Redeployment policy
1. At the Parliament, our values underpin the way in which we act and behave.
2. We seek to attract and keep high quality staff. We value the diversity colleagues bring through their experience, knowledge, and skills.
3. We need to remain responsive and flexible in how we operate. This will ensure we continue to deliver the highest levels of excellence. This will involve a process of continuous service improvement. This may result in the need for organisational change.
4. These changes may impact on the way we work and affect day-to-day operations. This may include introducing different working practices. In some circumstances, the changes may be significant. This may change the number of staff we need in a particular area.
5. We recognise that redeployment represents an important way of retaining staff.
Who is this policy for?
6. It applies to all staff employed by the SPCB. This includes colleagues on fixed term contracts.
Why is it important?
7. If we manage redeployment well, we can balance the need for change with meeting our future needs. This might include:
- Preserving parliamentary knowledge
- Maintaining core workforce skills, for now and in the future
- Maintaining appropriate diversity profiles
- Supporting succession planning capability in the longer-term
8. This in turn supports our guarantee of no compulsory redundancies.
9. To this end, the policy has been developed in consultation with our TUS partners.
How will that be achieved?
10. The principles and values that underpin this policy will ensure we:
- Manage redeployment fairly, consistently, and with care and sensitivity
- Ensure colleagues remain valued, recognised, and treated with dignity and respect
- Communicate openly and transparently
- Ensure all relevant legal obligations are met
Who handles what?
11. Responsibility for redeployment lies with the colleague’s current group/office head. Identifying redeployment opportunities within the group must be explored in the first instance as a way to avoiding redundancy/displacements. This supports our guarantee of no compulsory redundancies.
12. Where this is not possible, the following responsibilities will apply:
Colleague seeking redeployment should:
- Register on the Parliament’s jobsite for redeployment role alerts
- Consider all suitable alternative roles
- Submit a short statement highlighting their suitability against the job requirements
- Review details of vacancies regularly
- Put themselves forward for suitable vacancies
- Consider reasonable changes in working arrangements, pay and responsibilities
- Prepare for interviews and selection processes
- Be open minded and preparing to accept offers of suitable alternative employment
The current group/office head should:
- Support colleagues through the redeployment process
- Encourage colleagues to consider and apply for suitable alternative roles
- Promote the policy and procedure and for ensuring its effective implementation
- Ensure fairness and consistency of approach
- Release colleagues to take up redeployment opportunities as soon as possible
The new group/office head should:
- Consider colleagues seeking redeployment ahead of any other applicants
- Assess them against the minimum requirements for the role
- Interview them where they meet these requirements
- Provide detailed feedback and evidence of their suitability/unsuitability
- Provide essential training and support
Trade union side (TUS) should:
- Uphold the principles and values of this policy
- Work in partnership with group/office heads who are managing the redeployment process
People and Culture should:
- Confirm redeployee status and priority at the earliest opportunity
- Place redeployment jobs on the Parliament’s jobsite
- Provide support and policy advice to group/office heads and colleagues
- Ensure adherence to this policy and compliance with relevant legislation
- Review the effectiveness of this policy
Under redeployment, priority will be given to staff where there are extenuating circumstances. Individual circumstances will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis with support from managers, People and Culture, and the TUS. Such cases will be assessed against fair criteria and evidence to ensure consistency and fairness across the organisation.
What’s the procedure?
13. People and Culture will meet with colleagues with their current group/office head and representative. This meeting is to confirm redeployee status. It will also help to identify appropriate support.
14. Following this, the redeployee will register their details on the Parliament’s jobsite. This will ensure they receive email notifications alerting them to vacancies.
15. All vacancies will made available for 5 working days to colleagues seeking redeployment. Redeployees wishing to be considered, must apply by the closing date.
16. The normal recruitment process will apply. Redeployees must meet the minimum requirements for the role.
17. An offer of a suitable alternative role will only be made following a thorough assessment the redeployee’s skills, training needs and any concerns they may have.
18. There will be a trial period of redeployment. Trial periods can last up to 6 months. They give the opportunity to assess whether the new role is suitable.
19. Redeployees will receive organisational support during the trial period, including access to training and development opportunities and salary protection for a specified period. Further details can be found in the Redundancy Policy.
20. Where a decision is taken not to appoint a colleague seeking redeployment to a vacant post, a clear robust rationale must be provided in writing to the People Services Adviser involved. Where it is considered that the reason provided is unreasonable the People Services Adviser will discuss the circumstances with the Group Head of People and Culture. They will make the final decision on behalf of the SPCB providing written reasons to the redeployee. If the decision is that the colleague be appointed to the role, the People Services Adviser will advise the manager that they must appoint the redeployee.
21. Any concerns/issues should be raised as soon as possible during any trial period, in order to enable early discussion and with a view to potential resolution.
22. If there are any concerns, People and Culture should be informed immediately.
23. This policy will be subject to ongoing monitoring to ensure it is being fairly and consistently applied. It will be subject to regular review, in partnership, to ensure that any new standards are incorporated and that is remains fit for purpose.
What other support is available to support colleagues during change?
24. Support is available to help colleagues cope with change and maintain wellbeing, including:
- Regular meetings to discuss concerns in a confidential and supportive environment
- Relevant training, including job application and interviews skills
- Counselling service, should they need more support
25. In turn, colleagues are encouraged to recognise the organisational requirements that drive change.