Y Pwyllgor Cyfle Cyfartal EOC-01-02(p.2)
Y Pwyllgor Cyfle Cyfartal EOC-01-02(p.2)
Dyddiad: 30 Ionawr 2002 Amser: 9.30am
Lleoliad: Ystafell Bwyllgora 3
Teitl: CODI POB LLAIS – ADRODDIAD AR HYNT Y CYNLLUN GWEITHREDU
Diben
1. Hysbysu’r Pwyllgor Cyfle Cyfartal ar y cynnydd a wnaed hyd yn hyn i gyflawni cynllun gweithredu yr Ysgrifennydd Parhaol i fwrw ymlaen ag argymhellion adroddiad Codi Pob Llais i ddileu arferion a gweithdrefnau cyflogi a allai wahaniaethu yn erbyn aelodau o’r cymunedau du a lleiafrifoedd ethnig.
Crynodeb
2. Cyflwynodd Xxxxx XxXxxxxx ei adroddiad ‘Codi Pob Llais’ yng nghyfarfod y Pwyllgor ar 21 Mawrth 2001. Sefydlodd yr Ysgrifennydd Parhaol grp gweithredu, gyda Xxxxx XxXxxxxx yn y xxxxxx, er mwyn llunio cynllun gweithredu i weithredu’r argymhellion. Cyflwynwyd y cynllun gweithredu i’r Pwyllgor yng Ngorffennaf 2001 ynghyd â chynigion yr Ysgrifennydd Parhaol ar gyfer ei weithredu. Mae’r papur hwn yn darparu’r diweddariad a addawyd ar hynt y gwaith ers Gorffennaf. Er bod adroddiad Xxxxx XxXxxxxx yn xxxxx’n benodol â hiliaeth sefydliadol, mae’r cynllun gweithredu yn cael ei ddatblygu i fynd i’r afael â phob math o wahaniaethu o fewn gweithdrefnau cyflogi’r Cynulliad.
3. Mae argymhellion penodol Codi Pob Llais wedi cael eu golygu er rhesymau cydraddoldeb. Yr ydym yn hapus nad ydynt yn effeithio’n anfwriadol ar y grwpiau eraill nad oes ganddynt gynrychiolaeth ddigonol.Gwnaethpwyd cynnydd ar xxx un namyn dau o’r argymhellion, gan fod y ddau olaf yn ddibynnol ar gael y 41 argymhelliad arall yn eu lle cyn y xxxxxxx symud ymlaen.
Amseru
4. Yng nghyfarfod mis Gorffennaf o’r Pwyllgor, ymgymerodd yr Ysgrifennydd Parhaol â’r dasg o adrodd ar hynt y gwaith o weithredu’r cynllun gweithredu xxx xxxx mis. Xxx’r papur hwn yn cyflawni’r ymrwymiad hwnnw.
Cefndir
5. Cyflwynwyd yr adroddiad Codi Pob Llais i’r Pwyllgor gan yr awdur Xxxxx XxXxxxxx, yn y cyfarfod
ar 21 Mawrth. Yn y cyfarfod hwnnw ymgymerodd yr Ysgrifennydd Parhaol â’r dasg o gynhyrchu cynllun gweithredu i’r Pwyllgor i’w ystyried ar ddiwedd y tri mis gan nodi cynigion ar gyfer gweithredu pob un o’r argymhellion yn adroddiad Codi pob Llais. Sefydlwyd grp gweithredu, gyda Xxxxx XxXxxxxx yn y xxxxxx, i gynhyrchu’r cynllun gweithredu. Cyflwynwyd y cynllun i’r Pwyllgor er gwybodaeth yng Ngorffennaf 2001. Mae’r Ysgrifennydd Parhaol yn gweithio tuag at wneud y Cynulliad yn enghraifft o gyflogwr cyfartal a bydd yn defnyddio’r adroddiad Codi Pob Llais fel un o’r prif ddulliau i gyflawni hyn.
6. Ers Gorffennaf 2001, mae grp llywio, gyda Xxxxx Xxxxxxx yn y gadair, wedi bod yn goruchwylio hynt y cynllun gweithredu. Xxxx xxxx o’r cynllun gweithredu diweddaraf yn Atodiad 2 ac adlewyrcha’r cynnydd a wnaethpwyd ar xxx argymhelliad. Mae rhestr o Aelodau’r Grp Llywio yn Atodiad B. Mae’r cynigion a wnaethpwyd ynghylch camau penodol i weithredu’r argymhellion yn cael eu harchwilio i sicrhau eu bod yn cydymffurfio ag unrhyw ofynion cyfreithiol perthnasol wrth iddynt gael eu datblygu.
Y Sefyllfa Bresennol
7. O’r 43 argymhelliad a gafwyd yn yr adroddiad, y mae 17 ohonynt yn eu lle, gyda nifer ohonynt yn rhan o arferion y Cynulliad ers tro. Mae gwaith wedi cychwyn ar 24 arall. Nid oes unrhyw fath o weithredu wedi cychwyn ar 2 ohonynt hyd yn hyn gan eu bod yn berthnasol i’r archwiliad o’r argymhellion eraill unwaith y maent yn eu lle.
8. Gwnaeth y grp gweithredu ganfod bod dau o’r argymhellion yn cynnwys materion penodol y byddai angen ystyriaeth xxxxxxx amdanynt ac o ganlyniad cafwyd nifer o drafodaethau gydag ochr Undeb Llafur y Cynulliad.
9. Yr oedd argymhelliad 7 yn cynnig bod xxxx swyddi gwag y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol yn cael eu hysbysebu’n allanol. Wrth weithredu’r argymhelliad hwn, rhaid i’r Ysgrifennydd Parhaol gadw’r ddysgl yn wastad rhwng ei gyfrifoldeb i gyflawni cyfle cyfartal gyda’r cyfrifoldeb dros ateb gofynion busnes y Cynulliad a gweithredu fel cyflogwr da sy’n darparu cyfleoedd datblygu gyrfa i’w staff.
10. Awgryma argymhelliad 9 bod gweithwyr newydd yn cael eu penodi i swyddi a ddiffiniwyd yn eglur yn hytrach nag i raddfa gyffredinol. Serch hynny, xxx xxxxx galluoedd cyffredinol sy’n gymwys ar gyfer pobl sydd ar lefelau tebyg yn y sefydliad yn ogystal â galluoedd sy’n berthnasol i swyddi penodol. Yn ogystal, bydd angen llunio contractau cyflogi mewn dull fydd yn sicrhau bod pobl yn medru symud i swyddi gwahanol ar adegau pan fydd hyn yn fuddiol i’r unigolyn ac i’r Cynulliad. Yn ogystal bydd angen strwythur cyflogau cyffredinol wrth fôn unrhyw swydd er mwyn hyrwyddo trosglwyddiadau mewnol o'r fath. Sefydlodd y cytundeb gyflogau, a gyrhaeddwyd gydag Undeb Llafur y Cynulliad yn 2001, system gyflogau lle mae cyflog cyfartal wedi ei sicrhau. Bydd hyn yn gynhaliaeth i unrhyw broses arfaethedig i recriwtio a lleoli staff newydd.
Strategaeth Ddrafft ar gyfer Recriwtio a Lleoli Staff
11. Mae strategaeth ddrafft ar gyfer recriwtio a lleoli staff wedi ei datblygu. Fe’i derbyniwyd gan Is- bwyllgor Personél a Gwasanaethau Cynnal o Fwrdd Gweithredu yr Ysgrifennydd Parhaol ac ar hyn o xxxx xxx’n destun ymgynghoriad gan yr Undeb Llafur. Unwaith fydd yr ymgynghoriad hwnnw wedi ei gwblhau, bydd yn cael ei drafod gan y staff ynghyd â Chomisiwn y Gwasanaeth Sifil, Swyddfa’r Cabinet a’r comisiynau cydraddoldeb yng Nghymru. Xxxx xxxx o’r strategaeth ddrafft i’r Pwyllgor i’w nodi yn Atodiad C.
12. Mae’r strategaeth ddrafft yn cynnwys cynigion i barhau i benodi cnewyllyn bach o staff i swyddi gwag mewn rhai amgylchiadau penodol, megis dychwelyd ar ôl cyfnod mamolaeth neu absenoldeb salwch hir, ac i ganiatáu symud staff i ddatblygu gyrfaoedd drwy eu symud rhwng canghennau. Ym mhob achos, os na fedrir cyfiawnhau penodi staff i swyddi gwag yn unol â’r meini prawf y cytunwyd arnynt, yna bydd rhaid hysbysebu’r swydd yn allanol. Bydd angen archwilio’r system arfaethedig er mwyn sicrhau bod yr Ysgrifennydd Parhaol ac eraill, gan gynnwys yr undebau llafur a’r sefydliadau Cydraddoldeb yn fodlon bod y canran o swyddi sy’n cael eu llenwi drwy recriwtio agored yn dderbyniol. Mae’r system yn awgrymu, yn y dyfodol, mai dim ond trwy gystadleuaeth agored y bydd y staff presennol yn medru sicrhau ‘dyrchafiad’. Bydd y penodiadau i swyddi a hysbysebwyd yn agored yn cael eu cwblhau yn unol â’r egwyddorion cystadleuaeth deg ac agored a’r broses dewis a dethol ar haeddiant, sydd wedi eu nodi yng Nghod Recriwtio Comisiynwyr y Gwasanaeth Sifil. Mae hyn yn adlewyrchu amodau cyfredol y Cynulliad dros wneud penodiadau.
13. Fel enghraifft o’r gweithgareddau lleoli a recriwtio staff sy’n digwydd ar hyn o bryd gan y Cynulliad, mae’r xxxx fanylion am staff sydd wedi symud yn ystod Hydref, Tachwedd a Rhagfyr 2001 yn Atodiad D. Hefyd ceir manylion am y nifer o ymarferion recriwtio sy’n benodol i swyddi arbennig a wnaethpwyd hyd yn hyn yn y flwyddyn 2001-2002. Dylai’r aelodau nodi bod nifer fawr o staff wedi cael dyrchafiadau yn ystod y cyfnod Hydref i Rhagfyr. Mae hyn yn adlewyrchu’r ffaith bod byrddau dyrchafu ar gyfer Bandiau Cyflog B, C, D ac E wedi eu cwblhau yn ystod yr haf 2001 er mwyn cyflawni’r gofynion ar gyfer cwblhau busnes y Cynulliad ac yn unol â chytundeb cynharach gyda’r Undeb Llafur. Yn amodol ar gwblhau’r trafodaethau gyda’r Undebau Llafur ac ymgynghoriad gyda staff ar y strategaeth lleoli a recriwtio staff, mae’n debygol mae dyma’r broses ddyrchafu mewnol olaf a gynhelir yn y Cynulliad.
Amseru’r Gweithredu
14. Fel yr amlinellwyd uchod, mae nifer o’r argymhellion yn eu lle neu wedi derbyn amser penodol i’w gweithredu yn y cynllun gweithredu. Mewn perthynas ag argymhellion 7 a 9, ein bwriad yw trafod cytundeb gyda’r undebau llafur ac ymgynghori gyda staff ar natur y trefniadau newydd, fel eu bod yn eu lle erbyn y Gwanwyn. Yr ydym hefyd yn gobeithio y byddwn wedi hyfforddi’r rheolwyr a’r staff sy’n eu cynorthwyo, ac wedi recriwtio o xxx y trefniadau newydd yn ystod y Gwanwyn a’r Haf. Bydd arbrofi ar y trefniadau newydd hyn yn dechrau ym mis Ionawr 2002 gydag ymarfer recriwtio staff xx xxxx cyflog F. Yr ydym hefyd yn parhau â’r gwaith allanol yn y cymunedau hynny sydd heb gynrychiolaeth ddigonol yn y Cynulliad, gan gynnwys sefydlu rhaglen cysgodi gwaith a phrofiad gwaith ar wahân ar gyfer unigolion o gymunedau lleiafrifoedd ethnig du.
Cydymffurfiaeth
15. Nid oes yna faterion o gysondeb a phriodoldeb ynghlwm wrth y papur hwn.
Themâu Trawsbynciol
16. Wrth weithredu argymhellion adroddiad Codi Pob Llais, mae’r Cynulliad yn pwysleisio ymhellach ei ymroddiad i gyfle cyfartal.
Gweithredu
17. Gwahoddir y Pwyllgor i nodi hynt cynllun gweithredu yr Ysgrifennydd Parhaol a’r strategaeth ddrafft ar gyfer lleoli a recriwtio staff.
Cyswllt – Ysgrifenyddiaeth i Grp Llywio Codi Pob Llais
Annex B
LIFTING EVERY VOICE STEERING GROUP - MEMBERSHIP
National Assembly officials
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, Director, Personnel, Management and Business Services -Chair Xxx Xxxxxxxx, Acting Head of Personnel Division
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Head of Recruitment and Selection Xxxxx Xxxx, Equal Opportunities Officer
Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Head of Equality Policy Unit
Xxxxx Xxxxx, Recruitment and Selection Team - Secretary
National Assembly Trade Union Side Xxxx Xxxxxxxx, Trade Union Side Chair Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, Trade Union Side Secretary
Xxx Xxxxxxxxx, Trade Union Side, Presiding Office
Annex C STAFF DEPLOYMENT AND RECRUITMENT STRATEGY – POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
1. This strategy outlines the policies and procedures which will apply to the implementation of a staff deployment and recruitment strategy. The practical steps needed to undertake the strategy are set out below.
2. The strategy will take due regard of the Civil Service Commissioners’ Code on Recruitment, the findings of the report on the 2000 Recruitment Exercise to Bands A to D and the Lifting Every Voice report.
3. The strategy covers 3 eventualities. The need to:-
a. cover temporary vacancies;
b. facilitate movement around the Assembly for staff wishing or needing to move jobs/develop their experience;
c. openly recruit to fill substantive vacancies.
4. The strategy assumes that any substantive post not filled by lateral transfer or on a temporary basis will be the subject of open recruitment.
The need to openly recruit to the Assembly
5. When the number of Assembly staff falls short of the number of funded posts needed to discharge its functions, there will be a need to fill the shortfall by open competition. The process to be adopted will be to decide the route by which individual vacancies should be filled. Leaving aside making a small number of posts available for secondment opportunities, there are 2 likely courses of action:-
a. to advertise the post internally for lateral transfer. Where a staffing shortfall exists a post filled internally by lateral transfer is likely to create a vacancy elsewhere;
b. some posts will have a person specification which may suggest that an open competition is desirable, without an internal advert for lateral transfer. Those posts should be openly advertised.
6. Either way, as long as the Assembly has a staffing shortfall the gap will be made up by open recruitment, while existing staff will still have the opportunity to move around to develop their careers. Should we reach a situation where the shortfall has effectively been met, the numbers of vacancies subject to open recruitment will need to be managed carefully in order to avoid potential redundancy situations for staff already in post.
Definition of a vacancy
7. The starting point in considering the strategy is to define what constitutes a vacancy or ‘slot’. This is a potential or existing ‘empty seat’, a gap where a substantive member of staff would fit and for which the identifying Division has the recurrent budget (or Departmental Running Costs (DRCs)).
8. Once the slot had been identified, it could currently be filled temporarily in three ways whilst a permanent member of staff is identified to fill it:
● time limited out of grade working by another permanent member of staff for between 6 and 24 months. This is possible at present via deputising arrangements but invariably creates gaps below the slot by other members of staff filling in behind it;
● out of grade working under the temporary working allowance arrangements for up to 6 months. This arrangement might mean that others below the slot move up the chain temporarily;
● employing a ‘casual’ worker for the duration of the vacancy which usually leaves the other staff in the team in their normal positions. When the vacancy is at Band A or B or is for secretarial staff another option available is using staff from a temporary support agency.
All three options are covered by DRCs but the cost commitments vary between the options.
Declaring a vacancy
9. When a Division identifies that it has or will have a vacant slot, it declares that slot to the Recruitment and Selection Team (RAS). Where the post is substantive it must be covered by recurrent DRCs and is likely to have been identified via a workforce planning system. XXX is currently working with Finance Planning Division to create a robust planning system to be used in the future.
10. Once a DRC covered vacancy has been declared, XXX considers, in the particular circumstances of the post and in consultation with the Division, how the post should be filled, whether internally or by open competition.
Filling a slot internally
11. XXX, in consultation with line managers, has the discretion to decide whether a slot should be filled by recruiting internally or by open competition. If the slot is available on only a temporary basis (maximum of one year), it may be appropriate to consider using one of the options at 8 above rather than recruiting a permanent member of staff.
12. The reasons for filling a slot temporarily can include:
● maternity leave cover
● long-term sickness absence
● the slot has only temporary funding (project work)
● the slot is in support of or has been created by the need to post another member of staff to undertake a particular time-limited project
● a need is identified to fill the slot until a permanent appointee arrives.
13. In the majority of cases, however, it will be appropriate to fill a slot permanently. This would mean advertising the slot on the basis of a lateral transfer initially to allow staff the opportunity for career development. If no suitable candidate were identified, the slot would then be subject to open recruitment.
14. In certain cases, RAS and the Division may agree that internal candidates are unlikely to have the skills necessary to fill the slot. In such instances, the post would be advertised openly without advertising on lateral transfer first.
Exceptions to internal transfer and open competition
15. There are certain circumstances in which it is necessary to post current staff directly into vacant slots without advertising internally or externally. Such exceptions are necessary for reasons of employment law, good employment practice, including the need to maintain Investors in People status, or to manage the business of the Assembly effectively in unexpected circumstances. The numbers of slots which would be filled in this way would constitute only a small proportion of all vacancies.
16. Exceptions would include:
● returners from maternity leave, long term sickness absence, career breaks or secondments;
● transfers in from other government departments;
● re-instatement or re-employment of former civil servants;
● employment of civil servants made redundant from other departments;
● emergency situations such as the foot and mouth outbreak;
● welfare reasons;
● participation in staff development schemes such as the Management Development Programme or
fast streamers;
● career development reasons; or
● rehabilitation slots.
Lateral Transfer
17. The process for lateral transfers will continue as at present.
18. If a suitable candidate is not identified via this lateral transfer process, the slot will normally be offered via an open recruitment exercise.
19. The Permanent Secretary will reserve the right to hold job-specific promotion exercises in certain specific and exceptional circumstances where, for instance, it is clearly the case that an in-depth knowledge of the procedures and operations of the Assembly is required, but there have been no applicants on lateral transfer.
Filling a slot by open recruitment
20. In order to fill a slot by open competition, candidates will be required to complete an application form designed to require the provision of evidence of the relevant competencies. They will need to supply information on referees including a current or past employer, if the applicant has previously been employed. The interviewing panel will conduct a sift on the basis of the relevant competencies for the grade and criteria pecific post (indicated in the documentation in the candidate packs and the information to candidates).
21. Candidates sifted in would move forward to an assessment centre to test the generic competencies for the grade. Depending on the number of posts subject to open recruitment during any period of time, it might be appropriate to hold assessment centres at set intervals (so that numbers can be secured to run effective group exercises) or extraordinary ones for particular posts. The intervals between assessment centres will vary depending on the grade to which the vacancies apply. Running larger, planned assessment centres will reduce costs by bringing economies of scale not possible with those mounted at short notice for small numbers of posts. Specific arrangements will be made for candidates with a disability.
22. All those who pass the assessment centre will move on to interview to test competencies or skills for the specific post. There will be no ranking of candidates at this stage as it is known that minority ethnic candidates and candidates with a disability, although able to pass assessment centres, do not generally rank as highly as white, able bodied candidates.
23. Candidates successful at the assessment centre but unsuccessful at interview will be informed of this outcome and advised that they will be eligible to apply for other posts of interest to them in the ensuing 12-month period without having to sit the assessment centre again.
24. The candidate information provided to each panel will consist of candidates’ application forms at sift stage and the application forms plus the results of any job specific tests at interview stage. They will not receive the actual results of the assessment centre for the reasons given at paragraph 22. The panel will need to know only the names of those who pass and are therefore eligible for interview.
Constitution of interview panels
25. The role of the interview panel is to assess the job specific skills and professional qualifications of candidates at the sift stage of the recruitment process and to interview candidates who are successful at the assessment centre.
26. The membership of an interview panel normally consists of a chair and two members. The membership will be gender balanced and consist of one customer and one expert (who may be the same person), one person who is not the customer (i.e. comes from another Group within the Assembly) and one member external to the Assembly as appropriate (for example to assess professional abilities). Personnel Division reserves the right to chair a panel if necessary to quality assure the process. Trade Union Side might also be involved as an observer of the process, provided candidates agree.
Identifying panel members
27. In order to secure the numbers of staff who will be required to carry out interviewing duties, every member of staff at Band C level and above will be trained and invited to participate via a system similar to involvement in jury service. Careful consideration will be given to the possibility of opting out of participation once invited, frequency of having to ‘serve’, etc.
28. Staff who are called on to participate will have the advantage of being able to experience the interview process ‘from the other side of the table’ as well as having the opportunity to recruit staff for their own teams. Participating in the process will be a developmental opportunity as well as a management tool.
29. It may be necessary to consider involving outside board members in the staff deployment and recruitment process either to act as chairs or as independent members of the board depending on the level and nature of post involved. Such members would need to be trained in the same way as internal members and their involvement will be monitored closely by XXX. They would be paid on a daily fee basis plus travel and subsistence costs for their services.
Training for panel members
30. A robust and large scale training programme will need to be developed to support the needs of the panel members. The training will cover:
● structured interviewing techniques (including consideration of whether to notify candidates of questions in advance);
● setting of selection criteria;
● assessment centres;
● equality issues; and,
● employment law.
Refresher training will be provided at least once every three years. The effectiveness of the training provided will be evaluated on a regular basis. The training will be adapted to take account of ongoing developments in employment law or equality issues as they occur.
Training for candidates
31. A robust programme of training for candidates will need to be developed. For current staff this will include training in structured interview techniques, completing application forms and the working of assessment centres. A programme of pre-entry training for black minority ethnic candidates is also being developed. General advice and guidance will be prepared separately for all candidates. All elements are expected to be in place in Spring 2002 in order to implement the strategy from April 2002 once consultation with staff and others has taken place.
Degree of job specificity
32. Most posts at the lower grades might have different job titles but the competencies and duties required are generic. The degree of job specificity increases with grade. It has been suggested that it is only when you reach Pay Band E that the degree of specificity becomes significant. At the lower grades, individual job titling might be the more appropriate means of differentiating between jobs than a large number of different job descriptions and person specifications. The scope for offering comparable posts to people applying for slots below Pay Band E is significant and could result in economies of scale.
Staff time required to run a recruitment exercise
33. The average amount of staff time taken to process a straightforward internal transfer from receipt of advert to informing the successful candidate is 2 working days. For an open recruitment exercise, the amount of staff time involved can be as much as 10 working days. This increases if the person dealing with the exercise is also involved as a panel member.
Timescale for a recruitment exercise
34. The timescale from notification of an internal transfer to the person taking up post is roughly 11 weeks, given that most people interpret the Assembly’s current ‘8-week rule’ on internal transfers as an absolute rather than subject to negotiation. Under the new strategy, we propose that the internal postings policy be reviewed and that the timescale for an internal transfer be halved to four weeks. In parallel
with this we propose that lateral transferees be required to stay in their posts for a minimum period of two years, unless there are exceptional reasons why a move is necessary before that time has elapsed e.g. breakdown of relations with the line manager. These proposals would mean that Divisions could manage their business more effectively as posting gaps would be minimised. It would also cut down on advertising and overall costs as vacant slots would be likely to be fewer than at present and possibly more predictable as people approached the set period in post.
35. The timescale from the decision to advertise openly to the person taking up post is presently a minimum of 15 weeks and could be as long as 20 weeks or more. Openly advertising a larger number of posts could have serious implications for the management of the Assembly’s business. As a result of this, we are currently reviewing the recruitment process to identify means of reducing the portion of this period within the control of the Assembly, whether in RAS or Divisions.
36. Standard documentation in English and in Welsh to be used off the shelf has been produced. The employing Division will be required to provide job and person specifications for specific posts. However, the Assembly has no control over the greater part of the open recruitment timescale as it is taken up by notice periods and time spent waiting for referees to respond to requests for references. In addition, Emergencies and Security Policy Team has proposed a more robust system of security vetting than at present. This has the potential to add more time to the process if it is found that the background and circumstances of a job candidate give rise to further enquiries.
Staff resources
37. There will be a considerable demand on the time of staff at pay bands F, E and D in particular to sit on interview boards and to provide feedback to internal candidates for open exercises, should they seek it. (Legal advice is that we should not give feedback to external candidates to avoid the risk of discriminatory remarks being made.)
Other resource requirements
38. Other resource requirements include:
● training costs as all staff will require training and developmental support as potential applicants, staff from Pay Band C upwards as interviewers and others as administrators of the recruitment process.
● direct costs of advertising, hiring of suitable interview accommodation, resources used for providing information to candidates, the design and administration of assessment centres etc.
● an IT based package to support the process and allow full documentation including details of all candidates. This should enable staff to track candidates, provide analysis of schemes and be capable of being integrated with the Personnel staff database.
Financial resource requirements
39. The average cost of a recruitment exercise for one post is currently £20,500. Advertising makes up around £10,000 of this cost. In the future, composite advertisements will be published on a monthly or fortnightly basis, depending on the volume of posts. We will follow the model used by local authorities with very brief details on posts available.
Implications for Recruitment and Selection Team
40. XXX will provide a recruitment and selection service tailored to the individual needs of divisions and run to respond promptly to requests for new staff.
Implications for Groups
41. RAS will liase with Groups to produce an annual recruitment plan for the Group linking into Groups’ Operational Plans and DRC allocations. These plans will be reviewed quarterly using the information provided to RAS monthly on the staffing position of Groups.
Career Development
42. The strategy will be implemented bearing in mind the need to maintain career development opportunities for current staff. Each member of staff will have had a significant amount of time and money invested in their personal development. The Assembly is recognised as an Investors in People employer. We will ensure therefore that the investment made in staff is put to good effect. Staff should be able to broaden their skills and experience by transferring laterally or to demonstrate their abilities at a higher level via open recruitment.
Use of the Welsh Language
43. Under the Welsh Language Scheme certain posts within the Assembly will be designated as having to be filled by a Welsh speaker. Overall it is proposed that the Assembly has a minimum agreed capacity of 10 to 20% of staff able to converse in the Welsh language by 2004. The majority of posts will not have a specific requirement for the Welsh language but the provision of training in Welsh and opportunities for using the language will increase.
Increasing levels of employment of under-represented groups
44. As part of this strategy, the Assembly will publicise to under-represented groups the revised approach being taken to recruitment. The aim is to make the Assembly’s workforce more representative of the population of Wales by increasing the proportion of staff from the Black and Minority Ethnic communities and those who have disabilities. Part of this outreach work has already begun by the
development of closer links with minority ethnic communities by the Equality Policy Unit. EPU is working with the All Wales Ethnic Minority Association and the Race Equality Councils in Wales to publicise the initiatives that are being developed. EPU is continuing this work as progress in implementing the recommendations of the Lifting Every Voice report is being made. Similar arrangements are being made with disability groups in Wales. In addition, the Permanent Secretary holds regular meetings with the leaders of black minority ethnic communities in Wales. The staff deployment and recruitment strategy will form part of the discussions at these meetings.
45. RAS is undertaking research into the experiences of various groups within the working population and producing promotional materials for use in conjunction with all recruitment exercises. We plan to advertise recruitment exercises more widely via the minority ethnic press, race equality councils and disability organisation newsletters. We are also developing a work shadowing and work placement programme for black minority ethnic individuals so that they can have first hand experience of working in the Assembly and can feed their experiences back into their communities.
Personnel Division January, 2002
Annex D
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY VACANCIES FILLED: OCTOBER TO DECEMBER 2001
Type of staff move | October | November | December |
Lateral transfer: permanent staff | 18: SCS – 3 Band G – 2 Band D – 1 Band C – 7 Band B – 3 Band A – 1 | 19: Band F – 2 Band E – 1 Band D – 1 Band C – 5 Band B – 8 Band A – 2 | 17: Band D – 4 Band C – 3 Band B – 8 Band A – 2 |
Lateral transfer: Casual staff | 4: Band C – 1 Band B – 3 | 1: Band A – 1 | 0 |
Returners | 4: From unpaid leave – 1 (Band C) From maternity leave – 3 (Band C – 1; Band B – 2) | 9: From unpaid leave – 2 (Band B) From maternity leave – 6 (Band D – 1; Band C – 1; Band B – 4) From career break – 1 (Band A) | 8: From unpaid leave – 3 (Band C – 2; Band B – 1) From maternity leave – 3 (Band C – 1; Band B – 2) From career break – 2 (Band B – 1; Band A – 1) |
Open recruitment | 10: SCS – 1 Band G – 2 Band C – 3 Band B – 2 Band A – 2 | 5: Band D – 1 Band C – 1 Band B – 2 Band A – 1 | 6: HEO’D’ – 1 Band C – 1 Band B – 2 Band A – 2 |
New appointments of casual staff | 25: Band B – 8 Band A – 17 (including 1 New Deal participant) | 18: Band C – 4 Band B – 3 Band A – 11 (including 2 New Deal participants) | 0 |
Promotions | 37: To Band E – 8 To Band D – 11 To Band C – 14 To Band B – 4 | 55: To Band E – 8 To Band D – 16 To Band C – 24 To Band B – 7 | 83: To Band E – 6 To Band D – 16 To Band C – 20 To Band B – 41 |
Leavers: permanent staff (including retirements) | 23: Band G – 1 Band D – 4 Band B – 4 Band A – 14 | 11: SCS – 1 Band C – 6 Band B – 1 Band A – 3 | 11: Band F – 3 Band C – 3 Band B – 5 |
Leavers: casual staff | 26: Band D – 1 Band B – 2 Band A – 23 | 25: Band C – 4 Band B – 6 Band A – 15 | 16: Band C – 1 Band B – 1 Band A – 14 (including 1 New Deal participant) |
RECRUITMENT TO THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR WALES: SPECIFIC POSTS OPENLY ADVERTISED DURING 2001-02 TO DATE
Band to which recruited | Number of posts: total 97 |
SCS | 13 |
Band G | 6 |
Band F | 13 |
Band E | 2 |
Band D | 16 |
Band C | 13 (including one fixed term appointment) |
Band B | 3 |
Band A | 31 |
Please note that not all these recruitment schemes have yet been completed. Some are at offer stage, some at interview, some at advertisement and some at the initial planning stage.