Human Resources and Training update

Transcription

1 4 November 2014 Performance and Resources Board 11 To consider Human Resources and Training update Issue 1 This report provides an update on policy developments relating to Human Resources and Training. It also provides an update on the training needs analysis process for 2015, and the development of the People Strategy. Recommendations 2 The Performance and Resources Board is asked to: a Agree that the Assistant Director of Human Resources is to have the authority to agree requests from deferred members of the GMC Staff Superannuation Scheme, and staff leaving the GMC, to take their pension benefits from age 55, subject to the Pension Trustees early retirement factors being applied. b Note that a separate policy and guidance for existing staff taking pension benefits from age 55 and remaining a GMC employee would be developed for the Board to consider at a future meeting. c Agree the proposed Access to Training Policy. d Note the feedback from the training needs analysis process for e Note the feedback from the People Strategy employee engagement sessions and the proposed next steps.

2 Human Resources and Training update Issue Early Retirement 3 Members of the GMC Staff Superannuation Scheme, our Defined Benefit (DB) Pension Scheme, have a normal retirement date (NRD). This is the date at which their pension benefits would be paid on an unreduced basis. The earliest that benefits can be taken is 55 which is the legal position, not a Scheme requirement. 4 Where benefits are taken before NRD they are reduced in line with the early retirement factors set by Trustees. This means that there is, in theory, no additional cost to the Scheme (and therefore the employer). The current position is that the Employer needs to agree to any request to take benefits early. 5 We anticipate that there may be an increasing number of requests to take benefits early as the Scheme s age profile changes. As there are no additional costs, and to streamline the process, it is proposed that the Assistant Director of Human Resources is given the authority to agree any requests for deferred members and staff who are retiring, on behalf of the Employer. 6 The situation for employees who might wish to take their benefits and continue in a GMC role is more complex. In these circumstances an employee who took their benefits and left the DB Scheme would still be subject to auto-enrolment requirements and effectively move to the Defined Contribution (DC) Scheme. In these circumstances we may wish to ensure the employee has taken appropriate financial advice. We will develop a separate policy to cover these circumstances that will be brought back to the Board for its approval at a future meeting. Access to Training Policy 7 Employees have a statutory right to request time off for training. As an employer we need to have a clear policy that sets out how we meet this requirement. 8 Alongside this we have developed our training programmes and supporting guidance. These changes include a clearer approach to: a What we support centrally (such as mandatory training, management development). b Directorate based training (tailored programmes based on a training needs analysis, job specific training). c Individual training (including initiatives such as study support and career development loans). 2

3 9 The access to training policy provides a clear framework for managing and considering individual training requests in a planned and consistent way. 10 We have developed a range of guidance for managers and staff to support the Access to Training Policy, at Annex A. Training Needs Analysis 11 To support our planning for 2015 we have undertaken a training needs analysis process with each Directorate. We have also produced an initial assessment of our main corporate priorities for These are summarised at Annex B. 12 The next stage of the process will be to prioritise the needs identified by individual directorates and agree programmes for each area with an appropriate budget and timetable. 13 We already have significant commitments scheduled for 2015 including the Head of Section Development Programme, support for the 360 feedback process and expanding both our e-leaning capacity and content. People Strategy 14 We are committed to producing a People Strategy that supports our Corporate Strategy. As part of this process we have run focus groups, met with Assistant Directors and consulted the Staff Forum. In addition, we will build on the outputs of the working groups that resulted from the last staff survey. 15 The main areas we expect to cover in the People Strategy are set out at Annex C. For some themes we have a clear view of our priorities. We have an Equality and Diversity Strategy with an employer dimension and a staff survey work-stream has developed a detailed proposal on wellbeing. In other areas, we need to develop a long term view of our priorities and how our Human Resources systems support our strategic aims. These might include consideration of our pay systems, both in terms of our market position and the role of any performance related element. A further area for consideration is our longer term plans on flexible working and the role of scheduled homeworking. 16 The People Strategy will be reported to Council at its meeting on 24 February 2015 for its consideration. Ahead of this, we plan to produce a draft document that includes any initial feedback from the Board for further consultation with Directors and Assistant Directors. We would then provide a further report to the Board at its meeting on 20 January 2015 seeking approval prior to it being reported to Council. 3

4 Preferred Supplier Agreements 17 We currently source temporary staff through a preferred supplier agreement, which is due for renewal in We are currently reviewing these arrangements. As part of this process we are considering sourcing temporary staff via the Government s Contingency 1 Framework, in line with our planned arrangements for contractors. We will update the Board at its meeting on 20 January

5 Supporting information How this issue relates to the corporate strategy and business plan 18 The Strategic aim 5: to work better together to improve our overall effectiveness, our responsiveness and the delivery of our regulatory functions. What equality and diversity considerations relate to this issue 19 Any new initiatives or commitments will need to be subject to an equality assessment ahead of implementation and the next report to the Board will include an assessment of the equality implications of the proposed People Strategy. If you have any questions about this paper please contact: Andrew Bratt, Assistant Director for Human Resources,

6 11 Human Resources and Training update Annex A Access to Training policy What is the Access to Training policy? The GMC is committed to sustaining a highly skilled workforce by enabling you to develop skills and knowledge that help you to deliver your objectives and support your on-going career development. Funding for development activities is held centrally so it is important we have a fair and consistent approach if you wish to access development activities. This policy provides guidance on the levels of support and types of activities that are available to you as well as the process for making and approving requests. Who is covered by this policy? This policy applies to all fixed term and permanent staff members who want to apply for either funding and / or time to undertake development activities. We will consider and review all requests with your Assistant Director and /or Head of Section. You can request time and / or funding for training, if: You have worked for the GMC continuously for 26 weeks on the date you make your request You have passed your probation You are up to date with all mandatory training As a manager you can also make requests for your team which help you to meet your Directorate s or the GMC priorities.

7 What are the different ways I can learn and develop? There are various ways in which you might learn, for example by listening, reading, observing, shadowing, mentoring, knowledge sharing, asking for feedback or attending training. Where possible, your development activities will draw on the knowledge and skills of GMC staff. For example working on a project or task with a colleague where you gain new skills or knowledge, or discussing how to deal with a particular problem. This has the advantage of allowing advice, guidance and on-the-job training to be given in a way that is directly relevant to you and your work. Various people may be involved in supporting your development; in particular your line manager, colleagues, networking contacts, mentors etc. Development by these means may take many forms, including, for example, one-to-one discussions, briefings, project work, hands-on demonstrations, peer / line manager coaching and feedback. Some development needs can only be met by attending a seminar or a training course or undertaking a qualification and this procedure sets out how. What is my role in the process? Staff Member The process of performance and career development is most effective when you take responsibility for your own learning. This includes taking an active role in planning your own personal development, undertaking agreed development activities, and evaluating the effectiveness of these. Maintaining a development plan (create or update your development plan on the L&D portal) will help you to understand what you have learned and how you can apply the outcomes of the training and development activity in your work. Line managers As a line manager, you are responsible for implementing the GMC s policy on Access to training. Your role is to ensure that your team s development needs are identified, taking into account those of both individuals and groups, and that these are appropriately addressed. You have an important part to play in encouraging your team s involvement in development activities, both as participants or organisers, and in providing guidance and feedback about the skills and knowledge they require for their current role. Directors / Assistant Directors (ADs) / Heads of Section (HOS) You are responsible for reviewing and prioritising overall development activities in line with the budget available. The Learning and Development (L&D) team will provide you with support to do this. You have an important role to play in ensuring all development A2

8 activities are aligned with the operational priorities for your directorate and that these are planned and accounted for in the L&D centralised budget as part of the business planning process. L&D team The L&D team support Directors / Assistant Directors/ Head of Section in reviewing all of their team s development needs in line with corporate and operational priorities. They will make recommendations on best practice development solutions to meet the need with the resources and funds held centrally. If similar needs are identified in other teams across the GMC where possible, they will be grouped together to deliver group workshops/courses. They will work with Director s/ad s/hos to ensure L&D development plans are formulated and submitted for review as part of the business planning process. L&D also maintain a preferred supplier list of training providers to support managers in meeting their team s development needs and to ensure we can deliver value for money. How are development needs identified? Development needs may be identified at several levels: those that apply to the organisation as a whole, those at a group or team level and those which apply to a particular individual. We have a process in place to identify performance and career development needs at each of these levels (as described below), and together these are summarised in the directorate development plans. Individual As a staff member, we will normally identify your individual needs as part of the annual performance review process. When your objectives are agreed, your line manager will discuss with you any development you may need to enable you to achieve your objectives and your longer-term career aspirations. You should create a development plan on the L&D portal documenting any specific actions discussed and agreed with your line manager. This plan will be formally reviewed at least twice a year by you and your line manager during your mid and end of year reviews. Your line manager will need to consider the needs of the whole team, operational requirements and directorate priorities before suggesting any activity. Team Your team s development needs will be identified by managers and HOS as part of the performance review process. They will feed any development needs that they identify to your HOS or AD so they can be discussed with L&D at the TNA (training needs analysis) meetings with your Assistant Director. A3

9 Organisational Organisational development needs may arise as the result of new projects, changes in legislation, the introduction of new policies or procedures and will be considered by Directors / Assistant Directors as part of the business and resource planning process each year. ADs / HOS should inform L&D of any individual, team or organisational needs by at the earliest opportunity to allow for resources to be made available and the appropriate planning take place. You will need to keep L&D informed in the TNA meetings to ensure they are still relevant and priorities have not changed. All development needs will need to feed into the Directorate s L&D development plan as agreed with the AD. These plans will be submitted for review as part of the business planning process and the setting of the L&D centralised budget. There will be limited scope to support additional needs submitted after the business planning process and when the budgets have been allocated. Individual, team and organisational development needs will be reviewed, prioritised and agreed quarterly at the TNA meetings in line with the agreed budget by the relevant AD and the L&D team. This ensures that we are considering, re-prioritising and meeting these collectively from each area of the GMC. You will need to submit any Access to training requests by as soon as they arise to the L&D team as set out in this policy. What type of development activity will be funded? Individual Requests You can apply for funding and/or time off for development if you think it will improve your performance in your role or support your career development. We will consider requests for all types of development activities relevant to the GMC. These can include accredited programmes - leading to the award of a recognised qualification, shorter accredited training courses, workshops or seminars that develop specific skills relevant to your role or the GMC. You have two development routes to choose from: a My role and current objectives b My career development loan a) My role and current objectives: The development activities available in this route must be essential to helping you to deliver your objectives and the GMC s priorities in your current role. You must be able to demonstrate how the development activity will help you to address any short term/ long A4

10 term knowledge/ skills gaps essential to the delivery of your objectives and your team s priorities. You will need to provide a copy of your Personal Development Plan (PDP) along with your completed application form. Please refer to the FAQ s for guidance and examples. b) My career development loan: These are non-essential or personal career development requests and/or activities that support your career path or a desired change of career at the GMC. Please refer to the FAQ s for guidance and examples. Team and Organisational requests As a line manager there may be times when you wish to apply for funding for a group of staff to participate in essential development activities that have been identified through the performance review process and will enable you to meet your section s objectives. You will need to discuss and review this need with your HOS / AD before approaching the L&D team with your request. Following receipt of your request by , the L&D team will then hold a meeting with the relevant AD to discuss and review the request. What level of support can I expect if my request is agreed? If your request is agreed, you can expect to receive one or more of the following levels of support from the GMC: For both My role and current objectives and My career development loan your line manager may agree reasonable time off to attend the courses / workshops / seminars and conferences or flexibility with working arrangements. This could also be granted through the Flexible working policy where you work the time back over the year, or may be granted as unpaid leave, please refer to the guidance on flexible working. Your line manager will consider if there is sufficient cover to meet operational requirements before agreeing any leave /flexible working requests. In addition to attending the course you may request up to 5 days study leave to attend exams, complete assignments or study in relation to your course. Anything over and above this will be discretionary and may either be granted through flexible working where you work the time back over the year, or may be granted as unpaid leave. For further guidance on flexible working please refer to the flexible working policy. For My role and current objectives we will consider paying full fees. All fees will require approval from the AD. The L&D team will discuss with your AD whether your request can be supported in line with the policy. A5

11 We will pay full fees for team / group activities which have been discussed and agreed with the L&D team and AD. For My career development loan we will consider contributing up to 3,500 in a given tax year. For further guidance, please refer to the Career development loan policy. You may be required to payback fees/costs paid by the GMC, this will be agreed at the point of approving your request. Staff members who attend a team / group activity will not need to pay back the fees if they leave the GMC. How do I apply for funding and/or leave? You should review existing learning and development opportunities on the L&D portal. You can also speak to the L&D team before making a request. We will consider and review all Access to training requests which will improve your performance in your role or support your career development. We may not agree to requests where existing learning and development activities meet the same learning objectives as the proposed request or where there is existing knowledge and expertise which can be shared or transferred amongst colleagues and teams. Your Assistant Director/ Head of Section will review and prioritise all requests with the L&D team. We will not normally accept retrospective applications. I am a staff member making a request You should submit an Access to training application form to the L&D team at least six weeks before your course start date to ensure you give sufficient time for your request to be reviewed and processed. We will take reasonable steps to accommodate any Access to training request and may grant full or part funding for your training / study, paid time off, flexible working agreements or unpaid time off. Once we receive your request, we will discuss it with your line manager and Assistant Director/Head of Section at the next TNA review meeting or sooner if required. We will either agree to your request or your line manager will hold a meeting with you to discuss your request in more detail. If you wish you can be accompanied by a colleague who is employed by the GMC. You need to take all the steps you can to attend the meeting. Your line manager will let you know the outcome of your request and the L&D team will confirm this in an within 28 days of making your request. Team/organisational requests You should arrange a meeting with the L&D team to discuss your request. They will review this with your section s Assistant Director and look at possible options taking into account the directorate s priorities, resources and the preferred suppliers available. A6

12 The L&D team will confirm in an the outcome of your request within 28 days. You do not need to request leave for a team or group development activity, but you will need to ensure there is sufficient cover to meet operational requirements. How often can I make an Access to training request? Whilst you can normally only make one Access to training request in a 12 month period we do recognise that there may be changes to your objectives which mean you need to make additional requests. For example, we will consider requests for Access to training which is essential to delivering your objectives and the GMC priorities. We will make every effort to support additional requests but these will be limited after the business planning process and when budgets have been allocated to fund the development activities that have already been approved. Which training providers / suppliers can I choose to deliver the development activity? We book all of our training courses / workshops / conferences through our preferred suppliers. If your request is approved, we will provide you with details of the courses offered by one or more of our preferred suppliers which will meet your development needs. If you have a provider / supplier in mind to deliver your development activity, please let the L&D team know and we will let you know if they are approved to deliver training / development activities for the GMC. Where can I find further information? If you need advice and guidance, in the first instance refer to the FAQ s or contact a member of the L&D team. Who arranges the development activity? The L&D team will usually book you onto your course and will confirm this in an , occasionally, you may be asked to make your own booking. How is my course attendance recorded? You need to provide proof of attendance and / or your results after you have completed your course / study. Please the L&D team and we will then update your L&D portal account. What are the grounds for refusing a request? We will look to respond positively to all requests for Access to training. If we are unable to agree to your request, we will write to you to let you know why and explain how you A7

13 can appeal the decision and to who your appeal should be addressed. We may not be able to agree to a request on the following grounds: There is not enough evidence to show the development activity is essential and directly linked to meeting yours or your team objectives Any additional costs related to the request are too great The work you usually undertake whilst you would be attending your development activity cannot be reorganised amongst the current team Agreeing to the request would mean you could not meet the demands of your customers We are unable to recruit additional staff to meet operational requirements The quality of the work of the team would be negatively impacted by your request The performance of the team would be negatively impacted if the request was approved Planned structural changes means the request is no longer applicable to your role Your current performance is not meeting acceptable levels and priority is given to other activities You have not completed all required mandatory training Allocated budget for this type of request has been spent or budget has been reallocated to meet other priorities Funds have either been set aside in another account / project and or a directorate budget for this development activity Any other reasons that the government sets out in future regulations How do I appeal the decision? You should submit an appeal in writing to the person set out in your letter. Once you receive your letter you have 14 days to do this. You can appeal the decision on any grounds. It may be that they can agree to your request without holding a meeting. If this happens we will write to you within 14 days to let you know. A8

14 We will hold any appeal meeting within 14 days of receiving your letter. If you wish you can be accompanied by a colleague who is employed by the GMC. You need to take all the reasonable steps you can to attend the meeting. The nominated person will not have been involved in the previous request meeting and the decision they make will be final. Following the meeting they will either; Confirm the original decision Allow the original Access to training request Propose an alternative arrangement Following the meeting we ll write to you within 14 days to confirm the outcome of your appeal. Can you extend the time limits? We can agree to extend the time limits for: the first meeting to discuss your request / application; letting you know whether or not your request / application has been approved and if not any alternatives we can offer you; you submitting your appeal; the appeal meeting; and letting you know the decision on your appeal. If we agree to extend any of these time frames then we ll write to you to confirm this and any new dates. How do I measure the impact of my development activity? After you have attended your course, or on an on-going basis if you are working towards a qualification, you and your manager should discuss how your learning objectives have been met and how your learning can shape your future behaviour/performance within the workplace. What happens if I don t complete the development activity? You will need to maintain a satisfactory level of performance for us to continue your funding. If you do not; sit an examination; achieve the required attendance record; complete the staff development activity; or show satisfactory progress, you may be withdrawn and required to return all or part of the funding you have received. A9

15 In what circumstances will I need to pay back my fees? Access to training represents a significant investment. It is important you can demonstrate a return on investment. If we agree your request, we will let you know if you will need to pay back any funding. As a guide we may recover fees in the following circumstances: a If you do not sit an examination; achieve the required attendance record; or show satisfactory progress, we may withdraw you from the activity and require you to return all or part of the funding received. b If you leave the GMC, you may be asked to pay back your course fees in line with the following scale: i Leaves during or within 6 months of completion-100% ii Leaves within 9 months of completion -75% iii Leaves within 12 months of completion-50% iv Leaves within 15 months of completion-25% We will deduct your fees automatically from your final salary. Where your final salary will not cover the funding, we will agree a repayment plan with you. The GMC reserves the right to update or amend this policy and guidance at any time. A10

16 11 Human Resources and Training update Annex B Training needs analysis overview Background 1 All funding for training is now managed centrally by Learning and Development (L&D). 2 Throughout September L&D have met with Assistant Directors across the organisation to discuss and collate the development needs for their teams. This annex provides an overview of the priorities that have been identified. Key Areas 3 From the discussions with the Assistant Directors the following corporate priorities have been identified across the organisation. These include a number of previously agreed commitments: a Management and leadership (feedback, coaching, crucial conversations, influencing style, 360 feedback) b Handling challenging contacts verbally, face to face and written correspondence c Cross directorate partnering d Project management e Proof reading and accuracy and attention to detail f Mandatory e-learning training (Data Protection Act, Information Security, Freedom of Information and Fraud) g Presentation/facilitation skills h My career development i Personal impact/ influencing

17 j Team building/ away days k Continuous professional development l Systems training m Apprenticeship development programme Recommendations 4 From this, L&D have narrowed down the themes to the following priorities and have identified the following suggestions for how these might be addressed: Management Development & Leadership Implement the 360 feedback programme Continue to deliver all Management Development Programmes (Head of Section Development programme, Assistant Director programme and Step into Management and Step into Leadership Programmes) Develop an updated Management Development Programme (For level 3, 4 & 5) aimed at supporting existing and newly promoted line managers to perform effectively in their roles. (Consist of online resources, workshops covering the following topics: coaching, feedback, crucial conversations, leadership skills, influencing style, partnering, budget management, managing stress, mediation and employment law essentials). Well-being and emotional resilience training programme Develop and deliver a training programme covering the following areas: Handling challenging contacts over the phone, face to face and in written correspondence Provide training to well-being champions and managers to support staff dealing with vulnerable or challenging situations Develop and implement e-learning modules Develop an e-learning strategy to implement e-learning across the organisation and develop the skills across directorates so they are able to create their own content internally. Develop new data protection, freedom of information, information security, fraud and emotional resilience e-learning modules. B2

18 Project management training A corporate wide programme is being developed by the corporate business planning team. Until this is in place training provision needs to be in place to enable key projects to be managed effectively. Deliver internal project management essentials workshop Deliver project management Prince 2 for critical roles project officers and project managers (Prince 2 is the preferred methodology across the GMC and stated on job descriptions) Directorate group training L&D propose delivering the following group training; Proof reading, accuracy and attention to detail Consultation skills Facilitation skills Cross directorate partnering (to enable managers to develop the skills to work across directorates) Presentation skills My career development Personal impact/ influencing skills Specialist/role specific training Continuous professional development for Legal, Finance and HR Systems training ( IS systems implementation jointly with IS) Medical ethics Apprenticeship programme Continue to deliver the programme with the Apprentice Academy for existing apprentices and recruit four new apprentices B3

19 Next Steps 5 In consultation with Assistant Directors, L&D will develop final training plans for each area and an initial training programme for 2015 will be issued in December B4

20 11 Human Resources and Training update Annex C People Strategy Engagement Feedback 1 We are committed to producing a People Strategy; this is set out in Strategic Aim 5 of our Corporate Strategy Strategic Aim 5: Develop a people strategy that sets out how we will ensure that we are able to attract, retain and develop people who can deliver our ambitious programme of work. As we expect healthcare organisation to do, we too will continue to foster a culture of openness in which our staff are able to raise concerns so we can learn from our mistakes. Issue 2 This Annex provides a summary of the progress so far on the development of the People Strategy. Staff engagement 3 We have run a number of focus group sessions for staff on the development of a People Strategy. Senior managers were invited to set out their priorities for us and we had dedicated meetings with Assistant Directors. We have also run a session with the staff forum representatives on the feedback received and we have held a dedicated session with the HR team. 4 In addition, we reviewed the recommendations from the staff survey work-streams and the feedback that was received from the Corporate Strategy engagement sessions. Key themes 5 When we met with staff at the people strategy focus groups we asked them why they decided to join the organisation and why they think people leave. We also asked what they thought we should do to retain staff. 6 Staff told us that they wanted to work for us because of the nature of the organisation, its purpose and values. They were also attracted to the variety

21 contained in the job roles. They were particularly interested in career development once they had joined us and told us that it was not just about promotion, but about providing greater opportunities to learn and develop in their current roles. The main reason that they thought people left us was because of greater career progression, better salaries and some inconsistency in the quality of management. 7 We asked staff about the key themes that they would expect to see in a people strategy and what their priorities might be. 8 There are a number of themes that have emerged and our people strategy is likely to cover five inter-related areas. These are summarised below and are expected to form some of the major phases of work we need to deliver in the next three years: a Equality and Diversity: Delivering the employer elements of our equality and diversity strategy this includes being an employer of choice, moving towards a more diverse work-force and ensuring staff are treated with dignity and respect. Key activities are likely to include: i ii Developing and enhancing our equality and diversity training including areas like sub-conscious bias. Greater external benchmarking that will enable us to measure our progress. iii Further out-reach activity such as trainee-ships and expanding our apprenticeship scheme. b Wellbeing and engagement: Developing the support we provide to our staff to enable them to perform effectively, providing a healthy workplace where staff feel able to raise concerns and increasing staff engagement and overall job satisfaction. Key activities are likely to include: i ii Developing and launching a wellbeing strategy. Enhancing and promoting our support to staff, including the range of staff benefits, training and policies that support wellbeing. iii Providing emotional resilience training together with enhanced training for managers in identifying stress and supporting staff appropriately. iv On-going engagement with staff through the staff survey and related work streams. v Developing a clear strategy/plan on working arrangements, including how we effectively support flexible working. vi Developing a new model for resolving concerns or disputes in the workplace. C2

22 c Reward: Developing a reward strategy that enables us to recruit, retain and develop talent in order to deliver our challenging programmes of work. Key activities are likely to include: i ii Agreeing a long term position on where we should be positioned in the market in order to attract and retain the right staff. Assessing the role of performance related pay within our reward strategy. iii Reviewing our grading structure to ensure it continues to meet our needs and that there is consistency across directorates. iv Consolidating our work on benefits and pensions and promoting these effectively. d Learning and Development: Developing an integrated, technologically advanced approach to learning and development that supports and provides opportunities for career development. i ii Enhancing our on-line learning and development provision, including the L&D portal and introducing 360 feedback. Continuing to invest in the management and development programmes available to managers together with introducing a mandatory training programme for all managers. iii Reviewing the provision of training across the organisation (including operational/local training) and agreeing a three year position on funding and investment. e Recruitment and retention: Ensuring we have robust and objective processes that enable us to attract and retain talent to deliver our ambitious programme of work. i ii Reviewing opportunities for career paths including succession planning, managing key staff risks. Reviewing our internal recruitment procedures, including our arrangements for transferring temporary appointments to our permanent staff. iii Reviewing organisational need for a graduate management scheme. iv Reviewing our recruitment testing guidance and methods. 9 In addition to the above key themes we will need to highlight a significant programme of work to ensure we remain fit for purpose; these areas will cover work on developing our HR systems, policies and procedures and enhanced management information. Key activities are likely to include: C3

23 a Developing our real time reporting for senior managers and making use of Tableau for reporting purposes. b Continuing to review and develop our HR policies and procedures. c Review and develop our Service Level Agreements. 10 All of our work and the projects listed above will have equality and diversity considerations and impact assessments will need to be carried out for new pieces of work. C4