Council and democracy

Workforce plans and development

Hertfordshire County Council’s workforce priorities provide the framework for the Adult Care Services human resources and learning and development functions, both of which contribute to the delivery of services to users and carers.

The extent and pace of change in the health and social care arena requires workforce-related policy and practice that is flexible, responsive and enabling. As such, the focus for Adult Care Services is on policy and practice that enables flexible service delivery to meet the greater control, choice and voice exercised by users and carers.

We will:

• Promote and monitor a range of flexible working options that address demands from users and carers and ensure managers are supported in the application of flexible working
• Build on the current contribution of users and carers to recruitment practice and staff training and induction
• Involve disabled service users and employees in the design, implementation, delivery and monitoring of disability equality schemes
• Consult operational service managers in the review of HR and learning and development policies and implement a means of measuring their effectiveness
• Develop effective workforce planning and development processes to ensure the department is staffed appropriately to meet the needs of users and carers
• Develop all managers as coaches and developers of staff
• Make more use of traineeships, apprenticeships, scholarships, sponsorships and secondments in the development of professional skills and expertise
• Work with partner organisations, the private, voluntary and independent sectors on joint recruitment and retention initiatives and to agree a common human resources and learning and development agenda