Report of the Executive Director of Regeneration and Resources

Transcription

1 I item 6 Cabinet Date: 16 April 2008 Internal Communication Strategy Report of the Executive Director of Regeneration and Resources Cabinet Portfolio/Lead Member: Councillor J A Wood Purpose of Report 1. To recommend a proposed internal communications strategy for South Tyneside Council. Performing Together Reference: M1/2/4 Develop internal communication strategy Contact Officer: Lynda Fothergill, Head of Communications ( ) cabinet cabinet cabinet cabinet cabinet cabinet cabinet

2 Internal Communication Strategy Introduction 2. Cabinet agreed an External Communications Strategy on February 1, The draft internal communications strategy complements the external communications strategy and will support effective delivery of both internal and external communication. 3. There has been significant consultation with employees to develop this strategy, including consulting with the employee equality groups last year. Background 4. The proposed strategy focuses on agreeing systems and support to ensure that the council communicates effectively with all employees. This includes support to keep employees informed and involved; and effectively promote our culture and values. 5. The strategy builds on feedback about existing communication arrangements both from national research and awards; and from feedback from our own employees. This includes actions in response to the 2007 employee survey and from the latest IIP assessment. Draft Internal Communications Strategy Aims 6. The council s aim for internal communication is: We will be viewed as an organisation that keeps its employees well informed and seeks their views by informing, listening and encouraging feedback and continuous dialogue with them. Key Points 7. The main recommendation is to introduce a communication charter which sets listening and communication standards for all employees. 8. An action plan will be developed to support implementation of the strategy, including promoting the communication standards and introducing a weekly bulletin from senior managers. Focus groups will take place as a follow up to the employee survey and this will allow further information to be fed back from employees to inform the internal communications action plan. Internal Communication Strategy March Page 2

3 Internal Communication Strategy Monitoring And Review 9. The internal communications strategy and actions included in the action plan will be monitored, reviewed and updated in line with feedback from employees to ensure we have the best possible internal communication arrangements in place. The strategy states this will take place on an annual basis but in the first three and six months, this will be reviewed according to the feedback from focus groups and response from employees to the new standards and arrangements. Financial And Value For Money Implications 10. There are no financial implications but effective internal communication is key to a successful and improving organisation. Legal Implications 11. The Information and Consultation regulations came into force in April 2005 affecting all UK organisations with 150 or more employees. The regulations give employees the right to be informed and consulted on matters that affect their employment, for example, decisions that will lead to substantial changes to the workplace. The processes that are in place within South Tyneside Council would meet the requirements. A clear and well-monitored internal communication strategy will contribute to confidence in our systems in meeting legal requirements. Risk Implications 12. Effective internal communication helps to minimise risk in relation to the actions of all employees in meeting a wide range of legal, financial, customer and reputation requirements. Equality And Diversity Implications 13. The internal communications strategy includes actions, including the communication charter, which are designed to ensure that employees are aware of their rights to information being provided in alternative formats where requested. Consultation has taken place with the council's employee equality groups to ensure that we include as many views as possible and address any communication issues. Environmental And Sustainability Implications 14.The strategy encourages more electronic distribution of information cascaded through face to face briefings which reduces the amount of wasteful print. Internal Communication Strategy March Page 3

4 Internal Communication Strategy Recommendations 15. That the strategy be approved. Reasons for Recommendations 16. Excellent councils have good internal communications in place. There are a wide range of benefits, including supporting the Council in delivering its priorities; and empowering and motivating our employees. The 2007 employee survey and consultation throughout the development of this strategy shows widespread support for more effective and consistent twoway communication throughout the council. Internal Communication Strategy March Page 4

5 background papers background papers background papers Internal Communications Strategy The following is a list of the background papers (excluding exempt papers) relied upon in the preparation of the above report: Background Paper File Ref: File Location External Communications strategy Internal Communication Management Development Project Findings from February 7, 2006 workshop Internal Communications strategy report to Executive Team, October 2, 2006 Internal Communications strategy report to Executive Team, May 14, 2007 Recommendation Contact Officer: Lynda Fothergill, Head of Communications ( ) background papers background papers background papers

6 INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY

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8 Contents Page Foreword 4 1. Introduction 5 2. The South Tyneside picture 7 3. Policy Context Our Vision, Outcomes, Objectives and Priorities Statement of consultation and community involvement 28 GLOSSARY 29 3

9 Foreword Foreword South Tyneside Council has an ambitious vision of a better future for South Tyneside s people. The Council s employees are our most valuable resource and asset. Without their full involvement and engagement, we will not cope with the demand for change, deliver high quality services or continue to provide quality public services. Most of our service delivery is provided through people, directly and indirectly. The success of the Council, our customers satisfaction, efficiency, performance indicators and inspection results all depend heavily on our employees skills, ability, knowledge and motivation. This strategy explains the standards and methods we plan to set to support effective two-way communication throughout the Council. The internal communications strategy complements the external communications strategy, which is currently being updated as part of the community involvement strategy. This will support effective delivery of both internal and external communication. We will review our standards and arrangements regularly to ensure they deliver the best possible communication as judged by feedback from employees and identified best practice. Informing, involving and listening to employees is crucial because it helps: support our employees build a committed and high performing workforce, focused on achieving the council s priorities. Cllr John Wood Lead Member for Resources 4

10 Introduction Everything we do 1. Everything we do is focused around delivering our ambitious vision for South Tyneside: Our young people will have new hope because they will have a bright future. People of all ages will have high aspirations, great confidence and the skills and opportunities they need to succeed. People will be healthy, able to find work and will enjoy living here. Our reputation for excellence in service to communities will be widely recognised and South Tyneside will be playing a full role in contributing to a thriving and prosperous region. Our Priority Themes We will deliver the vision through our 7 priority themes: Children and Young people - helping every child and young person achieve their potential Safer and Stronger Communities - making communities safer and stronger Independent and Healthy Lives - helping people to live independent and healthy lives Jobs and Enterprise - helping people into jobs and encouraging enterprise Housing, Environment and Transport - building a sustainable environment with great housing and transport links Culture and Wellbeing - promoting a sense of place, cultural opportunities and wellbeing (crosscutting) Resources making the best use of our resources and delivering value for money 5

11 Introduction What is the Internal Communications Strategy? 2. We are committed to providing the best possible services for everyone in South Tyneside. This strategy outlines our approach to supporting our employees and ensuring they are aware of our vision, priorities and culture. It describes how we work together to build a committed and high performing workforce focused on achieving the council s priorities. relation to communication both internally and with the community. 3. This document sets out our overall vision for internal communications together with the outcomes, objectives and priorities that will help us turn our vision into reality. Why do we need an Internal Communications Strategy? 4. The strategy sets out how effective internal communications also supports effective external communications and customer relations by reinforcing our brand and culture, or style of working. Promoting our achievements also helps improve our reputation, retain employees and attract high calibre new employees by supporting our cultural revolution, valuing people and employer of choice agendas. 5. The strategy aims to create an environment where all employees understand their rights and responsibilities in 6

12 The South Tyneside Picture Understanding our current position 6. In order to understand the challenges we face it is important to understand the characteristics of the Borough and its communities. What is South Tyneside like? 7. South Tyneside is part of the Tyne and Wear city region, with a stunning coast on one side and a strong connection to the River Tyne on another. Created in 1974 under local government reorganisation, it is small, covering just 64 square kilometres with unique towns and villages of South Shields, Jarrow, Hebburn, Whitburn, Boldon and Cleadon. 8. South Tyneside s place in world history is visible through the presence of one World Heritage Site, Arbeia, and another to be the UK s nomination in 2010 Wearmouth-Jarrow, an 8th century European centre of learning and culture. 9. The more recent and proud history of the borough is characterised by heavy industries such as shipbuilding, coal mining and engineering, which are deeply engrained in our communities. Our economy suffered industrial decline in the 1970s and 1980s with severe social and economic consequences and this means that deprivation is widespread in South Tyneside. 10. Over recent years our population has been falling, and at a faster rate among children and young people. We know that if we do not act now, the long-term future for our communities does not look good. The falling numbers of children and young people and rising numbers of older people in South Tyneside have a significant impact on our communities and the services we will be able to provide in the future. South Tyneside population facts The majority of South Tyneside s population is white British 2.7% of South Tyneside s total population and 3.9% of under-18s are from black or ethnic minority communities, mainly Indian and Bangladeshi Our total population has fallen from 156,847 in 1993 to 151,300 today and indications are that it may fall as low as c.145,000 by 2020/ out of 10 residents live in neighbourhoods ranked in the 25% most deprived in England. 7

13 The South Tyneside Picture South Tyneside Employee Facts Council Headcount = 7160 Council FTE = Total Males = 1867 FTE = Total Females = 5293 FTE = Full Time Males = 1641 FTE 1641 Part Time Males = 226 FTE Full Time Females = 2588 FTE 2588 Part Time Females = 2705 FTE Employees from black and minority ethnic groups = 45 Employees with a declared disability = 124 FTE = Full time equivalent What progress have we made so far? 11. South Tyneside has come a long way in a short space of time. In 2004 we became the only council in the history of the Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) to move directly from fair to excellent. 12. In the 2006 CPA we were awarded the best possible rating by the Audit Commission - judged as an excellent, four-star council, improving strongly. We are one of only 10 Authorities nationally to have achieved the maximum score with top marks in both the direction of travel and overall performance. 13. In 2007 we achieved the best possible CPA star rating by the Audit Commission, being judged as an excellent, four-star council that is improving well. This shows the continued improvement we have made since the last assessment in 2006; it shows us to be a Council that has built on the strong foundations that we have made since 2002 when we were judged to be a 'fair' Council. We are extremely proud of our assessment, which is testament to our commitment and drive to make South Tyneside a better place for people to live, work and visit. 8

14 The South Tyneside Picture 14. We recognise that there is still much to achieve and we will continue to drive towards our high ambitions by focusing on improvements and efficiencies in our services. 15. South Tyneside Council s internal communication has received excellent external recognition including: Identified in 2006 as one of 12 national best practice local authorities for communication and consultation in the Local Authorities Improvement and Development Agency (I&DeA) Connecting with Communities case study. Internal communications was included within the case study. Investors in People assessment in 2005 congratulated the council on the emphasis placed on recognising the contribution employees make and listening to employees. The key points for internal communications were around consistency of internal communication throughout the council and further work to support an increased understanding of how individuals fit within the big picture. Listening campaign used by IpsosMORI at national training and other events including an LGC Internal communications event, in November 2006 and at a presentation to Government. The campaign was included as an example of best practice, particularly because it includes our employees and promotes the role of employees demonstrating and promoting our achievements, culture and values. Internal communications to support the big thank you awards won a North East Region Chartered Institute of Public Relations gold award in January

15 Policy Context The national picture 16. This strategy is informed by national initiaitves and identified best pratice. In July 2007 we were assessed against the Investors in People (IIP) framework and the key areas of focus for this strategy are: Consistency of internal communication throughout the council Developing an increased understanding of how individuals fit in with the big picture 22. The Information and Consultation Regulations came into force in April 2005 affecting all UK organisations with 150 or more employees. The regulations give employees the right to be informed and consulted on matters that affect their employment, for example, decisions that will lead to substantial changes in the workplace. The processes that are in place within South Tyneside Council meet these requirements. 23. A clear and well-monitored internal communications strategy will contribute to confidence in our systems in meeting legal and policy requirements. 24. A Local Government Improvement and Development Agency (I&DeA) research study into CPA and employee attitudes found that staff in the most successful councils share a common set of characteristics. They have a say in management decisions, use their initiative and creativity, and contribute to planning their own work. They are kept well informed of organisational developments and change, and are enthusiastic advocates of their authority. 25. In this survey, the most marked difference in relation to ratings of line managers across the CPA categories related to line managers willingness to listen to employees ideas. 26. Communications are also key, with Excellent authorities much better at keeping their employees informed than others. The regional picture 27. Effective internal communications will support effective partnership communication and promotion by helping our employees understand and support regional and local partnership working. 10

16 Policy Context The local picture 28. The internal communications strategy is central to achieving our vision of a better future for South Tyneside s People. Our plans for delivering this ambitious vision are set out in "Spirit of South Tyneside", our Sustainable Community Regeneration Strategy and Local Area Agreement. 29. Spirit of South Tyneside sets out how South Tyneside's Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) will deliver the community's vision, how we will tackle community leadership and the regeneration of our most deprived neighbourhoods. 30. Wellbeing and quality of life are considered to be an important part of life in South Tyneside and so we have placed wellbeing at the heart of our approach. Whilst we know that the things we are doing to deliver all of our priorities will impact on increasing wellbeing, we have a shared ambition to do the extra things that directly make a difference and enhance people s lives. 31. Our approach to internal communications will ensure the maximum contribution to the outcomes and objectives agreed with our partners in Spirit of South Tyneside. 32. Our Community Involvement Strategy is our overarching plan that sets out how we communicate, consult with and empower our communities to get involved in the decisions that affect their lives. It has been developed by South Tyneside Council along with Northumbria Police, South Tyneside District of the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service and the NHS in South Tyneside. The strategy sets out our plans to align and co-ordinate Partners' involvement in activities across the Borough and to ensure we have a cohesive approach to community involvement. 33. Our Cultural Revolution is at the heart of our Workforce Development Plan. The plan sets out how we will ensure we have well skilled, well-motivated, high performing employees delivering excellent Council services, who are proud to work for South Tyneside. It recognises that to do this we need to continuously modernise people practices to ensure employees are engaged and to encourage innovation and flexibility in service delivery. 34. The internal communications strategy will set the overall direction of underpinning operational plans that will deliver improvements on the ground. The diagram below illustrates the links that exist between this strategy and other key documents. 11

17 Policy Context How does the Internal Communications Strategy link to other plans and strategies? National Policy and Government Legislation Spirit of South Tyneside Local Area Agreement Partner Plans and Strategies Performing Together and Theme Plans Internal Communications Strategy Key Local Plans and Strategies including Community Involvement Strategy Workforce Development Plan 12

18 Policy Context The Policy and Performance Framework 33. Our Policy Framework is designed to ensure we have a joined-up approach to policy development across the Council. This ensures that our policies, plans and strategies are absolutely focused on developing and delivering our priorities at the right time and in the right way to improve the lives of the people of South Tyneside. 34. For the Council and the LSP performance management is part of our day job. We need to actively manage our performance to deliver our vision, policy and strategies planning, monitoring and evaluating, communicating and improving. Our Performance Management Framework is set around key plans and targets that allow us to manage performance so we achieve what we set out to do. These plans and targets are supported by tools that help us evaluate performance and drive continuous service improvement across the Council. 35. We have a rigorous performance monitoring framework that helps us keep our performance on track and take action where we are not doing as well as we could. Through all of this we make sure that we engage and communicate with employees, members, partners and the public to let them know what s happening and to take their views on board. Evaluation and Review 36. The internal communications strategy will be evaluated and reviewed on an annual basis to monitor progress in delivering our outcomes, objectives and priorities. Value for Money 37. We feel that the aim of the local government Value for Money agenda is straightforward we must use our resources in the best possible way to deliver better public services in line with the priorities of local people. 38. In South Tyneside, we work hard to ensure that we achieve high value for money. We always challenge ourselves to make sure our costs compare well with others; identifying and challenging areas of high spend. Our overall aim is to ensure that the money we spend results in high quality services that meet and satisfy local needs. 39. In developing this strategy, Value for Money issues have been considered and embedded in our actions. 13

19 Reaching our Community Equality, diversity and inclusion 40. Equality matters to us. We want our Borough to be a place where everyone feels accepted as part of our community and where everyone who lives, works or visits South Tyneside can realise their full potential and be the best that they can be. 41. Our equality and diversity principles are embedded in everything we do. In developing the internal communications strategy we carried out an Equality Check to ensure that our services are accessible for all our employees. Although no high or medium risks were identified, issues that were highlighted in the assessment are integrated throughout this document and specific actions are detailed in this strategy as well as in Performing Together and supporting Theme and Service plans and will be monitored as part of our robust approach to performance management. Fair for all. personal to each 14

20 Reaching our Community Consultation and Community/Stakeholder Involvement 42. Throughout the process of developing the internal communications strategy, a key aim was to ensure that the document was shaped, agreed and delivered by all key stakeholders. That is why employees have been involved from the outset. Details of how we involved our stakeholders are outlined on page 28 of this document. 15

21 Our Vision, Outcomes, Objectives and Priorities Our vision for the Internal Communications Strategy 43. Our ambitious vision for internal communications in South Tyneside is: We are the leading council in internal communications. We are an exemplar of good practice and are viewed as an organisation that keeps its employees well informed, seeks their views by listening and encouraging feedback and has continuous dialogue with them. Outcomes, Objectives and Priorities 44. This strategy sets out how effective internal communications will support delivery of the agreed outcomes for all of the communities of South Tyneside through the individual objectives we have agreed with partners in Spirit of South Tyneside. The diagram on the following page shows how we will adopt the approach outlined in our listening campaign We asked you said we did with our employees to do this. 45. We have looked at our current performance, national priorities and talked to our employees to identify the things that will make the biggest impact on our vision for this strategy. 46. We recognise that internal communications will have an impact on all of the objectives in Spirit of South Tyneside, but as part of our absolute focus on priorities the following objectives have particular relevance to this strategy: Ensuring a safe and supportive working environment and a healthy workforce to maximise attendance at work and increase employee wellbeing Enhancing individual performance through motivation, recognition and reward Promoting equality and valuing diversity as essential for a productive and effective workforce 16

22 Our Vision, Outcomes, Objectives and Priorities Attracting, selecting and retaining the best employees through best practice, modern employment policies and an environment of effective employee relations Embedding a culture of excellence Measuring and managing performance and risk effectively Ensuring robust corporate governance arrangements for our business and partnerships Maintaining effective communications and promoting access to public information Developing a clear partnership delivery plan to deliver the vision for the community Developing policies, plans and strategies based on robust intelligence to deliver our shared priorities Ensuring South Tyneside plays a full role within the region and maintains a high profile nationally 17

23 Theme/Outcome 1 INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY VISION South Tyneside is a leading council in internal communications. We are an exemplar of good practice and are viewed as an organisation that keeps its employees well informed, seeks their views by listening and encouraging feedback and has continuous dialogue with them. We asked We want South Tyneside to be a great place to work, where our employees can enjoy a supportive working environment and know that they are valued. To do this we need to know what our employees think. You said Listening is at the heart of everything we do. Feedback from our colleagues is really important in helping us to create a supportive working environment within a culture of excellence, and we take their views very seriously. We did One of our core values is valuing people and we are absolutely committed to acting on the feedback we receive. We also need to ensure that communication goes both ways and that we act to keep our employees informed. S P I R I T O F S O U T H T Y N E S I D E O B J E C T I V E S 18

24 Delivering the vision Why are internal communications important? 47. Our employees are our most valuable resource and asset. Without their full involvement and engagement, we will not cope with the demand for change, deliver high quality services or continue to provide quality public services. 48. Most of our service delivery is provided through people, directly and indirectly. The success of the Council, our customers satisfaction, efficiency, performance indicators and inspection results all depend heavily on our employees skills, ability, knowledge and motivation. 50. Internal communication is a key responsibility for all managers. It ensures employees know what needs to be done, understand why it s necessary, feel committed to achieving it and have a chance to use their knowledge and skills to do it better if possible. 51. The internal communications strategy, structure and support are in place to ensure employees are well informed; and effective systems, support, culture and values are in place to ensure that managers seek the views of employees by listening and encouraging feedback. 49. Informing, involving, listening and responding to employees is crucial to us because it helps support our employees and build a committed and high performing workforce, focused on achieving the council s priorities. In particular it helps: Retain employees and attract high calibre new employees by supporting our cultural revolution, valuing people and employer of choice priorities. Boost staff morale and motivation. Reduce absenteeism Improve our reputation 19

25 Delivering the vision Where are we now? 52. We recognise the importance of internal communication in engaging our employees in our One Team approach to delivering high quality services. As well as receiving excellent external recognition for our approach our employees have helped us identify where this has worked well and where we need to improve. Our experience to date provides a solid foundation for further developing communications within the organisation. 53. Our Investors in People assessment in 2005 congratulated the council on the emphasis placed on recognising the contribution employees make and listening to employees. The key points for internal communications were around consistency of internal communication throughout the council and further work to support an increased understanding of how individuals fit within the big picture. 54. Our employee survey in 2006 found that compared with the previous survey in 2004, more employees understood the council s vision and values and the contribution they are expected to make. There was, however, a 4% decrease in the number of employees who felt informed. Employees preferred and main sources of information included line managers, team briefings and senior managers. , intranet and website; and information with pay slips were also rated highly as used and preferred methods of communication. Employee Survey headlines More of us understand the council's vision and values and the contribution we make Overall job satisfaction has stayed the same at 60% Relationships are improving between employees and line managers More of us feel motivated to come to work Areas of concern identified included: job security and career development, communication, visibility of senior management, workload and stress and management of change 20

26 Delivering the vision 55. We support effective internal communication with a wide range of actions, including: The listening campaign, We asked you said we did, profiling employees and demonstrating how the council listens to the public to improve services. A DVD that brought the campaign to life was shown at the beginning of Performing Together in April 2007 and was used for subsequent employee events. communication work. The group support Teamtalk content planning. Communications where consistency and comprehensive coverage are required using payslips for all staff (for example, Equal pay newsletter). Improved methods of communicating with employees, including Teamtalk, the bi-monthly employee magazine; and intranet with information and articles that demonstrate and explain to employees how they fit into the wider organisation, articulate the council s values and support the share, learn and improve cycle. Faceto-face meetings and briefings also take place to support internal communications. Dedicating a communications officer post to internal communications. Supporting a communications champions network to support effective communication and links between the corporate communications team and other internal 21

27 Delivering the vision Using the intranet and all employee s to support immediate internal communication, including briefings for managers so that they have up to date, accurate and consistent information on employment issues which employees want to hear about first from their manager. Communicating significant achievements such as CPA assessment success, information and campaign messages through posters and Teamtalk. Promoting our 'Stuck not sick' policy and Cultural Revolution through posters and Teamtalk articles. Raising awareness and expertise, through a new communication induction module. The Head of Communications explains the role of the Communications team and the support offered. There is a practical tour of the intranet and internet to help employees find information; and an X factor game. This was included within the Connecting with Communities case study as an example of national best practice. The main elements of a good news story are explained and participants are asked to work in teams to come up with suggestions that are presented to the group. This session has had excellent feedback and other benefits include: raised awareness of how easy it is to come up with good stories, improved staff morale by providing a platform to share success; and media and Teamtalk coverage for stories subsequently promoted by the Communications team. Reviewing distribution arrangements with directorates to ensure all employees have access to Teamtalk and other internal communications. 22

28 Delivering the vision Where do we want to be? 56. Building on the excellent practice we have demonstrated in a number of areas we have started our Cultural Revolution. The aim is to ensure that all employees are aware and feel a part of our vision, values and way of working. 57. Internal communications support includes having a strategy, systems, staffing and support in place to enable: The 2007 results show a positive improvement in satisfaction with immediate line manager communications and communications within individual directorates, however satisfaction with cross directorate and council wide communications are low. We are determined to respond to employee views and improve internal communications by introducing and promoting clear communication standards to ensure that effective two - way communication is consistent throughout the council. The distribution of information throughout the whole authority to keep employees informed and involved. Promotion of our culture and values, including listening and responding. We asked: Our latest employee staff survey took place between 24 th September and 2 nd November 2007 with 2,015 completed online and paper questionnaires returned. You said: The table below shows the results of the communications related questions and the satisfaction targets we are committed to achieve by the time the next survey is completed in autumn

29 Delivering the vision Communication-related results and targets from the 2007 employee survey South Tyneside Council Employees (% Satisfied) 24 I agree: Target My immediate line manager: is open and honest consults me on where I can contribute keeps me in touch with what s going on makes clear what is expected of me listens to my ideas gives me credit for a good job gives me regular feedback discusses how I can apply recent training Communications in South Tyneside Council are: good within my service area good between different service areas in my directorate good between different directorates good within the Council as a whole No No data data becoming more open keeping us informed When managing change in the council, staff are: consulted on decisions which affect them explained the reasons for change

30 Delivering the vision How will we get there? 58. We want to further strengthen communications with our employees. The internal communications strategy and action plan provides an opportunity to respond to employees views by delivering more co-ordinated and consistent two-way communication throughout the council. 59. We will do this by ensuring that they understand our ambitions, together with the decisions and changes that we make. We will communicate our vision and values through case studies and by actions demonstrating the culture and values. As well as keeping employees informed, we want them to know that they are listened to, and to have confidence that we will act on what they say. 60. The proposed communication standards contained within this strategy; combined with Performing Together and service plan actions and monitoring, will support improved communications throughout the council. An action plan containing these actions will be developed following agreement of the Internal Communications Strategy by Cabinet. 61. We have developed a communication charter to set out how information will flow around the organisation. Communication charter Employees 62. You should receive information in a timely and accessible way through: Team news weekly, distributed through all staff s and available on the intranet. Cascaded through managers to employees who do not have electronic access. Teamtalk, the employee magazine every two months. Also available on the intranet. Face to face briefings as soon as practically possible normally within 24 hours but the timing may be subject to employee availability on any significant employee issue which will impact on you or your team. In plain English or any alternative format requested through your manager. 25

31 Delivering the vision 63. For employees with access to the intranet and You will be expected to access relevant policies and procedures and apply them to your work. 64. Your views will be listened and responded to. We encourage feedback on how South Tyneside Council can improve as an employer, how we can improve services and deliver better value for money. 65. Where they can support improvement, your views will be acted on or fed up through your manager. Managers 66. We will provide information to all employees; and managers should put arrangements in place to ensure employees have access to Team news and Teamtalk. 67. Managers will receive information and guidance where necessary to enable them to provide face to face briefings as soon as practically possible normally within 24 hours but the timing may be subject to employee availability on any significant employee issue which will impact on your team or individual members of your team. 68. Managers should communicate in plain English and provide alternative formats for employees who request them. 69. Alternative format copies of Teamtalk and newsletters can be provided on request through the communications team. Plain English training is also available for employees and managers. 70. You will be expected to: Access relevant policies and procedures and apply them to your work. Listen and respond to employees. 71. The views of employees are important. They help deliver better services, improve the organisation, and deliver value for money. 72. Team meetings and one to ones provide ideal opportunities for obtaining feedback and as a manager, you are expected to consider positive suggestions where they can support improvement and respond by implementing them where appropriate or feed them up through the organisation for consideration. 26

32 Delivering the vision 73. Targets will be set to measure outcomes and progress towards delivering these standards. They will form part of wider targets for our values and Cultural Revolution project and will be baselined through the 2003 and 2007 employee surveys. 27

33 Statement of Consultation and Community Involvement Shaping the Internal Communications Strategy through consultation 74. Throughout the process of developing the internal communications strategy, a key aim was to ensure that the document was shaped, agreed and delivered by all key stakeholders. That is why employees have been involved from the outset. 75. The 2005/6 Improving support to members project included communication with members. Key outputs from that work have also proved to be a useful source of information for employees and included the production of the A-Z guide to services and council tax, regularly updated who s who of Executive Directors and Heads of Service with contact information published on the intranet and improvements to the fortnightly councillors newsletter, Council Brief. Directorate communication champions, members of the Internal Communications Management Development Project, Communications and Organisational Development and People representatives. There has been follow up consultation with Executive Team, the Head of Organisational Development and People and the Policy Officer with responsibility for Equality and Diversity. 78. An equality check has been carried out and there have been no high or medium risks identified. 79. During 2007 consultation took place with the employee groups and in March 2008 with the trades union consultative committee. 76. The 2005 Internal Communications Management Development Project recommended introducing formal internal communications procedures to prevent information overload with clear-cut communication guidelines. 77. In February 2006, The Head of Communications consulted with Heads of Service Team, held a workshop with 28

34 Glossary Action Plan how we intend to achieve our outcomes, objectives and priorities Baseline the starting position we will measure progress from BME Black and Minority Ethnic CAF Community Area Forum CPA Comprehensive Performance Assessment a nationally prescribed set of standards against which all local authorities are assessed CREST Compact for Race Equality In South Tyneside Diversity a wide range of types Evaluation assessing the success of something Inclusion measures off what things are like Inequalities the difference between people who have something and those who don t LAA Local Area Agreement - a three-year agreement between the Council, its partners and the Government. It sets out the most important priorities for improvement in South Tyneside with clear performance measures and targets. These are the things we must achieve by LSP Local Strategic Partnership key representatives of the public, private, voluntary and community sectors who work together to deliver the Community and Neighbourhood Renewal strategies Neighbourhood Renewal improving deprived areas and neighbourhoods Objectives what we are trying to achieve as part of an overall outcome Outcome a high level ambition that is the result of achieving a series of objectives Outcomes framework the overarching structure of outcomes and objectives that underpins service delivery Private sector businesses 29

35 Glossary Public sector organisations funded with public money such as Local Councils or the National Health Service Sustainable Community Strategy the plans Local Authorities are required to prepare with the LSP for improving the economic, environmental and social wellbeing of local areas and by which the council is expected to co-ordinate the actions of public, private and voluntary organisations that operate locally. South Tyneside s community strategy sets out the outcomes and objectives for achieving the Local Strategic Partnership s vision for South Tyneside. Vision a picture of how we want the future to be 30