Agenda item

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Corporate Resources which provided an update on the Council’s overall position on sickness absence at the end of Quarter 2 2015-16. A copy of the report marked ‘Agenda Item 9’ is filed with these minutes.

The Committee was advised of the more recent figures which had become available since the publication of the report showed a significant drop in overall days lost per Full Time Equivalent (FTE) from 9.32 to 8.80, with most of the departments showing a slight decrease in sickness absence.

The Chairman welcomed to the meeting the Director of Adults and Communities who was present to respond to any questions of detail around sickness absence levels for his Department.

Arising from discussion Members were advised as follows:-

(i)     ‘Star Chamber sessions’ were being rolled out to departments to share good practice and to assess how sickness absence was being managed locally. Instances of long term sickness absence were subject to a robust management review;

(ii)    There was no evidence to suggest that stress was underreported through coding stress absence under other categories. Members were assured that a report on the work and effectiveness of Mental Health First Aiders would be presented at the Committee’s next meeting in February;

(iii)  In response to concerns raised over the high absence levels at Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation (ESPO), the Committee was assured that the overall absence figure had been dropping over the last two quarters and that strategies to reduce the level of absence further were in place. In addition, Members were advised that management of sickness absence in ESPO was currently being supported by HR;

(iv)  Sickness absence within the Adults and Communities Department continued to fall quarter by quarter. It was suggested that the breakdown of long and short term sickness (long term being defined as being over four weeks) within the Department was 65%:35% compared with a 50%:50% split for the rest of the Authority. There was no evidence to suggest that this was caused by the occurrence of workplace accidents, though this would be further investigated. Members were assured that any correlation between work place accidents and long term sickness would emerge as part of return to work interviews. All instances of long-term sickness were reviewed by mangers and, when necessary, supported by HR and Occupational Health to ensure maximum support for the employee;

(v)    The ‘Nothing stated’ category had been removed from the Oracle Self Service System, however as with the ‘Other’ category, reporting on a rolling twelve month basis meant that it would take a full twelve months before this was reflected in the reports to the Committee;

(vi)  The Committee was advised that the possibility of shortening the length of sick pay was not favoured or recommended, and there was a lack of evidence to show that for the few Authorities who had done this, there had been a positive impact on sickness absence levels.

Members noted the reduction in overall drop in days lost per FTE, however were of the view that further comparison work with practices at other local authorities as well as private businesses would be beneficial. The Committee drew on anecdotal evidence from Buckingham County Council which had linked performance to receiving and maintaining pay increments (through a system of performance related pay) and was of the view that other ways of managing sickness absence in that Authority should also be investigated.

RESOLVED:

(a)  That the progress towards achieving the corporate target of 7.5 days per FTE, and the overall drop from 9.32 to 8.80 days per FTE as at the end of October 2015 be noted;

(b)  That future reports to the Committee provide a breakdown for long and short term absence and that further details be provided in relation to absences that had occurred as a result of workplace accidents.