Organisational learning

Report: 12
Date: 8 June 2009
By: Director of Resources on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

This report provides an update report on organisational learning in the MPS.

A. Recommendation

That members note the content of the report.

B. Supporting information

Background

1. The Directorate of Professional Services presented the MPS organisational learning model at the Strategic and Operational Policing committee meeting on 5 February 2009. This report provides an update on the progress being made with the implementation of the model and addresses the issues raised by the chair and in the MPA commissioning brief.

2. The MPS organisational learning model as presented to the Committee is in place as the foundation of the MPS approach to organisational learning. It is based on the need to have processes in place at business group level to

• identify learning (origin);
• quality assure that learning and make a decision whether it requires action and by whom (challenge);
• have a clear audit trail in place within the business group, who identified the learning, where the issues will be addressed, for example at OCU level through to Management Board level (accountability);
• incorporate learning into policy/ SOPs and processes (platform),
• incorporate learning into training / IT infrastructure / role development (delivery); and,
• review that learning has been integrated and the improvements identified (review/inspection)

3. Organisational capability is recognised by the MPS Management Board as a key driver in delivering improved performance and productivity. A significant amount of work is carried out across the Service both at business group level and corporately on identifying organisational learning. A recent National Audit Office report entitled Helping Government Learn noted that ‘learning takes place in all sorts of ways. Staff gain insights and experience routinely by simply doing their day-to-day work, while training can help in developing new skills and knowledge. Feedback from service users and timely analysis of their complaints can help generate improvements and identify problems; and comparisons with how other organisations implement programmes and projects can act as a stimulus to do things in new or innovative ways. Organisations can also benefit from the insights provided by evaluations, audits and scrutiny exercises.’ This Service, historically, has not been consistent in its approach in terms of sharing lessons learnt and/or good practice, however it is acknowledged that a huge database of learning is not the solution as learning takes place in many sorts of ways. The aim is to help the organisation learn and deliver without creating bureaucracy that deflects it from that very objective. The approach now being adopted, which builds on the organisational model previously reported to committee, can be summarised as follows:

1. Every member of Management Board has a responsibility to promote and develop organisational learning within their business group in line with the corporate model.
2. In addition to business as usual organisational learning, there are recognised SMT leads for high profile/corporate organisational learning issues.
3. Organisational learning is a key element of the MPS Performance Management Framework and the Chair of the Performance Board, i.e. Deputy Commissioner, will therefore be the SMT sponsor for organisational learning.

4. In addition to the business as usual organisational learning carried out across the Service, corporate learning sources include:

1. Directorate of Human Resources (DHR)
   DHR plays a key role in identifying and embedding organisational learning throughout the Service including:
   • active involvement of the Leadership Academy and Organisational Development Team with operational teams in assessing learning opportunities from high-profile events
   • reviewing the outcome of employment tribunals and liaising with B/OCUs on lessons learnt
   • reviewing the outcome of health and safety incidents and reflecting the results in ongoing inspections and training
2. Deputy Commissioners Portfolio (DCP)
   Both Directorate of Professional Services and Directorate of Legal Services are involved in many high-profile cases and hold a significant corporate memory on Service activity.
3. Directorate of Resources (DOR)
   Work on developing the Service’s Performance Management Framework includes:
   • identifying and analysing recommendations made by MPA Internal Audit, Audit Commission and HMIC
   • developing a capability model and related toolkits which enables peer assessment and internal benchmarking across the Service and will allow best practice to be identified and shared
   • developing the risk management model to ensure the relevant learning is identified and feedback to the organisation from risk assessments from across the Service
   • developing a means of capturing and sharing key strategic learning from inspections, audits, scrutinies and high-profile events
   • developing appropriate reporting structures to Performance Board and SMT
4. Serious Crime Directorate
   Operational and non-operational issues are identified through the corporate taking process.
5. Operational Leads
   Operational Assistant Commissioners identify learning from operational debriefs where organisational benefits can be gained.

C. Legal implications

1. There are no direct legal implications arising from the recommendations set out in this report.

2. The development and implementation of the organisational learning model across the MPS will ensure the delivery of services are effective and efficient and demonstrate best value.

D. Race and equality impact

The MPS will ensure that race and equality implications are fully considered in developing the organisational learning model. The Diversity and Citizen Focus Directorate will be engaged throughout the development of the model to ensure that race and equality impact assessment is undertaken.

E. Financial implications

It is anticipated that implementation of the proposals will be contained within existing resources. Any change will be subject to the MPA/MPS decision-making and financial processes.

F. Background papers

• National Audit Office Report ‘Helping Government Learn’ February 2009

G. Contact details

Report author: Sarah Brader, MPS

For information contact:

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

Send an e-mail linking to this page

Feedback