The results of the Local Government Workforce Survey 2009 show that most chief executives now recognise the importance of a skilled and motivated workforce in delivering their organisations’ strategic ambitions.
Many recent studies have showed how vital leadership action is in this arena, particularly in such a people-intensive business. Employee engagement is a recurring theme in stories of how councils achieved dramatic transformations.
And the Audit Commission’s new Use of Resources assessments on workforce issues put even greater attention on this area.
The survey shows that recruitment difficulties have reduced significantly for most occupations. The recession has contributed to this, but there has been a steady reduction in local authorities’ recruitment problems since 2004, as more and more councils set up development schemes to allow existing staff to develop higher level skills.
Many have also redesigned jobs to make better use of scarce professional skills by introducing more skilled support worker roles.
And initiatives such as the Improvement and Development Agency national graduate development programmes and Local Government Talent website have helped to promote local government careers.
Unfortunately, following the repercussions from the Baby Peter case, social work recruitment and retention difficulties have increased, with recruiting children’s social workers now an issue for 72% of councils. The Local Government Association Group is working with the government’s Social Work Task Force to support councils in tackling these issues.
There has been a huge growth in the number of councils attaining Investors in People status across the council, with 82% of the workforce now covered compared with 38% in 2001.
However, many councils still report significant gaps in some of the skills they need for transformation, such as strategic commissioning, business process improvement, change management and performance management.
It’s important that councils don’t see training budgets as an easy area to cut, but instead continue to invest in skills development to ensure they have the skills they need for future success.
Most councils are likely to face considerable workforce issues in the future, with fewer resources and a partnership approach leading to major transformations in service delivery.
But a strong foundation has been built from which councils can rise to address future workforce challenges.
Joan Munro is national adviser, workforce strategy, Improvement and Development Agency. The full survey is available at: http://www.lga.gov.uk/lga/core/page.do?pageId=1956067
