Source · Select Committees · Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Recommendation 13
13
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 53
In light of the increase in staff turnover in 2021–22, we reiterate our call from...
Recommendation
In light of the increase in staff turnover in 2021–22, we reiterate our call from the Committee’s PHSO Annual Scrutiny Report 2020–21 for the PHSO to consider other development opportunities to encourage staff retention. Whilst the development of a 10-month training academy for new caseworkers is welcome, the PHSO must ensure there is minimal loss to institutional knowledge and the quality and pace of casework management is not impacted by staff turnover. The Committee would welcome further information on how the newly-established four Parliamentary focus teams mentioned in the Annual Report and Accounts for 2021–22 will improve performance in handling Parliamentary cases. Furthermore, while the Ombudsman told the Committee in November 2022 that the Peer Review Panel’s recommendations in relation to casework management will be implemented incrementally, in its response to this Report, the PHSO should set out exactly what changes will be put in place and to what timetable.
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the importance of staff retention and outlines steps taken such as training, staff surveys, and monitoring turnover, but makes no specific commitments to address the PHSO's loss of institutional knowledge or casework management pace.
Paragraph Reference:
53
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The increase in staff turnover in 2021–22 was in-line with national trends following the pandemic. Turnover has now stabilised. As outlined in the Business Plan, we continue to prioritise developing PHSO’s people to ensure that we remain an attractive employer with an engaged, diverse, and inclusive culture where everyone lives our values and works collaboratively to achieve common goals. We are committed to continuous improvement and learning. In 2021–22 we delivered over 2,000 days of training through over 500 online and offline courses and short learning labs. Our staff survey scores for learning and development have improved in 2021–22 compared with last year. This will support the retention of staff, whilst acknowledging that attrition can also be positive as new staff bring a fresh perspective and different experiences and skills. Staff turnover continues to be monitored on a monthly basis. This data will inform a range of measures including a review of grading and staff reward to ensure that we are competitive. We are also exploring the development of structured career pathways to support career progression–another tool which can support retention.