Organisational Learning

Report: 9
Date: 14 July 2011
By: Anne McMeel on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

The MPS has a strategy and framework to further embed organisational learning as part of daily business. Progress has been achieved to drive forward a performance culture and promote pro-activity. Key activity is outlined in this paper.

A. Recommendation

That Members note progress outlined to date and future work planned.

B. Supporting information

MPS organisational learning strategy

1. Effectiveness in organisational learning clearly impacts on the ability of the MPS to achieve its strategic aims. Organisational learning was the subject of a report to committee in June 2009. At that stage there was recognition that learning activity takes place in different ways but there existed a need for greater connectivity between business groups and a more effective performance framework. This paper outlines the progress made and future work to take a broader, more strategic approach. There are also examples that demonstrate not only both of these developments but also how the strategy is driving forward a healthier learning culture.

2. Organisational learning is increasingly more evident across all MPS business groups. There are dedicated functions in DoR, DPS, CO19 and SO15 and OL is also a component part in other quality-assurance and performance functions. The MPS has in the past year put in place a corporate Organisational Learning team within HR Organisational Development to co-ordinate and drive forward activity.

3. Building on the work of the July Review Group, a detailed external consultation project has been conducted with a number of large organisations from the public, private and third sectors. This included the joint military services, other UK police forces, emergency services, governmental and non-governmental agencies. All have identified notably similar issues and this work has clarified the strengths and weaknesses of the various methodology for potential solutions and the factors impacting on long term success. For example, as previously reported to committee, the detailed research has underlined the limitations to a central depository of learning: while effective knowledge-management remains important it is not a panacea and must be delivered as part of a more holistic approach.

4. An OL approach has been agreed with all business groups. This has three phases. Initial work has focused on the necessary cultural change through specific engagement across the organisation. There is clear evidence that an expectation of pro-activity exists to capture, share and evaluate the impact of lessons. Organisational learning is now specifically included in the Met Performance Framework (that has replaced the Integrated Competency Framework). It is therefore reflected in PDR objectives for all police officers and police staff and will be tested in all future promotion/selection processes. This change in mindset is also evidenced in some of the recent examples detailed below.

5. Secondly, minimum standards have been embedded in business groups which include designated leads co-ordinating local activity and formatted, standardised recording which provides the audit trail and has the capacity to be combined to aid analysis. The organisational learning model has been adapted to improve its communication so that all activity does not cease at the stage of disseminating lessons or, for example, changing policy. There is now a positive obligation to evaluate its impact. A toolkit for staff includes guidance on seeking and sharing learning nationally (e.g. through the NPIA’s POLKA database), de-briefing and setting up national network sharing capability.

6. Thirdly the relationship between organisational learning, business risk management and planning has been recognised as impacting on long term change. In addition to the above measures the strategy includes the need to target the MPS’s internal inspection capability with the benefit of a more informed analysis of risk. This project work has commenced and is in development stage.

Key learning and implementation

7. The Strategic Operational Policing Committee will be aware of organisational learning examples in different specific arenas from other reporting (E.g. operation Emerald paper at this committee). It is not intended to repeat these here but the following reflect the critical elements that the MPS strategy is helping to reform. It demonstrates a more robust approach to inspection and audit recommendations and other external scrutiny as well as examples of local pro-activity.

8. A dedicated team within the Directorate of Resources co-ordinates recommendations from DARA, HMIC and the Audit Commission. In liaison with identified staff in business groups, it promotes more effective communication with auditors and appropriate response to recommendations. This unit also has the capacity to conduct internal inspections. The focus is on recommendations of outstanding high risk and performance is reported quarterly, via Performance Board, to Corporate Governance Committee. Robust action led by DoR has seen a substantial decrease in the number of high risk recommendations to eight from a highpoint of 14 last year. In addition, the more pro-active engagement between business groups and auditors has seen a re-assessment of the risk posed by some issues following partial implementation. Since November 2010 this activity has seen a 53% reduction in the number of unimplemented medium risk recommendations.

9. Professional Standards is fertile ground for learning and rightly attracts a level of external recommendations from the IPCC, HM Coroner and through civil litigation. It is also an area where the ethos of prevention and learning has been evident for a considerable time (seven years). Organisational learning is also identified and implemented following internal DPS investigations. The Prevention and Reduction Team identifies records and provides the audit trail for all such recommendations. The DPS also pro-actively captures learning from the national learning lessons bulletin and allocates it to the relevant MPS business group or OCU for implementation.

10. In addition, this is far from merely a gatekeeper role. DPS has been instrumental in progressing professional standards-related lessons that impact on other business groups and OCU’s. Examples include the work with Central Operations on the Safer Driving DVD (currently in version 3) which contains the impactive case study of the well reported fatal police collision in Bromley. The targeted intervention around incivility complaints and the broader work of the Complaints Intervention Scheme demonstrate not only cross-business group working but examples of learning in action.

11. The rise in protest and its capacity to impact on public confidence has underpinned a robust approach to organizational learning at the tactical and strategic level. Recent innovations such as the containment release protocol, the joint CO11 and CO20 engagement programme and revisions to public order training have been not only the result of recent high profile public order incidents but by merging the outcome of a range of external scrutiny and self generated lessons. CO11 has actively considered the combined learning from the HMIC’s Adapting to Protest Report, the Nurturing British Policing Model, the Home Affairs Select Committee and post G20 IPCC recommendations. This has led to not just, pragmatic, tactical changes but a more effective communication strategy, joint working with SCD to maximize the collation of evidence for post incident investigation and an ethos to ensure that training includes transferring ordinary policing skills to the public order arena. Notably, those on level 2 training courses conduct the first two days in ordinary uniform following recognition that officers take on a different mindset in full riot clothing.

12. In HR, the mechanism for capturing learning from different functions has informed a vital piece of analysis on the MPS’s understanding of disability. Specifically, it demonstrates the value of combining learning from different areas. Data on Fairness at Work issues was analysed alongside that from Employment Tribunal and Misconduct Appeals. The importance of this internal, staff-related learning is enhanced because disability, within the protected characteristics of the Equality Act, has arisen through the staff survey and within an operational environment. In addition to considerations in public order policing tactics and support for vulnerable victims of hate crime, organisational learning identified by the Directorate of Legal Services relating to seizing a vehicle from someone with disability has reinforced that reasonable adjustment must be considered under the act. This joining up not only enriches the data and subsequent analysis but provides a more compelling case for allocating limited resources to immediate intervention. An awareness package is currently being produced.

13. There is also greater cross-business group activity which is monitored by the corporate team. Examples include the Extreme Threat Risk Group, Operational Risk Meeting and, for example, specific initiatives between SCD, SO and CO using learning to review the conflict resolution model.

Challenges - looking forward

14. The MPS has processes in place (in DoR and DPS) to track and provide accountability for external recommendations. There are now minimum standards across the MPS, and a more pro-active culture. This has allowed greater collaboration and facilitates better communication across boundaries. One of the principle challenges is how the MPS uses learning to look forward, plan and manage its risks. Large organisations that have the most effective learning processes have such compatible processes and are forward-looking, able to capture learning from the complete range of activity and use it to both identify and control risk. Given the policing and financial challenges facing the MPS it is critical that there is synergy between all of these strategic functions.

15. To this end, a project has been initiated within DoR to achieve this with senior colleagues from these separate domains to maximise interoperability. This work will formalize the mechanism by which learning is collated, analysed and used to control risk. With shared services being driven forward across the MPS it ensures that momentum will not be lost if further rationalisation of support functions is necessary.

16. The third phase relies on the capability and capacity for the MPS to audit and inspect. This in turn is dependent on identifying and tackling the root cause. The project’s aims include identifying the exact process (including analysis and prioritisation) by which the internal audit and inspection process can evaluate whether lessons and their underlying causes have been properly tackled.

C. Other organisational and community implications

Equality and Diversity Impact

1. The new OL framework is intended to collect and communicate best practice and risks. It will take account of all aspects of equality and diversity matters. It can be seen as a tool to help support statutory duties (such as the Public Sector Equality Duties), The OL framework should only have a positive impact on Equality and Diversity issues by ensuring that these are always properly considered when looking at any learning process or action that is identified.

2. The implementation of the identified organisational learning will usually require equality impact assessing as part on the ongoing mechanism. The equality impact of the OL framework will be continually reviewed as it evolves and in the near-term will be consulted upon with any relevant individuals, groups or organisations.

Consideration of Met Forward

3. Fighting crime, reducing criminality and giving better value for money are obviously maximised in a learning organisation but this aspect is also crucial in increasing the confidence of our communities in policing. Feedback from IAGs reinforces the perception that the police service can be slow to learn. The MPS organistional learning team is formulating a revised communication strategy with the two explicit aims. This includes bolstering the mechanism for informing communities of the work being conducted by the MPS. It also will more effectively prioritise and codify the messages from communities so that they can be properly included in the analysis of lessons and other learning.

Financial Implications

4. These costs are subsumed within the approved budgets of the respective business groups and there is no predicted change to this position. The only additional future financial consideration is the need for a bespoke ICT database. Consultation with business groups, led by DoI, has taken place. The current position is that any investment in ICT systems is only viable if there already exists the process that the ICT will facilitate. There are only limited business areas in the MPS that have processes mature enough that the lack of an ICT facility will restrict them. In effect only DPS and SO15 have articulated a pressing need. At this stage it is evident that a greater level of progress needs to be achieved across other MPS functions before the exact specification of an ICT solution can be clarified. Only at that stage may any consideration be necessary and if so, application will be made through a fully costed business case and the Medium Term Financial Planning (MTFP) Process.

Legal Implications

5. There are no direct legal implications arising from this report which is presented for information only.

The proposed Organisational Learning Strategy and Framework referred to within this report should benefit the MPS by raising standards, minimise risks, facilitate the delivery of services within a legally complaint framework and improve overall performance in the service delivery.

Environmental Implications

6. There are no direct environmental considerations in this case.

Risk (including Health and Safety) Implications

7. The ongoing work to align more closely organisational learning, planning, policy development and business risk is recognition of the interplay between such previously separate domains. The information and the principles of organisational learning outlined in this report complement and support the MPA/MPS Safety Management System and reinforce safety related learning opportunities.

D. Background papers

None

D. Contact details

Report author: Alex Gibbs - Head of Organisational Learning

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback