Issue - meetings

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to approve the Dignity and Respect at Work Policy, attached as Appendix 1 to this report to replace the Managing Bullying and Harassment at Work policy;

(ii)        to agree implementation of the policy from 1 February 2022 and to note that training and communication would be undertaken on this policy and

on the Managing Discipline and Managing Grievances policies;

(iii)       to note the appended procedure/guidance document which supported the application of the policy;

(iv)       to note that a generic investigations procedure had been developed to cover all three policies mentioned above;

(v)        to note that if the guidance was to be changed, this would be done in consultation with Trade Unions; and

(vi)       to thank officers and Trade Union colleagues for their collaboration and work in revising the policies.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Resources which sought approval for the revised Dignity and Respect at Work Policy, to replace the Managing Bullying and Harrassment at Work Policy.  The report noted that the replacement of the Managing Bullying and Harassment policy was part of a wider review of policies that sat at the heart of employee relations processes within the Council, the other two policies being Managing Discipline and Managing Grievances.   It was noted that renaming the policy emphasised the positive behaviours expected from each other in the workplace and avoided unhelpful labelling of individuals as “bullies”.

The report recommended:-

that Committee –

(a)      approve the Dignity and Respect at Work Policy, attached as Appendix 1 to the report to replace the Managing Bullying and Harassment at Work policy;

(b)      agree that implementation of this policy be delayed until such time as the

required training and communication had been undertaken on the policy and on the Managing Discipline and Managing Grievances policies;

(c)      note the appended procedure/guidance document which supported the

application of the policy; and

(d)      note that a generic investigations procedure had been developed to cover all three policies mentioned above, also appended to this report.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to agree implementation of the policy from 1 February 2022 and to note that training and communication would be undertaken on this policy and

on the Managing Discipline and Managing Grievances policies;

(ii)       to note that if the guidance was to be changed, this would be done in consultation with Trade Unions;

(iii)      to thank officers and Trade Union colleagues for their collaboration and work in revising the policies; and

(iv)      to otherwise approve the recommendations.

-          COUNCILLOR YVONNE ALLAN, Convener