Agenda item

This report responds to the specific issues identified in the Attendance Management (follow-up) memo dated 18^th January 2016.  It also outlines the wider actions and plans in place to manage sickness absence in the council, including the implementation of iTrent absence management, which is a recommendation of the audit.  The report also provides an update on the Workplace Wellbeing Charter.

Members considered a report which responded to specific issues identified in the Attendance Management (follow-up) memo dated 18 January 2016.  The report also outlined the wider actions and plans in place to manage sickness absence in the council, including the implementation of iTrent absence management, which was a recommendation of the audit, and which would improve the recording of sickness absence across the council.  The report also provided an update on the Workplace Wellbeing Charter which was a statement of intent showing the council’s commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of employees.

Referring to paragraph 23 of the report, which detailed the number of managers who had attended the five Absence Management courses that had been held, officers were asked how this figure compared to the number of managers who had responsibility for dealing with sickness absence.  Officers explained that, although the number of managers who dealt with sickness absence was much higher than the number who had attended the training sessions, it was recognised there were differing levels of responsibility.  The HR team also provided one to one support for managers and bespoke training as appropriate.  Consideration had been given as to whether sickness absence management training should be mandatory for managers.

Members asked if regular health checks were available for employees.  Officers stated that these had been offered in an ad-hoc way, for example blood pressure checks.  It was an aspiration of the Wellbeing Charter for these to be offered as routine.

Officers were asked about further support that could be put in place to reduce sickness absence.  They stated that a considerable amount of effort was put into supporting staff, and efforts were being made to change the culture to ensure that wellbeing was higher on the agenda.  It was important that staff were made aware of how they could access the support that was available.  Improvements were also being made to the performance monitoring information that was made available to managers.

Referring to questions from Members, officers confirmed that the trade unions were involved in shaping policies and procedures in respect of the management of sickness absence.  They also had an important role to play in signposting their members to the support that was available.

Officers were asked if statistics were available on work-related sickness absence.  They stated that this data was not available but that account was taken as to whether a sickness absence was work related during the management of individual cases.

Referring to the absence statistics in paragraph 18 of the report, officers were asked about the likely overall figure for 2016/17.  They stated that, as sickness absence tended to rise during the winter months, the annual figure was likely to be in line with recent years.

Members noted that a further internal audit review of sickness absence would be carried out, although the timing of this was not yet known.  It was agreed that the committee would consider the findings of the audit review before determining whether further update reports were required.

Resolved:  That the report be noted.

Reason:     To enable Members to understand the key issues and the response to recommendations to secure improvements, and the control arrangements around sickness absence.