Issue - meetings

This report provides the Executive with an update on the Council’s approach to attendance at work and recommends a number of revised work/life balance policy provisions in order to achieve significant and sustained improvements in attendance levels.

RESOLVED: (i)         That the work undertaken in this area, and the need to continue to treat the management of sickness absence as a priority, be noted.

                        (ii)        That the revised policy provisions set out in paragraph 14 of the report be approved, subject to a review of each change and a demonstration that this does not impact on the delivery of services.

                        (iii)       That the Economic Partnership be invited, through the chairman, to bring forward local best practice in reducing staff sickness levels.

REASON:      In order to achieve significant and sustained improvements in staff attendance levels.

 Members considered a report which provided an update on the Council’s approach to attendance at work and recommended a number of revised work / life balance policy provisions to achieve significant and sustained improvements to staff attendance levels.

Significant improvements in sickness absence rates had been achieved over the past three years, and benchmarking had indicated that York’s sickness absence procedures incorporated all elements of best practice. Work undertaken to ensure a holistic approach to attendance had included management training, health and well-being promotion activities and the provision of additional services by the Occupational Health Service. 

The Council’s current work / life balance provisions had been reviewed and the revised provisions piloted as part of the Officer of the Future work being undertaken by the Accommodation Project.  As a result, a number of new and amended provisions were recommended, details of which were set out in paragraph 14 of the report.  They included extending the flexible working scheme to all employees, a revised flexitime scheme and the adoption of a compressed hours policy, in order to enable attendance at work and contribute to lower sickness absence levels in the long term.

Having noted the comments of the Labour Group Spokespersons on this item, it was

RESOLVED: (i)         That the work undertaken in this area, and the need to continue to treat the management of sickness absence as a priority, be noted.

                        (ii)        That the revised policy provisions set out in paragraph 14 of the report be approved, subject to a review of each change and a demonstration that this does not impact on the delivery of services. ¹

                        (iii)       That the Economic Partnership be invited, through the chairman, to bring forward local best practice in reducing staff sickness levels. ²

REASON:      In order to achieve significant and sustained improvements in staff attendance levels.