1. Workforce Transformation
MJ AWARDS 2017
Workforce Transformation

2. Transforming our Workforce
Team SSE
Increased staff satisfaction
Substantially reduced staff sickness levels
Improved employer relations with the trade unions
Maintained customer base and improved service provision despite reduced funding
100% of customers would recommend our services

3. Why was SSE formed? 2012 2013 2014 Need identified for:
Greater financial clarity;
Robust commissioning arrangements;
A business improvement plan to support services to become more commercially minded and to unite the services;
Stronger performance management;
Enhanced commercial rigour in terms of specifying, pricing and delivering services efficiently.
2012
2013
2014
Headteachers approached the Chief Executive and Council Leader raising concerns about a potential reduction in Local Authority (LA) education services.
Schools consulted about services they valued and wanted to continue to purchase from the council. Focus groups involving stakeholders, schools and staff gathered market intelligence.
Support Services for Education (SSE) formed into a fully trading unit within Somerset County Council (SCC) with over 300 staff coming together with an income target of just over £18m.

4. What does SSE look like? Support for SEN and Vulnerable Learners
Educational Psychology
Autism and Communication
Learning Support
Vision Support
Hearing Support
Physical Impairment and Medical Support
Early Years SENCOs
Ethnic Minority Achievement and Traveller Education
Support for SEN and Vulnerable Learners
Support for Educational Improvement
Business Support Services HR
Health and Safety
Education Finance
Contract Support
Somerset Centre for Integrated Learning
E-Learning and Information Management
Property and Grounds
Somerset Music
Resources for Learning
Education Welfare
Education Safeguarding
Outdoor and Residential Learning Centres
Admissions and Entitlements
Education and Early Years Advisors
Governor Support
Commercial Development

5. How have we done it? - Staff task and finish groups
- Secondment opportunities to key project areas
- Supported our managers to tackle poor performance and to
- Business and Commercial Awareness Training for all managers
- Pulled together central support and reviewed systems and
- Developed improvement plan
- 5 Year Business Plans
- Middle leader and junior management training programme
- Regular meetings with the trade unions
- Staff task and finish groups
hold regular absence reviews meetings
processes

6. Where are we now? No. of services
No. of full time equivalent employees
Average staff sickness level
Financial Turnover
Then (2014) 15
230
11.3
£18.1 million
Now
(latest figures) 23
338
4.48
( SCC March 2016)
£20.6 million
Staff Satisfaction
SCC
SSE
Then (2013)
74%
N/A
Now
(2016)
75%
92%

7. Staff engagement
“Encouraging staff engagement in ‘task and finish’ groups and standing SSE steering groups has enabled our colleagues to have opportunities to enhance their own experience and to shape the Vision, Values and Principles of SSE and its ways of doing business. Staff feel they have a real say and ownership of the organisation.”
Ian Mosley
Strategic Manager – Organisational Development
90% of staff feel they can commit to and support SSE’s vision and values.

8. “Team SSE”
“Always a colleague with whom to share a concern or raise an issue.”
“Everyone is very friendly and helpful and nothing is too much trouble.”
“The team here is great - sharing knowledge and experience.”
“Very helpful and supportive. Thanks for your continued support.”
“I feel that colleagues are very responsive and supportive.”
“Extremely responsive to our needs.”
92% of our staff feel supported at work
100% of our customers would recommend our services
SSE Staff Survey 2016
SSE Customer Survey 2016

9. Our commitment to children
and young people
Welsh 3 Peaks Challenge
Abseil down County Hall
Bake sales
In 2016 we raised £1,587.82!

10. Championing our vision
Number of SSE apprentices appointed since formation
% of apprentices securing a permanent position with SSE
Current number of SSE apprentices 26
88% 11
“I have been in my apprenticeship at SSE for 4 months now and the experience has been great. The atmosphere, the people, it all comes together and creates a great working space. Working within SSE means the opportunities are endless; you can move around to different departments or expand on your current one.”

11. What do our apprentices have to say?

12. How do we support our staff?
Regular line management meetings (every 4-6 weeks)
Annual appraisals
Targets based upon our 9 outcomes
Recognition letters
Funded training opportunities
Career progression meetings
E-Learning
Interview preparation sessions
Presentation practice workshops
Work shadowing opportunities
High-level project involvement
Accessible training matrixes
Weekly SSE job bulletin
Internal training opportunities
Mentoring and coaching
Buddy schemes
“SSE develop and empower their managers so they can be successful at managing staff effectively and therefore add value by building a high performance and engaged workforce.” - HR Adviser SCC
92% of staff feel their line managements meetings are effective.
SSE Staff Survey 2016
98% of our workforce feel they have the skills required to enable them to do their job.

13. Meet the teams

14. Why SSE?
We have a strong performance management culture and staff who strive to deliver quality services
High levels of staff satisfaction sustained
Good mixture of public sector ethos delivering services through strong commercial practices
Increased levels of buy back from schools despite pressures on school budgets
This has allowed SSE to put money back into Local Authority services to benefit children and young people

15. Any questions?