The Employment Committee met to discuss the workforce strategy and HR policies, focusing on improvements and future plans. Councillors reviewed progress on the workforce strategy, and approved updates to the sickness absence and organisational change policies. The committee also looked at forward planning for 2025/26, agreeing to include reports on staff wellbeing, the staff recognition scheme and sharing good practice at future meetings.

HR Policies

The committee approved updates to the council's sickness absence and organisational change policies. These revisions are part of the 'Getting the basics right' priority in the Workforce Strategy, ensuring managers have the necessary tools to support staff.

Key changes to the Sickness Absence Policy include:

• Revised triggers for concern, now set at 3 occasions or 10 days of absence within 12 months.
• Structured timelines for long-term absence management, with clear expectations and support.
• Formalised return-to-work processes with detailed notes and improvement targets.
• Flexibility to adjust triggers for staff with disabilities and progressive health conditions, ensuring fairer treatment.
• Formalised communication during absences, including meetings at 10 days and every 4 weeks during long-term absence.
• Detailed redeployment schemes and structured ill-health retirement guidance, offering more employee options.
• Formal appeal forms and clear timelines, supported by HR.

The updated policy aims to support employees and managers in managing short-term and long-term absences, with triggers accommodating a rolling 12 months, and inclusion of medical suspension with reference to medical redeployment.

The Organisational Change Policy has also been updated to strengthen processes for redeployment and consultation. Key updates include:

• Three categories of organisational change: minor/business as usual, contractual (no redundancy), and contractual (with redundancy).
• Clear statutory consultation requirements: 30 days (20–99 redundancies), 45 days (100+ redundancies).
• Transparent job matching and selection processes, including direct match, pooling/competitive selection, and ring fencing.
• Priority for at-risk staff in redeployment, with trial periods and salary protection.
• Clear framework for voluntary redundancy and the rights of fixed-term staff.
• Defined appeal routes and independent manager involvement.

The revised policy ensures employees with fixed-term contracts are included and strengthens the consultation process to be more inclusive.

Both policies, once published, will be supplemented with 'teach ins' by HR Business Partners and HR case officers to ensure understanding is embedded across the business.

Equality Impact Assessments

Equality Impact Assessments (EQIAs) were conducted for both policies. The EQIA for the Sickness Absence Policy identified potential disproportionate impacts on older staff, disabled staff, and women. Mitigating actions include Occupational Health referrals, reasonable adjustments, exclusion of pregnancy-related absences from triggers, and access to the Employee Assistance Programme¹.

The EQIA for the Organisational Change Policy EQIA also identified potential impacts on older employees and disabled staff, with mitigations including formal consultation periods, redeployment priority, and appeal rights.

Workforce Strategy Update

The committee reviewed the progress of the Workforce Strategy, which was published on 14 May 2025, after extensive consultation with staff. The strategy focuses on four priorities:

1. Getting the basics right: Ensuring staff have timely and accurate data.
2. Empowering our people: Providing tools and career pathways.
3. Fostering a healthy and inclusive environment: Supporting active travel and diversity.
4. Building a positive and transformative culture: Creating a sense of belonging and broadening connections with local schools.

The HR Director reported notable progress in recruitment, learning and development, policy development, and culture. However, there remains an over-reliance on interim staff and a low turnover rate of permanent staff.

Key Performance Indicators

The HR Management Information (HRMI) pack presented to the committee included data on:

• Recruitment: There were 27 live vacancies and 34 successful recruitments in July.
• Interim Staff: The number of interims has slightly increased since April, but associated spending has decreased.
• Market Supplements: Following the annual review, there has been a decrease in the number of market supplements applied.
• Leavers: Exit interviews remain relatively low, but organisational culture and career development continue to be main contributing factors for people leaving Slough Borough Council.
• Sickness Absence: The council's sickness absence rate is above the Local Government Association (LGA) average. The top three directorates with increased long-term sickness are recognised as Regeneration, Housing & Environment (RHE), Children's Services, and Corporate Resources.

Initiatives and Future Plans

Several initiatives are underway to address these issues:

• LEAD Programme: The Line Manager Essentials Training Programme (LEAD) has recommenced, with 55% of staff having booked onto or completed all 4 modules.
• Recruitment Website: Updated recruitment pages on the internet with an improved layout, up-to-date videos, and links to hints and tips.
• Key Skills: HR has developed a set of 'key skills' to be considered when advertising roles, testing attributes outside of experience and qualifications.
• Graduate Programme: Welcoming two LGA graduates in September, with plans to design a graduate programme across each ED area.
• Career Pathway: Development of a Career pathway offer to all employees, mapped to the LGA grades, to support staff in understanding what learning they can access within their first 18 months.
• Employee Recognition Scheme: Updating the employee recognition scheme with Thank you cards and a quarterly recognition scheme.
• Mental Health Training: Introduction of a mental health training offer for existing staff, who can then volunteer to support the wellbeing of staff.
• ACAS Training: Working with ACAS² to train staff in mediation to support in resolving disputes locally rather than enter into a formal process.

The committee was asked to consider supporting the investment of a revised staff recognition scheme, tools to support residents in finding employment, and the sickness policy distinguishing short term vs, longer term absences.

Forward Plan 2025/26

The committee noted the forward plan of future items for the 2025/26 municipal year, including quarterly updates on the implementation of the Workforce Strategy, new or revised key employment policies, the Pay Statement Policy (January 2026), outcomes of the Staff Survey (January 2026), the Gender Pay Gap (April 2026), and any significant organisational changes. The committee requested that reports on staff wellbeing, the staff recognition scheme, and sharing good practice be provided at future meetings.