Human Resources

Develop and implement a Human Resources Strategy to facilitate a strategic approach to people management.

The Human Resources department is primarily responsible for:

• Recruitment and deployment of staff
• Staff Training and Development
• Performance Management
• Human Resources Policies and Procedures
• Equality and Diversity Management
• Industrial/Staff Relations
• Workplace Partnership
• Superannuation

Staff

The number of persons employed by the Council at 31st December 2009 was 705. Roscommon County Council recognises that staff are the most valuable resource within the organisation and play a crucial role in the achievement of its objectives. The County Council aims to enable all of its employees to grow to their full potential through continual training and participation in the planning and delivery of high quality services.

Excellence through People

Roscommon County Council benchmarks its Human Resources Development function against the standards required to obtain accreditation under the FAS Excellence through People Award programme. Excellence through People Award is Ireland's national standard for Human Resources Development. It is presented by FAS to organisations that operate a Human Resources Development system which aims to achieve excellence through the training, development and involvement of its workforce. In order to qualify for the award FAS carries out an independent assessment on the extent to which Roscommon County Council is investing in employee training and development, in communicating and consulting with its workforce and in the strategic and operational planning of its services. Roscommon County Council has been an accredited organisation under the FAS Excellence through People programme since December 2005.

Staff Training and Development

Roscommon County Council is committed to substantially investing in the training and development of its employees. This commitment ensures that staff possess the necessary competencies to enable the council deliver a quality service to the public. In order to achieve this aim Roscommon County Council:

• Conducts Training Needs Analyses on an annual basis
• Prepares annual Training and Development Plans
• Implements a substantial training programme which includes
  1. Induction Training
  2. On-the-job training
  3. Support for employees undertaking continuing education
  4. Delivery of specialised training, using internally and externally sourced trainers, in a wide range of areas including customer service, communications, health and safety, information technology, human resources management, performance management, dignity at work and diversity management, financial management, change management, team working, procurement, project management, legislation, professional and technical expertise, vocational skills, maintenance of services and machinery and equipment operation.
• Systematically carries out an on-going evaluation of training and development activity

Performance Management and Development System (PMDS)

The Human Resources Department co-ordinates the operation of a Performance Management and Development System (PMDS) in Roscommon County Council. PMDS is concerned with ensuring that strategic objectives contained in the County Council's Corporate Plan are translated into operational objectives for teams and individual employees throughout the organisation. The Corporate Plan is used a foundation to generate Team Development Plans (TDPs) within every department and this in turn leads to the creation of Personal Development Plans (PDPs) for every employee. These plans contain goals, targets and timeframes that are designed to ensure that staff in the organisation contribute effectively to delivering a quality service to the public. PMDS also places considerable emphasis on identifying the training and development requirements of staff in order to ensure that they are equipped with the necessary competencies to meet the organisations aims and objectives.

Equality and Diversity

Roscommon County Council is committed to the principles of equality of access, participation and outcome for all in relation to service delivery and the Human Resource function. The County Council endeavours to ensure that all citizens are treated equally and are not discriminated against on any of the grounds identified in the equality legislation.

Roscommon County Council's Equality and Diversity Action Team is representative of Management, Trade Unions and Staff. The team works with the Equality Officer to devise measures to achieve equal opportunities.

Promoting Equal Opportunities for All - Roscommon County Council - Promoting Equal Opportunities for All

In December 2007, Roscommon County Council was chosen as a Model of Best Practice in the Local Government Sector in the promotion of Equal Opportunities for All. This model of Best Practice was utilised in a Case Study, which was created by the Local Government Management Services Board for the Irish Times Business 2000 initiative.

The Irish Times Business 2000 is a curriculum-linked resource for second and third level students to enhance their knowledge and understanding of the business world and is designed to bring real business stories into the classroom. It brings business to life, illustrating the internal and external factors affecting many leading organisations. The influence of people in the organisation is frequently emphasised, illustrating that business is a human endeavour.

This Case Study is included in the 11th edition of the Irish Times Business 2000 publications.

Please click here to view details of the Case Study
(PDF Document, Size: 298Kb).

Industrial Relations

The Human Resources Department works with Unions and Staff Representatives to achieve good working relationships and is committed to the promotion of a good Industrial Relations environment.

Workplace Partnership

Workplace partnership is concerned with the implementation of initiatives that are considered to be beneficial in terms of simultaneously improving the efficiency and effectiveness of Roscommon County Council and the quality of the working lives of its employees. It aims to extensively involve employees with management in change initiatives through processes such as communications and consultation, joint problem solving and consensus decision-making. Workplace Partnership is structured in Roscommon County Council as follows:

Workplace Partnership Committee

The Workplace Partnership Committee oversees the implementation of change initiatives on a partnership basis. Membership of the Workplace Partnership Committee consists of 6 management and 6 trade union representatives

Working Groups

Small task/project focussed groups involving staff are from time to time established by the Workplace Partnership Committee to explore, design and implement partnership initiatives.

Partnership Facilitator

The role of the Partnership Facilitator is to support the Workplace Partnership Committee and working groups and to promote the development of workplace partnership throughout the County Council.

A considerable range of projects have been completed through the workplace partnership process in the areas of training and development, human resources policies and procedures, health and safety, employee welfare, dignity at work and diversity management, staff recognition and internal and external communications. Working groups have been established in a number of the areas including training and development, the carrying out a review of the County Council's flexitime system and the implementation of a substantial workplace review programme. The Workplace Partnership Committee has had an input into the preparation of a number of Human Resources policy documents and including Grievance and Disciplinary, Dignity at Work, Equality and Diversity Management, Communication, Public and Private Partnership Protocol, Employee Assistance Programme, Code of Practice for the Probationary Period of New Employees and Attendance Management.