP, TRiM networks, and other external agencies.

• Physical - Provide a working environment that keeps staff safe and well to ensure they can perform their role to their best ability, including providing robust and fit for purpose Occupational Health. Encourage good lifestyle choices through education and example

• Financial - Help employees manage their finances through ensuring they have access to knowledge on financial wellbeing. Empower staff to take responsibility for their own development and facilitate a 'career culture' where staff are encouraged and supported to progress within the GOJ. Ensure that development plans are in place for all staff and that these are aligned with the training needs for their roles and career pathways.

• Social - Create an open and inclusive culture for all staff and visitors to the directorate and encourage this through staff networks such as One Voice and Shoulder to Shoulder. Encourage opportunity for a variety of social events for those that wish to attend.

The next step is for Services to incorporate these principles into their Wellbeing plans and report back to SLT on progress.

Other specific actions / example of activity:

The Ambulance Service now have Wellbeing leads and have an outdoor wellbeing area which is 90% complete with furniture and plants now in place. The Police have a Wellbeing plan. The Prison service have dedicated staff Wellbeing time. Customs & immigration have an active People & Culture group which has wellbeing as one area of focus. The JHA ‘Shoulder to Shoulder’ Equity Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) working group and network has gone from strength to strength and has made the final of the 2023 Our Stars Awards. The Fire & Rescue Service are working with a dedicated organisational effectiveness specialist.

The first JHA Wellbeing week took place in August 2022 culminating in a sponsored ladder climb at Broad Street

In 2023 the focus has been on specific events throughout the year. These have included:

• A JHA cross service touch rugby competition took place with representation from Prison, Fire & Rescue, Ambulance and JHA Business Support Unit.

• ‘It’s a knockout’ fun social event at the Jersey showground in September - there are 3 teams (compiled across services) entered.

• JHA (annual) golf competition - after a successful first year, the second event is to be held at St Clements golf course on the evening of the 15th of September. Various teams across JHA services are taking part.

8. The creation or improvements of strategy, policy, and procedures in your department for the benefit of employee welfare and workplace culture implemented since the start of the new States Assembly term.

Wellbeing plan for Police. Overarching Wellbeing strategy for JHA. Wellbeing diagnostics for each service. People and Culture Groups in each Service. Wider TRiM training across the department. Closer working with the dedicated Police Wellbeing team.

 

9. Whether any routine internal department-specific surveys or polls are undertaken regarding people and workplace culture and the frequency and impact thereof.

The Department participated in the Be Heard Surveys in 2020 and 2023. A Wellbeing survey across all services was undertaken in September 2021.

Be Heard Pulse surveys were carried out as follows:

• Jersey Customs and Immigration Service – October 2022

• Prison – November 2022

• JHA Core Teams (BSU, OSR, ESCC, JPA, JFS) – November 2022

And bespoke work took place:

• Ambulance (workshop) – November 2022

• Fire and Rescue Service (workshop) - November 2022

10. Whether when an employee leaves the department, they are automatically offered an exit interview and, if not, why.

Employees are automatically offered an exit interview on departure. The People Hub offer all employees when leaving an exit interview. These are on-line exit interviews. The employee is asked if we can contact them to discuss in more detail any of the answers they have given. This process is currently under review by the People and Corporate Services Policy Team.

11. Whether there are any emerging themes that can be taken from previous exit interviews?  

Exit interviews are reviewed to establish any emerging themes, by the People and Corporate Services Policy Team. Any emerging themes and or concerns are escalated to the Department’s HR Business Partner and or escalated to the relevant Chief Officer.

The top three reasons that people are leaving JHA are as follows: 1) retirement 2) leaving Jersey and 3) personal reasons not related to work.

12. Whether the Minister or Chief Officer works with the HR Business Partner to resolve concerns, the process that is followed and whether you have identified any challenges or concerns with the process that you have identified.

The HR Business Partner meets monthly with Chief Officer specifically to discuss any case management matters.

The Panel will be aware that, in accordance with the Code of Conduct for Ministers and Assistant Ministers, as Minister, I am not routinely involved in dealing with personnel matters. I am briefed by the Chief Officer, as required, on any significant matters of which I should be aware. In my view this is entirely appropriate.

13. Any historic concerns or issues in relation to any of the above within your department.  

There were previously some legacy issues in relation to the management of grievances and disciplinaries. However, case management matters, particularly in the Prison Service (which had been an area of concern), are now fully transparent and following best practice.

14. Any other issues that the Panel should consider as part of its review in line with the Terms of Reference for the review, which can be found on the review page.

There are no further issues to highlight. Yours sincerely

Deputy Helen Miles Minister for Home Affairs