Staff Management Flashcards
What are the two types of no no behaviour under the Code of Conduct?
Misconduct and Serious Misconduct
Misconduct is behaviour or actions that breach the Code or other Police policies that may not justify dismissal
Serious Misconduct is behaviour or actions that breach the Code or other Police policies that seriously undermine the trust and confidence that Police have in you and may justify dismissal
What factors can be considered when deciding if a behaviour is misconduct or serious misconduct?
- Nature and circumstances
- Intent
- Position, duties, responsibility
- Your ability to fulfil your duties and responsibilities
- Impact on the trust and confidence Police has in you
- How similar behaviour has been treated in the past
What are the key points of the FEO policy?
- Flexibility by default
- Applications can only be declined by a District Commander or National Manager
- An application in MyPolice is the first course of action
What are some benefits of FEO?
- Enabling high performance
- Attracting and retaining top talent
- Accessing a broader talent pool
- Increased productivity
- Reduction in gender pay gap
What are some common FEO options?
- Working from home/alternate location
- Flexitime (varying hours eg around school holidays)
- Part time
- Condensed hours (eg 4 days a week, 10hr shifts)
- Flexible job share (2x persons making up one FTE total)
What are some manager responsibilities for FEO?
Must consider and respond to all requests for FEO within one month of receipt.
Need to work with the employee to make it work for both the employee and the organisation.
What are the key principles of enhancing employee performance?
- Resolving any barriers in the employees way
- Acknowledging good work that people generally do
- Informal people focussed conversations will generally resolve most issues
- Integrity is important, ensure that an employee maintains their mana
- Expected performance standards are managed through regular conversations
- Proactive management is essential
- Early interventions through management rather than discipline are preferred
What do we measure our performance against?
- SPTs
- Level purpose statement
- Values
- Code of Conduct
- Position description
What steps are there in performance management?
- Regular PHPF conversations
- Additional performance conversations outside of PHPF schedule (keep a written record)
- Interventions such as training, coaching, mentoring etc
- Formal intervention (PIP) (District Commander should be informed prior to proceeding)
What is a PIP?
Structured plan of actions over an agreed timeframe, aimed at recording and improving an employees performance
What are the six stages of a PIP?
1 - Initiate the PIP
2 - Meet with employee to formulate a PIP for future implementation
3 - Finalise the PIP
4 - First formal review of the PIP
5 - Confirmation of outcome
6 - Additional steps and final PIPs
How do you initiate a PIP (Step 1)
First through a conversation followed by a written invitation to a meeting including
- Identifying areas for improvement, outlining performance concerns
- Proposing the implementation of a PIP
- Inviting the employee to bring a support person and allow time to arrange this
HR Advisor can provide a template and guidance on the PIP
How do you formulate a PIP with an employee (Step 2)
- Meet with them, identifying performance issues and providing examples
- Allow the employee an opportunity to provide an explanation
- Let the employee know the purpose of the PIP and potential consequences if performance does not improve.
- Seek feedback from the employee regarding the PIP
- Identify any resources/support Police may provide to the employee
- Confirm next steps with employee
- Record meeting outcomes
You may determine at this step that a PIP is not required. This needs to be communicated in writing
How do you finalise the PIP (Step 3)
If determine that a PIP is needed
- Define what success looks like
- Ensure that improvement actions are clear, relevant and timely.
- State when progress will be reviewed and by whom
- Advise employee that if their performance does not meet the standard discussed in a reasonable timeframe it may impact on employment
- Keep a copy and provide employee with a copy
Can you raise new issues during a PIP?
No, only what was agreed to at the start
What is the First formal review meeting of a PIP (Step 4)
Measuring the employees performance vs PIP objectives to see if they’ve reached the standard or if PIP needs to continue. Because there’s been continuous communication there shouldn’t be any surprises. Should be getting employee feedback
Once a PIP has been completed what are the possible outcomes (Step 5)
- PIP has resulted in required improvements being met
- Some improvements achieved but required standard not reached
- No or insufficient improvements
What should you do if employee claims bullying/harassment during PIP process?
Seek assistance from HR, offer EAP support but do not discontinue PIP process
What are the additional steps that you can do following a PIP (Step 6)
- Repeat PIP if improvements are happening
- Proceed to final PIP
Should be advised via letter, may be a written warning letter or a final written warning letter must be provided at this stage. Must state what the continued ongoing issues are. If there is ongoing poor performance contact HR
Who is responsible of managing and resolving conduct related matters?
Te Ohu Manawanui/Employment Resolutions Team
What is the difference between anonymous and confidential notifiers in relation to conduct matters?
- Anonymous notifier’s identity is unknown to Police
- Confidential notifiers identity is known to Police however their identity is not disclosed. This is rare and ID will usually have to be disclosed
Consideration will need to be given as to whether any action can be taken if identity cannot be disclosed
What should you do if any conflict of interest is identified during a conduct related process?
Raise with Employment Resolutions Specialist ASAP
Who does correspondence go though if an employee chooses to be represented by Association or Employment Lawyer?
All correspondence through that representative unless otherwise agreed with employee
What are the key stages of the employment resolution and disciplinary process?
- Receive notification
- Perform initial assessment
- Perform a case assessment (If progressed to National Assessment Team)
- Recommend pathway
-Implement pathway - Close case
What pathways can the NAT recommend?
Where further info is required
- Information request
- Prelim investigation
- Incident investigation
Where there is enough info to recommend employment process
- No further action
- Early resolution
- Alternative to disciplinary process
- Disciplinary meeting
- Employment investigation
Where there is potential criminality
- Criminal investigation
- Duel investigation (criminal/employment)
What is Kia Tu
Police approach for preventing and addressing unacceptable behaviour.
It aims to identify unacceptable behaviour, raise concerns, seek support and advice and resolve concerns
Who does Kia Tu apply to?
Everyone on a Police site including contractors and visitors
What are the five principles of Kia Tu?
- People centric
- Trusted
- Responsive
- Safe
- Accountable
What is unacceptable behaviour under Kia Tu?
- Bullying
- Cyberbullying
- Discrimination
- Harassment
- Sexual harassment
- Racial harassment
- Indecent assault
- Sexual violation
Differences of opinion, legitimate leadership action and isolated incidents of abruptness are NOT unacceptable behaviour
What are the ways to respond to unacceptable behaviour?
- Address it yourself
- Address it with support
- Address it with a manager
- Report it confidentially (Online or via Kia Tu phone line) it will be assessed by a triage panel
What support is available during the Kia Tu process?
- Wellness advisors
- Early intervention leads
- EAP
- Mate to mate
- Chaplaincy service
What are some external agencies you can speak with about concerns?
- Police Association
- Public Service Association
- IPCA
- Worksafe NZ
- Employment NZ Mediation Service
- ERA
- Human Rights Commission
What is and isn’t covered by Trauma Support Policy?
Assistance to all employees
- Following attendance/significant involvement at a critical incident
- Adversely affected by impacts of policing or organisational impacts
Personal issues are not covered by trauma support policy
Support can be considered on an individual basis for family members of employees/SCOPE/volunteers if directly impacted
What support is provided?
- Initial Wellness Advisor assessment
- Up to three hours of one on one consultation with psychologist
How is trauma support accessed?
Coordinated by District Wellness Advisor
A supervisor must refer to wellness advisor when
- Involvement in critical incidents
- Notifiable injury or illness
- Threat to life while on duty
- DVI incidents
- Attendance at delayed body recovery
- Attendance at any unnatural death
- Attendance at a high number of critical incidents over a short period of time
- Unpleasant or stressful duties
Employees may also self refer
When are psyc referrals mandatory?
Following critical incidents and exceptional circumstances IE significant trauma
Following a critical incident what are the stand down times?
Police shooting - 10 days mandatory
Other (Flee/death in custody etc) - 5 days mandatory, optional 5 further days with joint agreement between DC/Wellness Advisor
Is a CILO mandatory for critical incidents?
Only for Police shootings. For other incidents there may be a CILO or employees supervisor may take the CILO role
Is the reintegration programme mandatory for critical incidents?
Only for Police shootings. For other incidents there may a referral to the reintegration programme following clearance from the psychologist
Is a psyc referral mandatory for critical incidents?
Yes, for all critical incidents. First appointment will not occur earlier than 72hrs following incident and second should be within 10 days.
Following a critical incident and when actions are deemed to have contributed to the death or life threatening injury of a person what ongoing psyc appointments are required?
3, 6, 12 monthly then annually
When do you do all the return to work stuff thats a huge faff?
If employee absence is greater than 10 days
When must employees provide a medical certificate?
If absent more than 5 days.
If absent for more than 10 days they need medical clearance to return
What is early intervention?
Identifying employees that are not performing to an acceptable or professional standard and may pose a risk to themselves or Police through future misconduct or unethical behaviour. Preventive measure, fence at top of cliff. It is not a disciplinary process
What are the four phases of early intervention?
Identification
- Self referral
- Referral by peers
- Referral by supervisors
- Early Intervention database
Analysis
- Determines if needed
Engagement and intervention
- Generally an informal meeting and offers support to employee
Feedback and follow up
- District Lead will ensure that any agreed support and actions are arranged
Can Early Intervention data be used for sanctions/appraisal etc
No. The only exception is when there is a proposal to remove someone from Police and it is used as a part of their complete employment/disciplinary history
