MPS retention strategy

Report: 7
Date: 02 May 2002
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report outlines a new retention strategy for the MPS and seeks the Committee's endorsement.

A. Recommendations

The Committee is asked to comment on and endorse the proposed strategy.

B. Supporting information

1. The MPS is committed to maximise the retention of its workforce by offering a range of career opportunities and challenges. Compared with other organisations – in both public and private sectors – the attrition rate of MPS staff is not at a significant level. That said, there is clearly some work that can be done in order to minimise even more the risk of losing staff unnecessarily. This report outlines a proposed new strategy for the future in order that we might stand even more prospect of retaining staff - police and civil. This is especially important as we embark upon ambitious new police recruitment plans and the civil staff moratorium is lifted.

2. During 2002/03, we anticipate needing to recruit some 1700 police officers in order to replace police leavers, representing some 6.5% of the current police strength. At the same time, we have lost 1063 civil staff [10%] and 108 traffic wardens [17%] over the last 12 months. These levels are not too concerning – indeed a healthy turnover level in most organisations is around 10-15% - but the reality is that we should not lose as many police officers as we do. As we seek to recruit over 3500 police officers during the next year, it is both an economic and organisational imperative that we reduce these attrition rates.

3. Set our below is a summary of attrition levels for the year ended 31 March 2002.

4. Over the last 6 months, a retention taskforce has existed to discuss with officers their reasons for leaving. This work is now complete. The emerging findings reveal that:

• there is often one event or decision which is pivotal to their decision to leave;
• that managerial intervention could have persuaded them to stay
• terms and conditions of employment, e.g. pay, was less influential than quality of life in London and the associated disruption to family life, travelling times and commuting difficulties that result.
• we are most vulnerable to police attrition at 2/3 years and 7/8 years after training

5. In January 2002, we identified five initiatives as a preface to a new retention strategy. These included: -

• Introduction of a 'Buddy Scheme'
• Introduction of a 'Transfer Contact Scheme'
• Creation of a Property Shop
• Creation of a People Bank
• Appointment of a Retention Intervention Officer

6. It is too early to establish what success, if any, these initiatives have had, though the signs are that they could be key components of our future retention plans and it is proposed therefore to continue with them.

New strategy

7. The new strategy is attached at Appendix 1. It is a practical plan intended to monitor and understand the reasons for leavers and to introduce a series of practical initiatives to reduce the prospect of leavers. The new strategy – it is proposed – will be introduced with immediate effect. The intention is to report twice yearly to this Committee on progress together with details of leavers across the Service.

8. It is not considered appropriate, at this stage, to introduce a target to which the plan can aspire. Before this, the reasons for leavers need to be better understood and opportunity needs to be given to introduce counter-measures. But the desire is that a serious reduction can be made in the level of attrition – and especially in the area of voluntary resignation – over the course of the next 12-24 months.

Conclusion

9. The Retention Strategy is an important part of the MPS People Strategy and HR 2002/3 objectives. The responsibility to minimise attrition rests with each manager though it is our lead to put the tools in place to assist the organisation. This strategy seeks to do so and is commended for introduction with immediate effect.

C. Financial implications

Much of the proposed strategy contains no additional financial implications. Many of the individual components are of no cost or of such minimal cost that they can be contained. Where there are financial implications, these will be the subject of separate reports to this Committee as the appropriate initiative is developed and proposed.

D. Background papers

E. Contact details

Report author: Jenny Deere, Director HR Selection, MPS

For information contact:

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

Appendix 1: Retention strategy

The aim is that:

1. We maximise the prospect of retaining staff at all levels.
2. We provide opportunities to staff at all levels to advance throughout the organisation.
3. We reduce our recruitment targets by retaining more of our current staff.
4. We introduce support and other measures to maximise the retention of women and ethnic minority staff.
5. We increase the proportion of experienced staff.
6. We reduce the costs of recruitment and training by increasing retention.

In order to do this, we need to:

1. Understand the reasons for staff attrition and introduce measures to counter unnecessary loss.
2. Educate and encourage managers to act in ways that generate and improve motivation, employee relations and loyalty.
3. Devise HR policies that encourage retention and do not work against experience and loyalty.
4. Intervene in situations where staff turnover is unnecessarily high and demands specific attention.
5. Promote opportunities and policies that generate good employee relations.
6. Ensure that our communication systems foster good staff relations.

To ensure this strategy is in place, we intend – in the short term – to:

1. Continue with the short-term initiatives introduced in January 2002.
2. Require every OCU to devise a retention plan in accordance with a HR template and with HR assistance.
3. Introduce the means by which every leaver is offered opportunity to meet with a manager to discuss the reasons for leaving.
4. Publish turnover information by location and use this in a Comstat process to be introduced in May 2002.
5. Ensure that our communication processes are in line with those of a large employer and generate good staff relations.
6. Complete the review of all promotion processes.
7. Introduce a voluntary employee benefits scheme.

These initiatives will be in place within a period of 3-6 months.

In the medium-term, we intend to:

1. Review all HR policies to ensure they support good staff relations.
2. Review working arrangements so as to maximise potential for flexible working patterns and arrangements.
3. Bring forward proposals for new staff development plans, particularly for civil staff.
4. Research ways of responding even more flexibly to matters that work against the MPS [i.e. Housing costs, travel etc.].
5. Assign a formal mentoring plan to each new probationer.
6. Work hard to ensure that every employee is appraised and given opportunity to develop.
7. Enhance the current Induction package and devise a template to be followed in each part of the MPS.

These initiatives will be in place within a period of 6-12 months.

Longer-term, we will:

1. Carry out a regular staff retention survey.
2. Ensure that every manager is trained in accordance with a MPS plan, covering leadership, communications, standards, motivation and discipline.
3. Introduce the '30 years plus' scheme.

To monitor this strategy, we will:

1. Report quarterly to the HR Board and Management Board.
2. Report half-yearly to the MPA HR Committee.
3. Report quarterly to each part of the MPS on their own achievement against the plan and detail figures.
4. Review this strategy in 12 months.

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