Redcar and Cleveland councillors are to throw a spotlight on staff appraisals at their local authority with many continuing to be missed.
Performance figures show about 20% of the workforce has not had an appraisal completed in the last 12 months.
The council’s resources scrutiny committee has now chosen appraisals as a topic to be examined in the coming months.
An agenda item flagging up the work to be done by the committee said it was to ensure the council’s staff appraisal process is “effective, consistently applied, and delivering the intended improvements in workforce performance, development, engagement, and organisational outcomes”.
Appraisal report
The report said appraisals helped track the performance of the workforce; aligned individual work with organisational priorities; and strengthened engagement, morale, and retention among staff.
The planned scrutiny work will look at potential enhancements to training and the systems in place which could strengthen the appraisal process and increase its value to staff, managers, and the organisation.
Desirable outcomes would be a more motivated, supported and skilled workforce; greater consistency and fairness across the organisation; stronger relationships and communication between staff and managers; and improved wellbeing and reduced sickness absence.
The report said the committee would be a ‘critical friend’ by bringing an independent, non-executive perspective and be the voice of staff and residents, amplifying any concerns and representing community expectations when it came to the quality of services.
The enquiry is expected to last between three and six months and will draw on interviews with managers and staff surveys, a sample review of anonymised appraisal forms, trade union input and benchmarking information from other councils, among other things.
The results of the review will lead to a monitoring /action plan to be shared with the council’s cabinet and relevant council officers.
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