Human resources business plan 2004/05 – objective 3

Report: 11
Date: 20 January 2005
By: Commissioner

Summary

The report provides a progress update on the supporting activities for objective 3 of the HR Business Plan 2004/05 'Embed improved quality in the activity undertaken within the HR Directorate and corporate HR function'.

A. Recommendation

That members note the report.

B. Supporting information

Background

1. In 2003/04, HR progressed the improvement of quality through two strategic objectives within the HR business plan for that year. The first related to developing the HR infrastructure, the second to developing a dynamic HR function. Progress was made on both fronts and the momentum of quality improvement was continued into 2004/05. This was set out within the 2004/05 HR Business Plan under Objective 3 'Embed improved quality in the activity undertaken within the HR Directorate and corporate HR function'.

2. Twelve supporting activities were identified, as set out in the business plan, to deliver improved quality of central and local HR activities. The position on each is described below.

Progress update

Consider fundamental improvements to the delivery of HR services to the MPS.

3. There is a clear need to modernise the way in which MPS HR services and people management in general is undertaken within the MPS. This requirement has been reinforced by the Morris Inquiry report. It is important to exploit the latest technological advances in delivering transactional HR activity and in providing direct support to line and unit managers in their principle role for all people management issues. The emergence of various forms of shared services and workflow systems provide the MPS with opportunities for significant advances in automating administrative activities and thus releasing HR specialists to provide a more value-adding service to managers and staff. This area is being examined in more detail and is incorporated into the development of a new HR strategy to carry on from the current People Strategy, which expired at the end of 2004. The new strategy will, in part, be informed by the Morris Inquiry report and will take account of and support the future direction of the MPS under the new Commissioner. A number of top-level programmes of change also need to be reflected and accommodated. It is vital that the new HR strategy contributes directly to operational success. The new strategy is due to be completed very shortly. A separate but related report is submitted to the meeting on the HR Business Plan for 2005/06.

Enhance customer care and internal processes within Recruitment

4. A Customer Charter setting out standards was introduced in November 2004. Customer care training supporting this has also been introduced for all recruitment staff and a customer care manager is to be appointed. The post is currently being formalised and is expected to be filled by April 2005. The ‘keep warm’ programme, whereby regular contact is maintained with selected recruits awaiting start dates for Hendon, continues and has been expanded along with the recruitment internet site, with the new facilities going live in January 2005. An applicant contact process has also been introduced through which recruitment staff make regular contact with applicants to provide updates and other information.

5. Teams have been created to focus on the extended police family and on police staff. The relationship with the Jobcentre Plus have been developed with the use of its services for many recruitment activities, for example pre-employment courses. All corporate recruitment is now processed using MetHR and additional functionality has been developed for internal selection processes. Recruitment processes have also been refined to increase both effectiveness and efficiency through the introduction of a campaign management tool, which provides information on numbers of enquirers and applicants to meet specific recruitment targets and timetable milestones.

6. In addition to the targeted area of recruitment, customer care has been enhanced across the spectrum of HR activities. Examples include improvements to the training allocation process making better use of last minute places by holding reserve lists; shortened waiting times for Occupational Health appointments; local staff surveys collated corporately to identify further areas for HR improvements; good practice sessions delivered to HR managers; and direct liaison with local units by HR account managers. We have also expanded the continuous professional development programme for HR managers by joining as co-sponsors the London HR Connection group, which provides regular briefings and workshops on topical people management issues in both the private and public sector.

Prepare for growth in recruitment of police officers and other members of the extended policing family as a result of Step Change.

7. The Workforce Planning Unit (WPU) has been supporting the Step Change programme through the posting of both police officers and Police and Community Support Officers (PCSOs). The WPU has been in close liaison with the Step Change Team and the Safer Neighbourhoods Unit ensuring that the impact of the growth for Safer Neighbourhood Teams has been planned for and included within the forecasting process, which is updated on a monthly basis. This is also supporting the early rollout of the 2005/06 teams, which has recently been approved for the end of 2004/05 financial year.

8. Such liaison and planning has been particularly evident in meeting the increased need for sergeants, which has been achieved through a number of HR Directorate units working together in order to hold additional promotion processes, including TOWBAR during the financial year, providing additional sergeants foundation training and the posting of the officers within a very short timescale following selection.

9. The need for a chief inspector for Safer Neighbourhoods on each borough is currently under discussion. Once formally approved it will be included in the forecasting to inform the next chief inspector promotion process, in order to ensure that sufficient officers are available to meet the forecast growth at this rank.

10. A structured posting process for PCSOs has been introduced by the WPU, both for those joining the MPS and those already within the organisation who wish to transfer. This process ensures that boroughs are sufficiently resourced to meet the needs of the Safer Neighbourhood Teams.

11. An optimum workforce level for Recruitment Directorate has been established for the current year’s activities, with plans prepared to realign resources and adjust the recruitment plan in response to changes in future demand. The further development of the modelling tool will enable the sophisticated planning to take place more easily, in particular, the corresponding increases required in police staff performing direct support roles as police officer numbers grow.

Move towards running training as a business by introducing notional training contracts (lock-ins) to increase return on investment in training.

12. A pilot exercise in the use of “lock-in” periods is currently running, covering driver training and initial investigative training delivered by the Crime Academy. The lock-in periods are designed to ensure officers receiving training remain in the corresponding roles for a sufficient period for the Service to obtain the benefit from the training before moving on to other duties or roles. The pilots are to be evaluated in February and results presented to the MPS Training Management Board on 1 March 2005. Individual business units determine the lock-in periods. The evaluation will include consideration of the need for standard pan-MPS periods

Further develop MetHR as a strategic business tool by:

a. Working towards the implementation of the MetHR enhancement programme to incorporate enhanced functionality in respect of: positions, competency framework roles, Personal Development Reviews (PDRs), employee self service, training requests, line manager access, threshold payments, workplace planning and photo images.

b. Undertake feasibility study for further enhancement of MetHR to incorporate consideration of links with payroll and financial systems.

13. MetHR is the subject of a separate report to the meeting and a progress update is included in that report.

Complete the reviewing and refreshing of all HR policies and publish them on the AskHR intranet site.

14. The initial review of all HR policies has been completed and the total number reduced to 40 through consolidation of related topics. Where required, policies have been revised and refreshed and five of these remain to be completed: these are scheduled for completion in January or February 2005.

Evaluate revised Attendance Management policy to assess its effectiveness, and identify and introduce any further refinements.

15. The refreshed attendance management policy was published in May 2004. This is to be evaluated in early 2005. Good practice workshops have been held for local HR managers to share effective working. From the beginning of the current financial year to the end of October (latest figures at the time of writing), absence rates have been further reduced from an average 8.4 days per police officer to 7.8 and for police staff from 10.5 days to 9.5 days. PCSO and traffic warden sickness rates have also reduced slightly.

Implement Phase 2 of the workforce modelling tool and promulgate workforce planning and forecasting knowledge.

16. A plan for Phase 2 has been established and technological options are being explored to determine the most effective way forward by the end of February 2005. Subject to technical options, the full planning and initial build of Phase 2 is scheduled for March 2005. Development of the modelling tool is dependent on completion of a minimum operational staffing and skills requirement being determined by operational business groups and on a facility being created within MetHR for recording structures and positions. Both these pieces of work are currently being progressed. Workshops have been held for local units on workforce planning and finance and workforce forecasting. These were completed in September 2004.

Develop HR capability for National Intelligence Modal (NIM)-based Strategic Assessment, incorporating environmental scanning.

17. This has been completed and now forms an intrinsic part of the business planning process. A separate report is submitted to the meeting on the emerging HR business plan for 2004/05, which includes the December updated Strategic Assessment.

Enhance the qualitative and follow up aspects of the evaluation model and review the list of functions covered.

18. The HR evaluation model is the subject of a separate report to the meeting and a progress update is included in that report.

Improve communications, incorporating video streaming, internal newspaper and the intranet, and promoting the achievements of HR within the HR Directorate, the MPS and the wider world.

19. An internal newsletter was introduced at the beginning of the year. Regular articles are published in The Job newspaper and in external HR publications. Recruitment marketing compliments general communications. The MPS participates in national HR events, presenting case studies and examples of specific activities and good practice. The HR intranet site has been revised and is being constantly updated and expanded. The intranet-based Live Forum sessions continue, allowing any member of staff to pose a HR question and receive an immediate reply.

20. Video streaming has been examined but cannot be progressed at this time due to the necessary technology currently not being available on the corporate Aware system.

Establish a quality assessment framework for the HR Directorate and corporate function, including the assessment of customer satisfaction.

21. Three key areas for Quality Assurance (QA) assessment have been identified: business support with HR Directorate; unit activity within central HR; and HR activity outside central HR. The business support quality assurance is now in place, with a dedicated QA officer working directly to the HR Business Manager. The development of the HR evaluation process includes the progressive introduction of qualitative assessment to compliment the quantitative aspects of the evaluation process. As mentioned above, the evaluation process is the subject of a separate report to the meeting.

22. Development of the quality issues for unit activity within central HR is covered within the on-going development of a new people strategy and new approach to the delivery of HR services to the MPS, as reported above. This will also encompass the corporate HR function and people management activity outside central HR.

C. Equality and diversity implications

The equality and diversity implications are identified and progressed within the detailed work of each supporting activity. For example, the policy review programme incorporated an equalities impact assessment, the results of which informed the revised policies. Also, monitoring the implementation of processes and procedures routinely includes an assessment of any disproportionate impact for under-represented groups. In this way, we can ensure that improvements to the quality of HR provision throughout the MPS promote and support the attainment of equality.

D. Financial implications

There are no financial implications arising directly from this report. All activities described in the report are contained within existing budgets. Where any additional expenditure is required, separate reports will be submitted as necessary.

E. Background papers

• HR Business Plan 2004/05 (HR Committee 6 May 2004)

F. Contact details

Report author: Chris Haselden, HR Strategic Management, MPS

For more information contact:

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

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