Background
Strathclyde Fire & Rescue (SFR) is the second largest fire and rescue service in the United Kingdom, and one of the largest in Europe. SFR serves a population of 2.3 million people across a 14,000 square kilometre area that ranges from rural and island communities to Scotland's largest city, Glasgow.
The Service is administered by the Board of Strathclyde Fire & Rescue whose members are drawn from the 12 unitary authorities that make up Strathclyde. On 30 September 2005, the structure of Strathclyde Fire & Rescue was changed from four commands to ten areas to enable a closer working relationship with local authorities and other partner organisations such as the Police, Ambulance and Health Services.
SFR employs 2187 whole time, 630 retained and 301 volunteer firefighters and 489 support staff. Firefighters are based at 113 strategically sited fire stations as far flung as Appin in Argyll to the north, Biggar in South Lanarkshire to the east, Colmonell in South Ayrshire to the south, and Balemartine on the island of Tiree to the west as well as covering the major city of Glasgow.
Fire and Rescue Services throughout the UK have undergone major programmes of change that include considerable revisions of human resource policies and procedures. The impact this has had on personal assessment and development is massive, with a completely new approach required. This case study concerns some of the practical implications, current progress and future intentions in Strathclyde Fire and Rescue.
The changes in development are a consequence of national agreements that followed from the settlement of a major industrial dispute in 2003. Part of the agreement on remuneration involved an acceptance of a new approach to promotion and development. Previously there was no performance appraisal system in place and promotion was achieved through statutory examinations. To progress ‘through the ranks’ it was necessary to ‘get your ticket’ (by examination) and undergo an interview. Standards of rigour at these interviews were considered to be variable and it was difficult to maintain consistency and equitable treatment. There were no assessment procedures above supervisory level until the very senior level of Principal Officer (Assistant Chief Officer) was reached. Here aspirants were obliged to attend and successful complete a Brigade Command Course before being considered for promotion. There was a worrying vacuum in development procedures that applied between the two levels.
The new system
The statutory exams were abolished in December 2004 and new procedures introduced following new legislation under the Fire Scotland Act 2005. The Act was followed by the publication of a Fire and Rescue Framework for Scotland that defined the new arrangements to be adopted by Fire and Rescue Services. In addition, the Chief Fire Officers Association in Scotland undertook to produce a framework that would facilitate a consistent approach to performance management, development and appraisal. The resulting Scottish Fire and Rescue Services Career and Contribution Management Framework sets out the specific implications for human resource development whilst taking account of the UK National Joint Council agreements. This document was prepared after consultation with all stakeholders in the service, including the trade unions. It requires the eight services in Scotland to
- introduce assessment and development centres (ADCs) to determine promotion
- put in place a performance appraisal system for both uniformed and non-uniformed staff
- make an explicit link between promotion, development and reward
This last requirement is particularly challenging. The Career and Contribution Management framework was agreed nationally but implemented locally in each of Scotland’s eight Fire and Rescue Services.
A fire fighter who seeks promotion will apply to attend an assessment and development centre (ADC). If potential for promotion is demonstrated at the ADC, he or she will be given a development plan which will assist his or her preparation for selection when a post at the desired level is advertised (in any of the eight services). If appointed, the fire fighter will start the new job in ‘development phase’. Movement to permanent status in the new role will only be achieved after an assessment of competence against a profile for this role. These competencies are determined by the standard National Occupational Standards (NOS) for the Fire Service. The competent rate of pay, which is greater than the pay in the development phase, will only be awarded after successful demonstration of competence. The period in the development phase should not exceed 18 months.
Clearly, access to appropriate development opportunities is of major importance to the individual concerned.
The talent challenge
Diane Lauder is Head of Organisational Development at Strathclyde Fire and Rescue. Diane’s role covers employee development, workforce planning, diversity and career progression. Within this she faces both long-term strategic challenges and issues of implementation.
The current challenges Diane faces around workforce planning involve a consideration of recruitment and retirement patterns and the changes in skills requirements as new technology, equipment and work processes are introduced. SFR have identified that they must also take a long-term view on the talent pool available. There is concern that, whilst the new policies and procedures are only at an early stage that insufficient numbers are coming through the ADCs successfully - particularly at the lower and middle levels. Development opportunities are key to ensuring fire-fighters progress through the assessment and development centres and beyond. This represents one of the key challenges with the new system.
ADCs have been designed and implemented at two of three hierarchical levels in advance of full-scale implementation during 2008. A performance appraisal system has been agreed and training is under way. The first set of objectives will be agreed with the fire-fighters in March 2008 and performance against objectives reviewed in the following year. The systems and processes have been relatively easy to implement, the difficulty lies in gaining support and managing implementation of what is seen as a major change. To help get people on board an internal marketing/selling campaign is in place with the strap line of “Your Experience, Your Contribution, Your Opportunity.”
What makes this approach to promotion and development unique is what Diane Lauder describes as the “path from assessment of potential to competence through development”. The new system creates a coherent whole from the three elements required by the Career and Contribution Management Framework. This has been attached as a download.
A challenging but equally important task is to review historical and traditional training programmes in order to articulate and provide meaningful learning and development opportunities that support the new framework. Current plans are in hand to develop approaches based on a range of work-based learning opportunities involving coaching and e-learning, which would assist the fire fighter to take more responsibility for his or her own development.
In finding a way forward Strathclyde Fire and Rescue have maintained their close links with the Scottish Fire Services College. The College continues to lead on the work on the development of qualification-based frameworks and more immediately has led on the use of technology enablers. To help the fire-fighters recognise development opportunities the team at the college have identified and populated learning opportunities associated with the competences appropriate to each role. The learning solutions provided are designed to be delivered locally.