About Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council

CMBC are using the 70:20:10 model of learning to provide a base for employees to shape their learning. The organisation is just about to publish a revised Learning and Development Policy for the first time in several years, which they will use to underpin the development of a culture of self-directed learning. The emphasis is on seeking out learning instead of relying on paid for structured programmes of learning. CMBC also have a coaching and mentoring programme which has been in place for three years. They have built their own pool of workplace coaches and mentors that anyone in the council can request to have time with. They also run a ‘Day in Your Shoes’ campaign, which aims to get employees connecting with one another across teams and learning from others about what their services do. This is promoting cross-council networks and helps employees to understand what goes when it comes to delivering CMBC services to the public.

CMBC have a Workplace Health Steering Group made up of employees who have developed an Action Plan that the group are responsible for helping to deliver. The organisation also commissioned the [email protected] survey, which focuses on Food and Nutrition, Smoking, Exercise, Alcohol and Mental Health. CMBC are even planning to offer free off peak use of racquet sports within the local Sports Centres and access to shower facilities to encourage employees to walk and cycle to work. Employee Health Champions encourage colleagues to lead healthier lifestyles, setting up fruit clubs and lunchtime walks. They help to recruit employees to take part in challenges, such as Step Jockey and the Global Corporate Challenge. There is a Council Choir of about 10 people that meet weekly during lunchtime and sang at the "Our Star" event. People return to the office humming and seem happier and with a bounce in their step! They even performed outside M & S to raise money for pink week. CMBC also deliver "Mindfulness Training, Building Personal Resilience to Stress" and began the courses mid-2015. Since the introduction of these courses, 320 staff have attended these sessions.

CMBC are using innovative and creative digital approaches to communicate with their workforce. Traditionally they have displayed their primary purpose using policies and procedures, but they are now using augmented reality videos and YouTube videos to communicate CMBC’s organisations Primary Purpose, Values and Outrageous Ambition. These video posters are displayed across the council and uploaded onto the council’s intranet pages. Furthermore local college media students and apprentices record employee’s stories to help deliver CMBC’s outrageous ambition. The Chief Executive personally invited 500 Middle Managers who operate below Head of Service level to attend a half day Big Leadership Conversation workshop. Corporate Leadership Team shares CMBC’s outrageous ambition to the Best Borough in the North and discusses with the Managers the organisation’s three corporate priorities, how they fit with their values and behaviours and their role in making this happen. They also have a council Facebook page to deliver key messages to their communities and workforce on a daily basis.