Kate Goodridge, Human Resources Manager, Resources and Quality Assurance,

Transcription

1 Agenda item: 7 Report title: Report by: Considered by: Action: Graduate recruitment Kate Goodridge, Human Resources Manager, Resources and Quality Assurance, kgoodridge@gmc-uk.org, Performance and Resources Board For decision Executive summary The Performance and Resources Board is asked to consider options for a graduate recruitment programme with a 2016 intake. a Option A: A programme to recruit and train graduates for specific roles b Option B: A programme to recruit and train graduates through a broader development programme, with assignment to specific roles on completion (recommended approach). c Option C: No formal graduate recruitment programme in Recommendations The Performance and Resources Board is asked to: a Consider and select one of the three options above. b Note the proposed framework for salary and career progression.

2 Background 1 As part of our work on the People Strategy we are committed to review the potential benefits of a graduate recruitment and development programme. This supports our strategic aim focusing on attracting, developing and retaining a high calibre, motivated workforce. 2 Graduate recruitment has previously formed an integral part of our recruitment strategy. It provides access to a diverse pool of high quality candidates with a wide range of transferable skills, including technical and up to date specialist knowledge gained from their studies. Our experience illustrates the potential for a programme to help meet our future staffing needs at management level. They have also provided a good talent pool for management level positions. 3 The GMC last ran a graduate development programme in Previous programmes have seen us recruit 22 graduates, appointed to operational roles in Policy, Investigations, Registrations, Communications, Facilities, Education, Business Planning and Information Systems. Eight still remain, of which four are now in Level 3 roles and one is in a Level 2 role. 4 A graduate development programme would consist of a comprehensive induction programme, ongoing skills workshops and a development centre after six months. Appointees would also have access to suitable management training such as the Step into Management programme. Much of the graduate programme is based around the training and development programmes that we currently have in place. 5 In previous schemes, graduates have taken on defined roles working in a specific section almost immediately, and applicants are selected with specific roles in mind. 6 Whilst this has provided graduates with a strong understanding of their own area of work, it has limited their exposure to understanding the wider context and work of the GMC. A broader graduate development programme could see graduates working on rotation between different Directorates before taking up a permanent role in one area. This would fit more closely with a staffing model that provided flexibility. 7 A graduate development programme requires a significant resource investment in Human Resources and Learning and Development to deliver the recruitment activities and to develop the programme and development activities once they are in post. Line managers also play a key role in the recruitment and induction programme induction and their ongoing management. External costs, mainly advertising, are relatively limited and there are advantages in undertaking consolidated recruitment campaign that secures a number of appointments. 8 To secure a 2016 intake, work would need to commence now. 2

3 Progression route and salaries 9 A graduate programme would see appointees join at level 5 with an agreed move to level 4 following a month programme, subject to a structured assessment and a Head of Section/Assistant Director recommendation to the Director. The medium term aim would be to make the appointee a viable level 3 candidate within three years. 10 Average graduates salaries vary by discipline. It is hard to compare the graduate roles at the GMC to other graduate roles in the market other than more generally with the public sector. However, recent research by the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) and highflyers.co.uk indicates that, on average, graduates can earn 30,000, in London compared to 24,000 for those outside the city. Options 11 There are three options to consider (for graduates in Manchester only): Option A: A graduate development programme to recruit and train graduates for specific roles 12 A graduate scheme to recruit and train graduates for specific roles where we can anticipate future staffing needs, for example Investigation Officers or Application Advisers and longer term career opportunities as managers. 13 The GMC has previously seen graduates taking on defined roles working in a specific section. This works well in areas where we can reasonably predict future vacancies (e.g. Investigation Officers) and where specific academic qualifications might match specific roles. Option B: A graduate development programme to recruit and train graduates in roles within a general or broader development programme 14 A broader programme across Directorates, where graduates would rotate between different Directorates or within one Directorate over a period before taking up a permanent role in one area. 15 This option would provide graduates with a good exposure to a variety of areas to widen their experience and match them to an appropriate role. It would also ensure that they gain a greater insight into the work of the GMC and become more business focussed. This option provides greater flexibility and the matching of graduates when we have a better understanding of their skills and preferences. Option C: No formal graduate recruitment and development programme in The GMC already attracts and recruits high quality candidates into key operational roles, some of which are graduates. The absence of a formal programme would not 3

4 prevent us securing graduate candidates. Consideration also needs to be given to how long term staffing initiatives such as this might be affected by the change programme. Recommended approach 17 In scoping options for a graduate development programme, we have engaged with Assistant Directors. The recommendation is that Option B is agreed with an approval for at least five/six graduates. This would be subject to the normal budgeting and growth bid process for 2016 as there is currently no allocated budget for these roles. If approved, costs between September December 2016 and then for 2017 would be covered centrally in Human Resources. Option A would see the staffing costs to individual Directorates in 2017 where the post-holders would be filling established roles. 18 Taking into account the base of the Manchester Level 5 salary band and the average market data a recommendation is that for a 2016 intake, graduates join in Manchester on around 24,000. When re-graded to a Level 4 the recommendation is that they receive an increase of a maximum of 5%, unless a higher increase is needed to move them to the bottom of the Level 4 salary band. However, consideration may also need to take account of the specific market rate for the post and/or pay conditions at the time. Total full year staffing costs for a programme with six appointees would be between 180,000 and 200, Further information on the benefits, potential issues and resources implications arising from a Graduate Programme is at Annex A. 4

5 7 Graduate recruitment 7 Annex A Graduate recruitment Background 1 We have committed to review our organisational need for a graduate management scheme as part of our work on the People Strategy. Benefits 2 A graduate development programme has a number of benefits: a Cost-effective strategy for recruitment (recruiting multiple hires through one process). b Ensures we have access to a pool of high quality candidates with a range of transferrable skills, including technical and up to date specialist knowledge to assist the recruitment of critical and difficult roles to fill (for examples IS) Finance. c Focuses an aspect of our recruitment process on particularly diverse groups who might be under-represented in our workforce. Issues to consider 3 There are a number of risks associated with deciding on whether to run a graduate development programme: a While we can anticipate future vacancies, this is not always precise. b Higher levels of investment are usually offset by the benefits, but the loss of staff is a risk if they leave the GMC due to there being no long-term career opportunities. c Having a career fast-track for some groups of staff can create employee relations issues, and it is possible that a scheme would be developed and implemented alongside the change programme.

6 d The GMC already attracts motivated and capable candidates through our normal recruitment activities. Resource implications 4 A graduate development programme requires a significant investment by Human Resources (HR) and Learning and Development to deliver the recruitment activities and to develop the programme and development activities. In addition, it requires significant commitment and investment from line managers during the recruitment process, induction and management of graduates. 5 Depending on other recruitment activity at the time, additional HR and line management resource may need to be allocated to ensure the recruitment is delivered effectively. Also graduate recruitment may encourage internal candidates to apply and additional backfill of these roles needs to be taken into consideration. 6 Budget will need to be allocated to the recruitment and selection of graduates. We would aim to keep our advertising costs and assessment costs during the recruitment process as minimal as possible, but it is likely to cost between 10,000 and 15,000 plus the cost of having graduates centrally funded for a period of time. A2