23/03/23 

Cardiff Council's Cabinet has agreed the local authority's Workforce Strategy for the next five years which details its commitment to employing ‘the right people, with the right skills, in the right place, at the right time and at the right cost'. 

The strategy, which is closely linked to the Council's ‘Stronger, Fairer, Greener' approach to how it delivers services to its residents and communities, covers the period from 2023-2027 and includes a host of initiatives and innovations intended to: 

• Establish a more diverse workforce reflecting the diversity of Cardiff's communities
• Identify innovative mechanisms for recruiting and retaining staff in areas of national shortage
• Utilise, nurture and develop the talent it has across the Council.

"We are committed to supporting our employees so that they want to work for us and feel that they are valued and appreciated as individuals," said Cllr Chris Weaver, the Cabinet member for finance, modernisation and performance. 

"With this in mind, we have created a new workforce strategy built around our ‘Stronger, Fairer, Greener' priorities - creating a strong economy that sustains well-paid jobs, with an education system that helps young people reach their potential, creating opportunities that can be enjoyed by everyone, whatever their background, in a city which is focused on a greener future." 

The new strategy identifies seven key priority areas that need to be addressed if the council is to unlock the full potential of its staff: 

• Equalities and diversity- promoting an inclusive and engaging workforce
• Resourcing strategies- attracting, developing and retaining the best talent
• Workforce planning- enabling the council to take informed decisions
• Learning and development- ensuring all employees have the chance to develop their skills
• Culture, health, wellbeing and engagement- keeping the workplace safe and healthy and the workforce engaged and resilient
• Contractual developments- a clear framework to support good employee relations
• Partnerships with trade unions- communicating clearly and regularly to ensure the employee voice is heard

The report, which went before the Cabinet on Thursday (March 23), highlights areas where the Council has already had successes, including winning a number of awards for its equality and diversity agenda - including the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index gold award in which it was ranked as the number one council in Wales - delivering courses to support managers on policies and procedures, including menopause and neurodiversity, and developing a council-wide employee engagement programme. 

Key to the strategy is ensuring the workforce is reflective of the communities within Cardiff and ensuring all employees are treated with dignity and respect. To ensure this, the strategy outlines a number of key priorities, including: 

• Rolling out diverse recruitment panels
• Implementing a leadership programme that supports employees with real or perceived barriers to progression
• Continuing to promote the Welsh language

The Council is also committed to exploring new ways to recruit staff, including social media, and reviewing job titles, adverts, job descriptions so applicants can easily identify the roles they wish to apply for. 

It is also continuing to be a ‘fair work' employer, reducing its use of agency staff and transferring them to permanent contracts where possible, and encouraging staff to develop its skills to meet the needs of customers and the changing requirements of the council. 

The full Workforce Strategy report is available to read here. It was discussed by the Cabinet on Thursday, March 23. View a recording of the video feed here.