Overview

Welcome to Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability Staff Updates Area where you will find the latest staff news and key information and advice to support you.

This dedicated service area provides important localised information and also provides health and wellbeing resources offering lots of top tips and advice to help your mental wellbeing.  

May 2023

Friday 12 May 2023

Welcome to the 12 May 2023 edition of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability E-News.

This fortnightly e-mail will provide you with a range of updates all in one place! With a range of actions, responses required as well as workplace, service and corporate updates.

•  12 May 2023 [1Mb]

April 2023

Friday 28 April 2023

Welcome to the 28 April 2023 edition of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability E-News.

This fortnightly e-mail will provide you with a range of updates all in one place! With a range of actions, responses required as well as workplace, service and corporate updates.

•  28 April 2023 [1Mb]

Thursday 20 April 2023

How are you feeling right now?

April is Stress Awareness month - held every year to raise public awareness of the causes and cures for modern-day stress.

Did you know that good stress can motivate us to take action, increases our focus and helps improve our performance?  However, sustained and excessive amounts of stress can have a negative impact on our physical and mental health. It is therefore important to recognise the symptoms of stress, understand what helps to manage our stress effectively, and know who and where to turn to for support.

To mark Stress Awareness Month, we have refreshed our  Staff Health and Wellbeing Handbook [508kb], and  Health and Wellbeing Resources Guide [182kb]. These detailed guides contain lots of really useful wellbeing support routes, broken down into key topics and themes - with quick links for ease of reference.  In particular, they contain new sources of information and resources in relation to managing stress and looking after our physical and mental wellbeing.

So, if you are looking for support in a key area, to aid your health and wellbeing - at work or at home, you can check out the guides, along with other important information on our staff web pages at Workforce wellbeing support - Glasgow City Council

More information on Stress Awareness Month

• Visit the Stress Management Society Website for campaign resources and guidance on managing stress.
• Visit the Mental Health UK Website for tips and coping strategies to help you manage your mental health and wellbeing at work.

Friday 14 April 2023

Welcome to the 14 April 2023 edition of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability E-News.

This fortnightly e-mail will provide you with a range of updates all in one place! With a range of actions, responses required as well as workplace, service and corporate updates.

•  14 April 2023 [1Mb]

Thursday 13 April 2023

2023 UCI Cycling World Championships: We Need You!

Background
This summer Glasgow will once again host another major sporting event, and we need you to help us deliver.

The event
From 3-13 August 2023, the inaugural UCI Cycling World Championships will be hosted in Glasgow and across Scotland. It will be the single biggest cycling event in history, bringing together 13 existing individual cycling world championship disciplines into one mega event. Glasgow will provide five venues for the 2023 UCI Cycling Worlds including Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, Emirates Arena, George Square, Glasgow BMX Centre and Glasgow Green.

What we need
We will be looking for passionate and enthusiastic staff to help us deliver in a variety of roles supporting areas like Event Operations, Spectator Services and Workforce to name but a few. Much like previous We Need You campaigns for Glasgow 2018 European Championships and COP26, this is a great opportunity to see a major sporting event up close, meet new people and enhance your skills. You'll be embedded in a large, dedicated event team, be fully trained and will support delivery as the world watches the biggest cycling event ever!

Key information

• You should seek approval of your line manager and then your Head of Service before making an application.
• We are looking for people to be available for the Championships period (3-13 August) with most roles likely to start in July prior to the move to venue.
• Specifics will be discussed with successful applicants and their line managers.

Key dates:

• Applications open throughout April
• Applicants reviewed and contacted throughout May including informal skills matching discussion
• Final confirmations for successful candidates in June with relevant managers notified
• Most posts will last from mid to late July until 13 August.

Register online at https://uci2023.rosterfy.com/invite/We_Need_You

More information 

• More information and FAQs is available in the  We Need You Managers' Briefing [252kb]
• For more information on the roles, what is required and a list of available posts, view the  We Need You Role Profiles [379kb]
• Please contact UCIWorkforce@glasgowlife.org.uk if you have any questions.
• Information is also available on our staff web page for non pc facing staff at Get involved this month with... - Glasgow City Council

Wednesday 5 April 2023

Over 850 staff have now participated or are scheduled to participate in job evaluation interviews as part of the process to evaluate jobs in the council. These evaluations will support the development of a rank order of jobs, laying the foundation for a new pay and grading scheme, to make sure everyone in the council is paid equally for equal work.

Staff who do what we call benchmark jobs (the most common jobs in the council that represent around 80% of the workforce) are being evaluated first and this information will support the early design phase of the new pay and grading scheme.

There are still some benchmark jobs that need more volunteers to complete this part of the process. If your job is listed below and you've not already volunteered, then we need you to tell us about your job. You can volunteer by talking to your line manager and emailing the Job Evaluation Team.

To take part, you must have been in the same job for at least two years, this is to make sure that you have experience of the full range of demands of your role including any seasonal or cyclical work.

Every job holder doesn't have to be interviewed, we need a representative sample of our workforce, therefore it is possible that if you volunteer you may not be needed to attend an interview.

Group Interviews - Take Part with Your Colleagues

From April, evaluations will be conducted through group interviews, with no more than five people in a group. You'll be asked to complete a questionnaire before the interview and come along to one of the job evaluation offices to talk about your job in your own words, together with some colleagues who do the same job.

Each group interview will be facilitated by trained job analysts and participants will discuss the demands of the job being evaluated, based on the 13 factors in the scheme.

Before an interview, you will be invited to a briefing session to tell you more about the job evaluation process.

For more information about evaluation interviews read the questions and answers section on the website.

Evaluating other jobs

There are thousands of jobs in the council family and all jobs will fall into these three categories:

1. Benchmark Jobs, the most common jobs currently being evaluated.
2. Secondary benchmark jobs (sometimes called generic) jobholders who do broadly the same work, these jobs will be evaluated next in group interviews, with a representative number of staff being interviewed for each job.
3. Unique jobs (carried out by one person or fewer than five people) - these will be the final group to be evaluated.

We are nearing the end of the evaluation of benchmark jobs and preparing to move onto evaluating secondary benchmark jobs. Information about which jobs are secondary benchmarks or unique and the evaluation process will be explained in future communications through your line manager.

More information

Go to the Job Evaluation Webpages

Is your job listed below? Volunteer Now

Service	Benchmark Reference Number	Benchmark Position
Health and Social Care Partnership	BM007	Qualified Worker
Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability	BM008	LES Operative 2
Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability	BM017	LES Operative 3
Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability	BM018	LES Operative 1
Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability	BM029	LES Operative 4
Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability	BM024	LES Driver 3
Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability	BM109	Security Assistant
Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability	BM111	Mediator
Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability	BM035	Driver (Special Needs)

March 2023

Friday 31 March 2023

Welcome to the 31 March 2023 edition of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability E-News.

This fortnightly e-mail will provide you with a range of updates all in one place! With a range of actions, responses required as well as workplace, service and corporate updates.

•  31 March 2023 [1011kb]

Monday 27 March 2023

Glasgow Living Wage Increase

The Glasgow Living Wage increases to £10.90 per hour from 1 April 2023.  We will apply this new hourly rate to the salaries of all grade one employees from 1 April 2023 with the first payment in 4 April 2023 pay.   

This increase is in advance of the 2023 to 2024 pay settlement, when that is reached we will update all staff as soon as possible with the changes and any back dated pay at grade 1 will be for any increase above the £10.90.

Friday 17 March 2023

Welcome to the 17 March 2023 edition of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability E-News.

This fortnightly e-mail will provide you with a range of updates all in one place! With a range of actions, responses required as well as workplace, service and corporate updates.

•  17 March 2023 [701kb]

Wednesday 15 March 2023

Glasgow Club - discounted membership offer for council family staff

All council family staff now qualify for a discounted Glasgow Club membership.

You can sign up to FitClub for just £10 per month instead of the standard rate of £27. If you already pay for a membership, you can apply for the discount and reduce your monthly fee. FitClub is Glasgow Club's most popular membership plan.

You can enjoy the following at all Glasgow Club venues:

• unlimited Gym Sessions
• unlimited access to all fitness classes (in-club and digital)
• unlimited Swimming
• free personal appointments with a qualified fitness instructor
• pay-as-you-go for other activities (for example, football, badminton).

Why not make a difference to your health and wellbeing and enjoy a saving too?

To get started or visit the Glasgow Club website.

Friday 3 March 2023

Welcome to the 3 March 2023 edition of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability E-News.

This fortnightly e-mail will provide you with a range of updates all in one place! With a range of actions, responses required as well as workplace, service and corporate updates.

•  3 March 2023 [907kb]

February 2023

Tuesday 28 February 2023

Update on equal pay claims - offers and payments

We are committed to keeping you updated about all matters relating to equal pay and we realise that it has been some time since we last provided you with information.

Last November we said that an agreement had been reached with the main claimants' group to end the current equal pay dispute with the Trade Unions and pave the way for the final settlement of claims - an end to the long-running equal pay litigation against the council.

Over the last few months all sides have been working intensely on agreeing the details that will allow individual offers to be determined and issued. This is a complex process which is still ongoing. Whilst the details remain confidential, we are optimistic that we will have agreed claims and pay data by early April to allow us to then engage with HMRC on how to deal with the payment of tax and national insurance contributions. We hope to conclude that process in time to allow individual offers to be made to claimants from late May with payments starting from June/July.

We understand that this information is what claimants have been waiting for and all sides remain committed to progressing these offers as quickly and efficiently as possible.

We will continue to keep you updated and all information about equal pay matters is on our website.

Monday 20 February 2023

Welcome to the 20 February 2023 edition of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability E-News.

This fortnightly e-mail will provide you with a range of updates all in one place! With a range of actions, responses required as well as workplace, service and corporate updates.

•  20 February 2023 [1Mb]

Friday 17 February 2023

MESSAGE FROM GEORGE GILLESPIE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Yesterday (Thursday 16 February 2023), Elected Members discussed and agreed the Council's budget for 2023/24 at a meeting of the full Council, having considered a range of savings options.                     

Glasgow City Council faces a £49.3 million funding gap for the next financial year. The budget setting process directly impacts Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability (NRS).  

NRS was asked to present a series of budget options to the Cross Party Budget Working Group which includes representatives from all the political parties within the Council. Budget planning is a difficult process for all involved and our proposals were carefully considered by many teams over the past months.

NRS now needs to deliver savings of £13.1m by finding efficiencies, implementing service reforms and increasing income.

Whilst our priority is to protect jobs, a number of these options will result in a reduction to our overall workforce. We will manage the change process by not filling vacancies in some areas, redeploying staff where possible with appropriate retraining and undertaking early retirement and/or voluntary redundancy in areas supported by a business case.

We are working with managers across the organisation to determine the next stages of this process. We will keep you and your Trade Unions informed on progress. Managers will meet everyone affected in due course.  We ask colleagues to be as flexible as possible while these discussions take place.

All of Glasgow City Council's 2023/24 budget savings can be viewed on the Council's website.

I will be meeting with the Trade Unions on Wednesday 22 February 2023 to discuss the outcomes of the budget in more detail.  In the meantime, should you have any questions or concerns, please speak to your line manager in the first instance.  

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued hard work and appreciate your ongoing support in delivering vital services for the citizens of Glasgow.

George Gillespie
Executive Director

Thursday 9 February 2023

Free Gaelic classes for staff - places still available: sign up today!

Staff across the council family are invited to sign up for Gaelic classes for the start of World Gaelic Week (February 20-26) - a celebration of Gaelic across the globe.

We have worked with Fèisean nan Gàidheal over many years - they have an excellent reputation for delivering high quality Gaelic learning for young people and adults.

Thanks to the generous support of Bòrd na Gàidhlig, this block of classes is free to all staff across the council family. They will be delivered online, over a six-week period, starting mid-February and running until late March.  

Sign up today- places are limited!

Registration is fast and easy. Just follow the instructions at this link. Please note places are on a first come first served basis.

Sign up at https://form.jotform.com/230234234615345

More information

If you have any questions about the classes or council's wider Gaelic work, please contact Donald MacPhee, Gaelic Development Officer.

Tuesday 7 February 2023

Opportunities to develop a new career - Trainee Assistant Registration Officer x 5

Do you work well under pressure? Is providing excellent customer service important to you? Are you a good and confident public speaker?  If so, then this may be the opportunity for you.  You can work in a busy fast paced front-line service, supporting the delivery of statutory specialised registration activities to a diverse client group, conducting civil ceremonies and supporting the citizens of Glasgow during some of the most significant moments in their life.

You will receive full training and support but must commit to a period of study over 2 years.  We have 5 posts available, all based within the Chief Executive's Department, Registration Services.

The benefits of this role:

• You will receive in house training as well as participation in a National study programme that leads to a Certificate in the Law and Practice of Registration Services in Scotland and the opportunity to begin building a career in registration.
• A full-time permanent position, 35 hours per week (weekend working required, any 5 days over 7 days).
• A salary of £21,063 - £22,699 per annum (Grade 3) plus a non-standard working payment at Level B - £1,131.00 per annum
• Following successful completion of training and achievement of the Certificate in the Law and Practice of Registration Services in Scotland the opportunity to secure a Grade 4 post as an Assistant Registration Officer.

Information:

Registrars is responsible for the delivery of a number of statutory functions, including.  the registration of Births, Deaths, Stillbirths, Marriages and Civil Partnership and other related functions. 

• Conducting Marriages, Civil Partnerships and British Citizenship ceremonies. 
• Searching, preparing and issuing extracts of birth, death, marriage and civil partnerships.
• Scrutinising documents attached to marriage and civil partnership paperwork and identifying any discrepancies.
• Other Non-Statutory services include the running of the Genealogy Centre, based within the Mitchell Library, preparing paperwork for British Citizenship ceremonies and conducting Baby Naming, Renewal of Vows ceremonies.

These specialised services provide the citizens of Glasgow with the necessary guidance and a professional, effective and efficient delivery of service at highly emotive times in their lives.

The training programme includes in house training and support from qualified staff, a National Government study programme, work shadowing and home study over a two year period.  An exam diet is followed, which ends with the final examination in the Law and Practice of Registration Services in Scotland. You must be committed to both work and home study to achieve this.

You can find out more about the role by contacting Audrey McMullan, Registration Service Manager or Janice Coakley, Registration Service Team Leader.

Interested in joining the team - to apply visit www.glasgow.gov.uk/currycapital

Friday 3 February 2023

Welcome to the 3 February 2023 edition of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability E-News.

This fortnightly e-mail will provide you with a range of updates all in one place! With a range of actions, responses required as well as workplace, service and corporate updates.

•  3 February 2023 [1Mb]

January 2023

Friday 20 January 2023

SAP - important information for staff,  Friday 20 January 2023

Background

We use SAP to manage our essential business processes such as HR, payroll, accounts payable and accounts receivable.  As you are aware SAP is currently unavailable for use - this is due to ongoing technical issues following a planned upgrade that took place last weekend.

CGI are working hard with the council to resolve this issue and have confirmed that a system restore is required. 

In the meantime, we are unable to make timely payments from the system for example to staff, suppliers and other key stakeholders. As a result, these payments will be delayed, and this includes some council family payroll runs.

Payments to staff

We have contingency measures in place for our payroll runs to make sure that staff are paid despite these technical issues - this is a priority for us.  

Please be reassured that all staff will be paid.

However, as these contingency measures will be using previous data, the affected pay runs may not include elements such as recent overtime or deductions for industrial action.  At this time, Education (teachers) and City Building staff payrolls are impacted.  Any salary anomalies will be rectified as soon as possible. 

If you are affected by this issue, you will receive further communications from your Service/ ALEO directly.  Due to these issues, CBS staff are unable to provide any information on individual cases.  Access to My Portal also remains unavailable for all purposes, this includes booking annual leave and viewing your payslip.

Full system restore

The restore will start today, Friday 20 January 2023 and is expected to run until Sunday 22 January 2023, when we expect only a limited number of critical users will be granted access to progress priority payroll activity.

Following a full restore council teams will then need time to verify and check all data in SAP.  Further work may be required to update the system following these checks.

All staff will be kept updated on developments.

This message has been approved by Colin Edgar, Head of Communication and Strategic Partnerships

Friday 20 January 2023

Welcome to the 20 January 2023 edition of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability E-News.

This fortnightly e-mail will provide you with a range of updates all in one place! With a range of actions, responses required as well as workplace, service and corporate updates.

•  20 January 2023 [1Mb]

Tuesday 17 January 2023

Please find attached a  Mangers' Briefing [146kb] for your local managers on how to support 'Time to Talk' with their teams.

Time to Talk Day is a national mental health campaign which takes place on Thursday 2 February.

It is organised by See Me, Scotland's national programme to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination and is all about us taking the time to connect with someone and start a conversation about our mental wellbeing. This year the theme is around the importance of making space in our day for a conversation about mental health.

Please ensure you share this with your staffing groups by 27 January 2023 - so that staff know how to take part during the week and attend the webinar. A text message will also be issued to all staff who do not have access to a PC/Laptop and promotional material on our interactive screens.

December 2022

Thursday 22 December 2023

Message from George

Colleagues,

As 2022 comes to an end, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued hard work over the past twelve months. Your efforts keep Glasgow safe, clean and moving for residents and visitors and are helping to build a thriving, prosperous and more sustainable city. Throughout the year Glasgow and our service have played a massive role in the hosting and supporting of our Ukrainian visitors, who we have welcomed the way only Glaswegians can with open arms and support. This year saw more large-scale music events return to the City and the return after a 2 year absence of our Festive events in George Square and St Enoch Square and not forgetting the much loved Santa Dash. As always, the City and Service rose to the challenges 2022 posed.

This year and the previous two have been the toughest we have faced in recent times. COVID-19 has brought many challenges for the people of Glasgow, our service, and our staff.

With tough financial times ahead, I reaffirm my commitment to our staff through our NRS People Programme. We have started to see the benefits of this approach in improving communication, promoting Health and Wellbeing and Career Development. Our first staff engagement sessions as a service took place this year and I was delighted to see the creativity and passion from our new service staff during conversations in the marketplace.

I do not take for granted the dedication and commitment you have shown and continue to show during these unprecedented times. During 2022, Leadership has been attending workplaces, listening and learning from you about how NRS can improve the service and this will continue into 2023.

As we move towards the end of 2022, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family a wonderful Christmas and New Year.

Finally, I would also like to thank all our staff working throughout the festive season providing essential and valuable services to the citizens of Glasgow.

As always, if you would like to make a suggestion directly to me, this can be done by emailing: AskGeorge.NRS@glasgow.gov.uk

Friday 9 December 2022

Welcome to the 9 December 2022 edition of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability E-News.

This fortnightly e-mail will provide you with a range of updates all in one place! With a range of actions, responses required as well as workplace, service and corporate updates.

•  9 December 2022 [807kb]

Friday 2 December 2022

The 2022 to 2023 local government pay award was agreed in October and a reminder of the full award is outlined in this managers' briefing here.

As already communicated, staff will receive their first payment in respect of this pay award, which will include backdated pay, in the December salary, paid on 13 December.

Staff in receipt of Universal Credit should be aware that this backdated pay could affect payments and more information can be found in the staff briefing here.

Staff are also reminded that the pay award including any flat rate is calculated based on work patterns and will be proportioned accordingly (pro rata) for part-time employees.

Additional day of annual leave

The additional day of annual leave (pro-rated for part-time) has been added to the leave entitlement for all staff as a permanent change to terms and conditions.

Given that agreement has been reached near the end of the 2022 leave year, staff can, if required, carry forward the day's leave for 2022 into 2023 and use this by 31 March 2023. 

The additional day's Leave for 2022 should be arranged with line managers as it is a manual process and not included in MyPortal or other systems.

If you work term-time

To provide term-time staff with some flexibility, we have agreed with our trade unions that for 2022 and 2023 staff will be able to use their one day's additional leave (pro rata for part time employees) at a time they choose within the term, in line within operational requirements.  This will be managed locally and further principles on this will be issued.

The additional day in 2022 should also be taken by 31 March 2023 and for 2023 this day should be taken by 31 Dec 2023.

We will review how this operates and assess any impacts with a view to confirming in late 2023 whether we can continue with this approach from 2024.

November 2022

Friday 25 November 2022

Welcome to the 25 November 2022 edition of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability E-News.

This fortnightly e-mail will provide you with a range of updates all in one place! With a range of actions, responses required as well as workplace, service and corporate updates.

•  25 November 2022 [918kb]

Friday 11 November 2022

Welcome to the 11 November 2022 edition of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability E-News.

This fortnightly e-mail will provide you with a range of updates all in one place! With a range of actions, responses required as well as workplace, service and corporate updates.

•  11 November 2022 [1Mb]

Wednesday 2 November 2022

Local Government Pay Award for 2022/2023 

The 2022 to 2023 Local Government Pay Award was agreed on 26 October 2022. 

You will receive your first payment in respect of the 2022 to 2023 Pay Award, which will include backdated pay, in your December salary - on 13 December 2022.

This pay award covers the period from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023 and sees:

• An increase to the Scottish Local Government Living Wage rate to £10.85 per hour*.
• For those on the Scottish Local Government Living Wage and SCP (Spinal Column Points) 19-24 a £2,000 uplift (calculated on a nominal 36-hour full-time working week).
• A cap on the uplift for those currently earning £60,000 or more at a £3000 uplift (based on a 37-hour week).
• At remaining SCP an undifferentiated 5% or a £1,925 uplift (calculated on a nominal 36-hour full-time working week), whichever is larger.

• An uplift to the Non Standard Working Hours/Points (NSWH/P) and Work Context and Demands (WCD) of 5%, effective from 1st April 2022.

*Scottish Local Government Living Wage- effective from April 2022

*Earlier this year the council continued supporting - the Real Living Wage / Glasgow Living Wage - for Grade 1 employees and it increased the hourly rate from £9.50 to £9.90 backdated to 1 April 2022.

Therefore, if you are paid at Grade 1, your backdated pay for 2022 to 2023 will contain the difference between the Glasgow Living Wage you've received since April 2022 and the Scottish Local Government Living Wage rate of £10.85 per hour agreed as part of the 2022 to 2023 Pay Award settlement.

Annual Leave

• An additional day of annual leave (pro-rated for part-time) to be added to the leave entitlement for all employees, this will be a permanent change to terms and conditions.  
• More information will be communicated to staff shortly.

SSSC

• SSSC fees for all roles and grades will be paid on a recurring basis - further guidance on how payment will be made to the SSSC on behalf of employees by Scottish Government and the process for employees claiming reimbursement of any fees incurred from 1st April 2022 will follow.

Universal Credit

• Staff who are in receipt of Universal Credit should note that the backdated pay may impact your payments.
• More information will be communicated to staff shortly through a Staff Briefing.

National Insurance Contributions Changes

• The UK Government has announced that the 1.25% National Insurance Contributions (NICs) increase, implemented in April 2022, will be reversed from 6 November 2022, meaning, some employees will see an increase in their net pay from November 2022 onwards.

Link:

•  Staff Briefing: Key Information on Backdated Pay and Universal Credit November 2022 [127kb]

This message was approved for council distribution by Colin Edgar, Head of Communication and Strategic Partnerships

October 2022

Wednesday 19 October 2022

The council is committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of all employees and recognises the harmful effects that addictions, such as gambling, alcohol and drugs can have on an individual's personal life, work performance and productivity. 

Our Gambling Harms Support Policy alongside our Alcohol and Drugs Support Policy were recently reviewed and updated to help reduce the impact of gambling, alcohol and drug related harms on our workforce. 

•  Managers' Brief - Gambling Harms, Alcohol and Drugs Support [116kb]

Friday 14 October 2022

Welcome to the 14 October 2022 edition of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability E-News.

This fortnightly e-mail will provide you with a range of updates all in one place! With a range of actions, responses required as well as workplace, service and corporate updates.

•  14 October 2022 [417kb]

Wednesday 12 October 2022

World Mental Health Day is recognised by The World Health Organisation on the 10 October every year.  With 1 in every 8 people in the world live with a mental condition, we must continue to break the barriers of stigma and discrimination and bridge the gap of treatment for mental health conditions.

The theme of 2022's World Mental Health Day is 'Make mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority'.  It is vitally important to make sure that mental health is treated on par with physical health as mental health problems exist in our lives, families, workplaces and communities, impacting everyone.

World Mental Health Day is a chance to talk about mental health in general and how important it is to talk about things and reach for help if you are struggling.

Looking after your mental health:

With everything happening around us right now, it can be easy to feel powerless but there are things in our life that we can manage and control:

• Mindfulness - if we take time to be aware of ourselves and be in the present moment, noticing our own thoughts and feelings, we can gain a better perspective. 
• Reframe unhelpful thoughts - the way we think, feel, and behave are linked. Sometimes we develop unhelpful patterns of thoughts or behaviours recognising them and taking steps to think differently can improve our mental health.
• Get good sleep - getting good quality sleep makes a big difference to how we feel mentally and physically, it is so important to get enough sleep that's right for you.
• Connecting with others - spending quality time with friends or family, talking to someone about how you are feeling or finding ways to help others can stop you from feeling lonely and improve your mental wellbeing
• Live healthy - being active, enjoying the outdoors and having a balanced diet all impact how we feel.  Binning bad habits like smooth and cutting down on alcohol and caffeine can have a positive effect on our mood.

More Information

• To find out more about the campaign, visit The World Health Organisation website.
• Mind UK are using spoken words to show the different ways people talk about their mental health experiences, read more on the Mind UK website.

Staff Support

• Visit our Mindfulness page on Connect here
• Visit our online Health and Wellbeing Handbook for a wealth of related information, resources, and recommended pathways to support here

September 2022

Wednesday 28 September 2022

Update on equal pay and new pay and grading scheme

We are committed to keeping you updated about all matters relating to equal pay and pay and grading, this update provides you with the latest information.

Funding equal pay claims

Senior officers have recently negotiated an external funding deal as part of a financial strategy to provide funds of around £270 million in total to settle outstanding equal pay claims, including all costs.

The funding strategy involves realising the value of the property assets of the council family.

We want to reassure you that this funding strategy is a financial arrangement to generate income for the council and will have no impact on how and where staff work, or on the delivery of any council services for the city.

The funding deal includes external finance for the sale and lease back of council family owned properties and services delivered from the properties will continue to operate as they do now. The properties include: Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Kelvin Hall, Gallery of Modern Art, City Chambers, Sighthill School Campus and Gowanbank School Campus.

The funding strategy is a decision for the City Administration Committee and a report is going to the committee to request approval to proceed on 29 September, you can read the report on the website here. The report also provides an update on the pay and grading project which has recently started, you can read the summary below.

Equal pay negotiations

Negotiations with representatives of the main claimant group have taken place over the summer and are continuing. There is a shared commitment to make progress from all sides but these negotiations are complex and key issues still have to be resolved. 

Future discussions will seek to achieve settlement of claims for the period up to the date on which the new pay and grading scheme is implemented (referred to as the gap period). Even where those key issues are resolved and an agreement reached in principle, a significant amount of work will need to be undertaken to process offers and payments.

At the same time, negotiations are also taking place with representatives of smaller groups of claimants. 

Once negotiations have been finalised, we will be in a better position to provide an update on the likely timeline to process offers and payment to claimants.

Settlement of all these claims will bring an end to the equal pay litigation against the council. 

New pay and grading scheme

The council is committed to resolving the issue of equal pay, making sure that everyone who works for the council is paid equally for equal work. The new pay and grading scheme will be designed with this in mind and to make sure that there is no discrimination in the future, taking input from the ongoing job evaluation work.

At this point, it is not possible to say how the new scheme will affect individuals. All jobs will need to be evaluated first and placed in a rank order based on demands of the role, then the appropriate grading and pay can be applied once the scheme has been designed.

To prepare for the work to design a new pay and grading scheme a project team has now been set up and the team are developing an implementation plan with input from our trade unions through a series of consultations and meetings. At this stage discussions are at a high level and are mainly for planning purposes that will lead to more technical research and design work.

The estimated timeline for the first pay under the new scheme is currently by April 2024 but this is based on many dependencies due to the complexity of the work involved.

Where to find the latest information

As always, we will keep you updated when information is available. Information about equal pay, job evaluation and pay and grading is also on the website under latest news.

Friday 2 September 2022

Welcome to the 2 September 2022 edition of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability E-News.

This fortnightly e-mail will provide you with a range of updates all in one place! With a range of actions, responses required as well as workplace, service and corporate updates.

•  2 September 2022 [815kb]

August 2022

Wednesday 24 August 2022

Please find below a copy of the bi-monthly Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability staff newsletter, the LOOP.

If you have any content for future issues or our fortnightly eLOOP, please contact the NRS Promotions and Engagement Team who would love to hear from you.

•  The Loop Newsletter - August 2022 [266kb]

Friday 19 August 2022

Welcome to the 19 August 2022 edition of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability E-News.

This fortnightly e-mail will provide you with a range of updates all in one place! With a range of actions, responses required as well as workplace, service and corporate updates.

•  19 August 2022 [1Mb]

Thursday 11 August 2022

When working outdoors during periods of warm weather it is important that you take regular short breaks and drink fluids as required. There is a useful Toolbox Talk available on Sun Awareness which you should familiarise yourself with.

•  Sun Awareness Toolbox Talk [169kb]

July 2022

Friday 22 July 2022

Welcome to the 22 July 2022 edition of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability E-News.

This fortnightly e-mail will provide you with a range of updates all in one place! With a range of actions, responses required as well as workplace, service and corporate updates.

•  22 July 2022 [948kb]

Friday 15 July 2022

Cal for Volunteers - Job Evaluation

If your job is listed as a benchmark job, and you've not already been asked to volunteer by your line manager, this is your opportunity to tell us about your job in your own words as part of the Job Evaluation programme.

The posts listed below are required to allow the Job Evaluation Programme to progress.

Volunteer if YOUR post is listed below and have your say on your role! To take part, you must have been in the same post for at least two years.

• LES Operative 2 - BM008
• LES Operative 3 - BM017
• LES Operative 4 - BM029
• LES Driver - BM024
• Security Assistant - BM109
• Senior Parking Attendant - BM099
• Mediator - BM111
• Development Officer - BM085

How to volunteer!

Let your line manager know then email the Job Evaluation Team on JE-SUPPORT@glasgow.gov.uk you should include the BM Ref number from the list ABOVE, if you are unable to email the team please ask your line manager to do so on your behalf. Please note not everyone who volunteers will be chosen.

Frequently asked questions can be found at http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/consultations

Friday 8 July 2022

Welcome to the 8 July 2022 edition of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability E-News.

This fortnightly e-mail will provide you with a range of updates all in one place! With a range of actions, responses required as well as workplace, service and corporate updates.

•  8 July 2022 [1Mb]

June 2022

Friday 24 June 2022

Welcome to the 24 June 2022 edition of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability E-News.

This fortnightly e-mail will provide you with a range of updates all in one place! With a range of actions, responses required as well as workplace, service and corporate updates.

•  24 June 2022 [900kb]

Wednesday 22 June 2022

Covid Absence Management

As outlined in our previous  Managers' Briefing [124kb], the national agreement for a 10 day period of Special Leave to be given to staff suffering from COVID-19 will come to an end on 1 July 2022.

In agreement with COSLA and the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) from this date, if you are diagnosed with COVID-19, it will be recorded and managed in line with our existing  Maximising Attendance Policy [291kb] and sickness pay arrangements. It will be recorded as COVID19 in SAP or through your normal absence reporting returns.

Certifying of Fit Notes

In addition to this, new UK Government legislation comes into force on the same day - 1 July 2022.

This will change who is able to certify a fit note to allow wider Healthcare professionals to ease the growing pressures on GPs and Doctors.

From the 1 July the following health care professionals can certify a digital fit note for you:

• Doctors and GPs
• Nurses
• Occupational Therapists
• Pharmacists
• Physiotherapists

This change does not affect our current requirement for the submission of concurrent fit notes for any periods of absence over 7 days - as outlined in our  Conditions of Service - Sickness Absence: Leave and Pay [253kb]

and  Maximising Attendance Policy [291kb].

More Information on these Fit notes and these changes can be found here:

• https://www.gov.uk/government/news/more-healthcare-professionals-given-powers-to-certify-fit-notes
• https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fit-note

Thursday 16 June 2022

Planning to use the train next week?  Impact of strike action by RMT members of Network Rail 

Important message from David Simpson, ScotRail Service Delivery Director

As you may be aware, the RMT union recently announced three days of strike action on 21 (Tuesday), 23 (Thursday), and 25 (Saturday) June across the Great Britain railway network resulting from a pay dispute with Network Rail and some Department for Transport train operating companies.

While this dispute does not involve ScotRail staff it will, unfortunately, have a major knock-on effect on our ability to provide services as the planned RMT action will involve Network Rail staff in Scotland.

Many of the Network Rail staff that are due to take part in the planned industrial action occupy safety-critical roles and, as such, it will not be possible for us to run the vast majority of our services.

For more information on this, please visit the National Rail website at National Rail Enquiries - Industrial Action.

The important messages for customers are:

1. Services will only operate on five routes.
2. For the routes on which we will operate a service, customers should only travel if they really need to and should consider alternative options where possible.

The railway will only be operational between 07.30 and 18.30 on 21, 23, and 25 June.

The below services will run on these days:

• Edinburgh - Glasgow via Falkirk High: two trains per hour
• Edinburgh - Bathgate: two trains per hour
• Glasgow - Hamilton/Larkhall: two trains per hour
• Glasgow - Lanark: two trains per hour
• Edinburgh - Glasgow via Shotts: one train per hour

Final services will depart well before 18.30, so customers should plan ahead to ensure they know when their last train will run.

Unfortunately, Network Rail will be unable to open any other signal boxes to operate passenger services on any other routes on the strike days.

Customer retail systems will be updated to reflect this over the coming days, in the meantime customers are advised to check the following page for information: Network Rail Industrial Action | ScotRail

Disruption to our services will not be confined to the days of strike action and will also impact the day following each day of action, albeit to a lesser degree.

On the days following strike action, there will be disruption caused by the reopening of signal boxes at different times across the country. Signal boxes are key pieces of infrastructure located across the rail network that control train movements, their use is critical to ensure that the railway can operate safely.

While large signalling centres at Yoker, West of Scotland and Edinburgh will be able to operate from 07.15, this will not be the case at signal boxes elsewhere and it may well be later in the day before many routes are able to operate as normal. This is particularly the case for routes beyond the Central Belt.

It is very unfortunate to see such widespread disruption across the whole of the Great Britain rail network and we know this will be frustrating for ScotRail customers.

We understand that this will cause great disruption to our customers and so should you have any questions please do not hesitate to get in touch with our External Relations Manager at iain.hall@scotrail.co.uk

This message was approved for council distribution by Colin Edgar, Head of Communication and Strategic Partnerships

Friday 10 June 2022

Equal Pay - Update

Some time has now passed since we last communicated with staff about equal pay matters and we felt it was important to provide an update on the current position.

Unfortunately, due to an issue affecting those representing some claimants and over which the council had no control; negotiations were unable to take place for a number of weeks.

This, inevitably, has posed a challenge for all parties - particularly in terms of meeting the proposed timeline for offers, which was already tight.

Negotiations have now resumed.  We don't yet know for sure what impact the recent pause will have on our ability to conclude negotiations within the planned timescale, but all parties are committed to making progress on outstanding issues.

We appreciate that these matters directly affect many of our staff. The council is committed to resolving equal pay issues and we will continue to keep you updated.

This message has been authorised for distribution by Colin Edgar, Head of Communication and Strategic Partnerships.

Friday 10 June 2022

Welcome to the 10 June 2022 edition of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability E-News.

This fortnightly e-mail will provide you with a range of updates all in one place! With a range of actions, responses required as well as workplace, service and corporate updates.

•  10 June 2022 [772kb]

May 2022

Thursday 26 May 2022

Welcome to the 26 May 2022 edition of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability E-News.

This fortnightly e-mail will provide you with a range of updates all in one place! With a range of actions, responses required as well as workplace, service and corporate updates.

•  26 May 2022 [700kb]

Tuesday 17 May 2022

Staff Support Factsheet : Concerned About Money? 

We have created an information factsheet to help staff who may be concerned about money just now.

It includes a comprehensive list of some recommended Government approved pathways that are available for free, impartial, and confidential money advice and support.

The information is accessible to all staff - either on our Workforce Wellbeing Support Staff page or by sharing the  attached PDF [87kb] with them which can be printed out.

Friday 13 May 2022

Welcome to the 13 May 2022 edition of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability E-News.

This fortnightly e-mail will provide you with a range of updates all in one place! With a range of actions, responses required as well as workplace, service and corporate updates.

•  13 May 2022 [501kb]

Wednesday 11 May 2022

Public Holidays 2022

As you may be aware, the Scottish Government announced an additional public holiday in 2022 to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

It has been agreed that the Council will change the public holidays schedule for 2022 to match those announced by the Scottish Government.

For those working a standard five-day working pattern, we have moved the late May Monday holiday originally scheduled for Monday 30th May to Thursday 2nd June and declared Friday 3rd June 2022, as an additional public holiday to mark the Queen's Platinum Jubilee and allow an extended break.

For those who work either a non-standard work pattern or on a part-time basis, they will be entitled to observe the additional public holiday on Friday 3 June 2022, should it be a scheduled working day. If Friday 3 June 2022 is not a scheduled working day, then the additional public holiday can be observed as a day in lieu of this, at a later point.

A full list of the public holidays for 2022 is available on Connect.

April 2022

Friday 29 April 2022

Welcome to the 29 April 2022 edition of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability E-News.

This fortnightly e-mail will provide you with a range of updates all in one place! With a range of actions, responses required as well as workplace, service and corporate updates.

•  29 April 2022 [504kb]

Thursday 21 April 2022

Please find  link to a managers' briefing [119kb] which explains the new Highway Code rule which came into force on 25 March 2022 - in which it is now illegal to use a hand-held mobile phone when driving, except in limited circumstances.

Please ask your managers to share the key messages in this briefing with their teams as soon as possible.

It is of particular importance for any members of staff who drive a council vehicle - this includes the loan of a council electric pool car.

Thursday 14 April 2022

Welcome to the 4 April 2022 edition of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability E-News.

This fortnightly e-mail will provide you with a range of updates all in one place! With a range of actions, responses required as well as workplace, service and corporate updates.

•  14 April 2022 [399kb]

Monday 11 April 2022

Colleagues

Information Security

Fraudsters use sophisticated cybercrime tactics to scam businesses and residents - by exploiting their vulnerabilities. It has never been more important to be extra vigilant about the information we are using and sharing every day - and know how to protect it and report issues.

All NRS staff should have now completed the Information Security Essentials course, either via GOLD or via receiving a paper copy in the post.

Staff are reminded of the following key actions/points:   

• Check- Always check your email is being delivered to the correct person, that it has the right level of security and that you use BCC when sending a message to multiple recipients.
• Secure- If you have a business need to share sensitive information - always use a secure process such Objective Connect or Secure Email (encryption).
• Report- If you lose or accidentally disclose sensitive information (in any format) you must report it immediately. The Data Security and Breach Management Procedure includes the form which must be completed and returned to databreach@glasgow.gov.uk. You should also advise your manager immediately of any breach as per the procedure.
• At Home- If you are working from home please read our Security Guidelines on how to work from home safely and securely. This will help keep our information safe and managed safely, thus ensuring the Council's Code of Practices for IT use and security is adhered to.
• Devices- Only use council encrypted devices unless you have special permission to use other types of devices.
• Notes- You should use your council mobile device to take notes externally where possible and if you need to use paper use codes/references to keep information safe.
• Protect -Do not read sensitive notes in a public place where they can be viewed.
• Mobiles- Make sure no-one can over hear your work conversations.
• Secret- Always use a strong password and never share your login or PIN for any council device or system.
• In the office- Familiarise yourself with our Information Security Staff Guidelines to protect the information you use and share safe - Keeping Our Information Safe
• Lock- Lock away valuables and sensitive information when they are left unattended and remember to lock your screen when away from your desk - both at home and in the office.
• Outside- You should only take the necessary information you need away from the office or home and carry it securely.
• Internet Usage -  is  subject to scrutiny/monitoring and blocking at the Council's discretion.

For the most up to date guidance on how to protect departmental information assets - both electronic and paper - please visit the Keeping Our Information Safe page on Connect.

Phishing Resilience

Phishing attempts can take many forms but often involve sending emails designed to convince the recipient that they need to open an attachment or click on a link. These attachments and links are then used to install malicious software (malware) or to trick the user into entering sensitive or confidential information. Phishing attempts are not limited to email and can also be completed via phone calls (vishing) or messaging apps (smishing).

 CHECK

• Always be vigilant for suspicious and unusual emails.
• Be aware of the titles of email attachments which are incentives to get you to open them, such as 'you will never guess who I met on holiday!'
• Check who the email was really sent from - you can hover your mouse over the sender's contact name to see what email address pops up to verify if legitimate. It's very common for an attacker to spoof a display name to look like it is coming from someone legitimate, but when you hover over the display name you'll often find that message is actually coming from someone else.
• Make sure your email signature is on every new email that you send - so colleagues can feel more confident that the email came from you, and if concerned, have your number to phone for confirmation.
• If the suspicious email is coming from someone you regularly communicate with, compare the new email against older ones. Does the display name and email signature look identical on both?
• If you receive notification that an email sent to you has been quarantined, you must not ask for it to be released - unless you were expecting is as part of your normal business activity or have checked with the sender that it is genuine - as it could be a harmful email.

 Other clues to watch out for:

• Unusual grammar or phrases
• Emails sent at odd times
• Sense of urgency to respond - don't act out of panic
• Link in email doesn't match destination address - hover to verify

 STOP

• If you receive an urgent, or unusual, email payment request you should not process it until you have actually spoken directly to the person who sent you the email and confirmed it was a genuine request.
• For council family contacts, you can look up their phone number on Connect and phone them directly to confirm their email payment request is genuine.
• For external contacts - refer to a directory enquiries website or your own personal phone contact list to verify the sender is genuine.
• Do not open attachments or click on any URL's within any suspicious email you have received.

 REPORT IT

• If you have received a suspicious email and clicked on the link or opened an attachment please contact the CGI Service desk immediatelyon extension 74000.
• If you are in any doubt and think the email and attachment/link is of a suspicious nature - please forward the email to Internal Audit immediatelyat: integrity@glasgow.gov.uk
• If you receive a warning of a security threat from someone other than the CGI Service desk - do not pass it onto your colleagues - as it may be a hoax. Report it immediately to CGI on extension 74000 and also integrity@glasgow.gov.uk

A phishing exercise with the National Cyber Security Centre can be viewed here.

Current Security Threat Level

The UK terror threat level is currently  "SUBSTANTIAL". This means that it is likely that a terrorist attack could happen in the UK.  Police Scotland are clear that there is no specific threat to Glasgow, however they are asking that everyone remains vigilant and reports any suspicious activity.

Stay Safe Advice - Firearms and Weapons Attacks

Firearms and Weapons Attacks in the UK are rare. Recent events around the world however have reminded us of the need to be prepared. The National Police Chiefs Council have created a video entitled "Stay Safe" which is based on proven advice on actions to be taken in the event of an attack. All staff must ensure that they have viewed the content of the "Stay Safe" video. The video can be accessed here.

CitizenAID App

CitizenAID is a government approved free app suitable for all smart phones which provides a step-by-step guide on how the public can act to stay safe and save lives of the injured in the event of an emergency. This app supports the UK governments RUN-HIDE-TELL strategy.

All staff are encouraged to download the free CitizenAID app which is available on the Google Play or the Apple App Store and retain it on their smartphone in the event of an emergency.

Physical Security 

• ID badges must be visible at all times within NRS sites. 
• Eastgate Only - ID Badges must be housed within an appropriate holder and secured using a green GCC or visitor lanyard. These are the only two accepted lanyards at Eastgate.
• Staff should be prepared to challenge tailgaters or anyone who is not known to them and not wearing an ID badge or not being escorted by a member of staff.
• Visitors (essential only)must sign in when visiting any NRS site and produce credentials to verify who they are (I.D. badge from the organisation that they are employed by).
• Visitors and contractors (essential only) must be escorted by a member of staff at all times. Any visitors and contractors that are not being escorted should be challenged.
• The Corporate Leavers Process must be followed in full and completed on the day a member of staff leaves the organisation, paying particular attention to the deactivation of passes and the removal of all ICT equipment.
• All codes to combination door entry systems must be changed on a minimum six monthly basis or when a member of staff leaves or no longer requires access.
• Security posters must be refreshed across all NRS properties every few months. Posters available here.
• Lost ID Badges must be reported to the appropriate department immediately to enable them to be promptly deactivated.

Reporting of Security Incidents

All security incidents should be reported using the council's HANDS Incident Reporting System as soon as reasonably practicable. Information relating to any security incident that is reported via the HANDS Incident Reporting System will be forwarded to the Resilience Unit. The Resilience Unit can be contacted on 0141 287 8011 or by emailing emplan@glasgow.gov.uk for more information.

Monday 4 April 2022

Welcome to the 4 April 2022 edition of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability E-News.

This fortnightly e-mail will provide you with a range of updates all in one place! With a range of actions, responses required as well as workplace, service and corporate updates.

•  4 April 2022 [838kb]

Monday 4 April 2022

Colleagues

From Monday 4 April 2022, the Human Resources Section has relocated from Floor 5, 231 George Street, to:

Human Resources Section (NRS)
Floor 2, Eastgate
Glasgow City Council
727 London Road
Glasgow
G40 3AQ

Please ensure that any mail is now sent to the address above.

Managers should ensure that staff who do not have access to e-mail are aware of the above.

All telephone numbers remain the same.

March 2022

Tuesday 22 March 2022

Security Update

The threat to the UK from international terrorism remains at Substantial. All staff must therefore remain alert but not alarmed and report anything suspicious or out of the ordinary, no matter how trivial it may seem.

All staff are advised to familiarise themselves with the content of the "Stay Safe" video produced by the National Police Chiefs' Council. This video can be accessed here.

YOU Can Save Lives!

CitizenAID have developed a free app suitable for all smart phones which provides clear and simple instructions informing the general public on immediate actions in the event of a shooting, stabbing or bomb incident. This app supports the UK governments RUN-HIDE-TELL strategy. All staff are encouraged to download the free CitizenAID app which is available on the Apple App Store, Microsoft Store or Google Play Store and retain it on their smartphone in the event of an emergency. Further Information is available here.

Monday 14 March 2022

•  Internal Vacancy Poster [117kb]

Thursday 10 March 2022

In our Equality Outcomes the council has given a commitment to - Create and celebrate a diverse and inclusive workforce and to make sure that 'black and ethnic minority people have increased representation within the council's workforce'.

If you wish to take part the BME Employee's Survey is now live.  Further information can be found on Connect.

Please ensure if completing that you do so before the closing date of Wednesday 23 March 2022.

February 2022

Friday 24 February 2022

Colleagues

Your health and wellbeing at work is our highest priority and we are always looking for ways we can enhance the support we provide. That's why we've partnered with Able Futures to deliver one-to-one support sessions, provided by The Better Health Generation's Mental Health Nurses, Occupational Therapists and Counsellors.

Able Futures delivers the Access to Work Mental Health Support Service which can give you a mental health professional to talk to about whatever is playing on your mind at work.

There's no charge to use the service and you can receive nine months of support from Able Futures to help you build self-care and wellbeing routines, tackle issues, feel better and learn new ways to manage your mental health throughout the ups and downs of life. 

Whenever there is something on your mind that is affecting the way you feel, you can contact Able Futures.

If you are experiencing issues such as anxiety, depression, grief, or stress, or are struggling to deal with problems such as debt, disrupted sleep or relationship breakdowns that may be affecting your mental health, Able Futures could give you support from a mental health professional who will help you make a plan to help your mental health, so you can feel better and have more good days.

Support from Able Futures is available over the phone and through email or video calls at a time to suit you. It's a completely confidential service and Able Futures won't inform us, your colleagues, family or friends that you have accessed the service.

If you feel you could benefit from some support with your mental health and wellbeing, call Able Futures on 0800 321 3137 or sign-up online. Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability also have arranged several introductory sessions for staff.

We are pleased to offer a 'Virtual Appointment Day', where a member of The Better Health Generation team will call you at your chosen time to discuss how they can support you. Two sessions have been arranged for NRS Staff as below:

Event	Date/Time	Link to online booking system
Virtual Appointment Day	Tues 8th March, from 7.00am - 5.00pm	8 March bookings: https://calendly.com/thebetterhealthgeneration/appointment-booking-mental-health-support-glasgow
Virtual Appointment Day	Fri 18th March,from 7.00am - 5.00pm	18 March bookings: https://calendly.com/thebetterhealthgenerationuk/appointment-booking-mental-health-support-gcc3

The confidential call aims to answer any initial questions you may have regarding the service they can provide. If you would like to proceed with accessing the support, they will gather your basic details to apply for the Mental Health Support there and then, at your own pace. This is fully confidential, and we as your employer will not be made aware of any appointments or bookings.

You can select your timeslot by following this link:

https://calendly.com/thebetterhealthgeneration/appointment-booking-mental-health-support-glasgow

The call will take up to 30 minutes and you will need the following information to register for the phone call:

• National Insurance Number
• Email Address
• Start Date of Current Employment

The Better Health Generation team will call you at your requested time.

Further information about the support service can be found on the Able Futures website. You can also apply via the Able Futures website at any time, if you would prefer to self-refer before the appointment day."

For further information on Glasgow City Council's Health and Wellbeing Programme, please visit: http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/foodgrowing

•  Welcome to Able Futures [424kb]

Wednesday 23 February 2022

The council is committed to resolving the issue of equal pay and dealing with equal pay claims, making sure that everyone who works for the council is paid equally for equal work.

We reached an agreement to settle a substantial number of claims in 2019 - and it was agreed by all parties, at that time, that we would then seek to deal with new claims covering the same period.

While these claims were explicitly not covered by the 2019 agreement, the council has made it clear in discussions with claimants' representatives that its proposed approach remains absolutely rooted in that deal.

As a result, we can now update you that the council is prepared to make offers to settle new claims on the basis of the 2019 deal.

We have also always been committed to considering options to deal with what is often referred to as 'the gap period' - the time between 2018 and the eventual implementation of a new pay and grading scheme, and negotiations will continue on this area.  We are currently working through options to finding a solution.

 This message has been approved for distribution by Colin Edgar Head of Communication and Strategic Partnerships.

January 2022

Monday 17 January 2022

Colleagues,

I would like to take this opportunity to update you on a realignment of the Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability leadership structure which will be effective from April 2022.

As mentioned in my communication in December 2021, Patrick Flynn, previous Director of City Development has now retired from post. This has provided me an opportunity to further streamline our leadership structure from 3 City Directors to 2. The functions for which Ian Robertson and Andy Waddell are responsible for have also been realigned and are detailed in the attached structure chart.

The post of Divisional Director Operations was previously undertaken by 2 flexi retired employees, however, with the retirement of George Vincent and a new part-time role for David Russell heading up Service reform including the Council's Health and Well Being Initiative, this allowed Jenny O'Hagan to be repositioned within the business and she will now replace George and David as Divisional Director Operations.  A role she is very much looking forward to undertaking.

You will also note that Geraldine Ham our Strategic HR Manager has decided to retire and will depart at the end of March.  Both Jenny and Geraldine's posts will be advertised shortly, and it is envisaged that their replacements will be in post for the start of the new financial year.

As always, if you have any questions regarding the new structure or would like to ask me a question on another subject, please drop me an e-mail to: AskGeorge.NRS@glasgow.gov.uk, I would be delighted to hear from you.

George

•  NRS Leadership Structure [92kb]

Thursday 13 January 2022

Colleagues,

Happy New year to you all and I hope you and your families managed to have a happy, healthy but different festive season. 

I would like to give special thanks to all the staff who were working during the festive season to keep the city safe and moving.

2020 and 2021 were extremely challenging and as we start 2022, we once again find ourselves trying to control the spread of the new Omicron variant of the virus.

Throughout the previous two years, I was continually moved by the professionalism, commitment and resilience shown by you to deliver essential services. Staff members also stepping up and answering the call, volunteering to carry out new roles across not only the Service but the Council family where required allowing us to adapt to meet the challenges brought by COVID-19.

Sadly, not all our colleagues are moving forward into 2022 with us, please spare a moment, as I will for those colleagues who passed away last year.

We have, however, as a City managed to return albeit for a short period of time to some sort of normality with the hosting of the UEFA EURO 2020 events held during the summer of 2021 and TRNSMT at Glasgow Green and finally COP26 - The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference in November, these major events helped to showcase our magnificent City and the resilience shown by our workforce in adapting to the ever changing regulations and additional strains these events put on our workforce.

2022 will no doubt bring many more challenges; however, I am certain we will face them with the same professionalism and commitment that was shown in 2020 and 2021. 

The uptake of the vaccination and booster programme brings light at the end of the tunnel that normality may return.

I would ask that you check the staff updates page regularly to keep up to date with service and corporate updates. 

As always, if you would like to ask me any questions directly, please e-mail AskGeorge.nrs@glasgow.gov.uk

I look forward to working with you all in the new year. 

George

Tuesday 11 January 2022

January 2022 - Health and Wellbeing Training

Healthy Working Lives Sessions - MS Teams

Supporting Staff Financial Wellbeing

This session helps you to:

• understand how money worries may affect your team members
• look at the practical measures that can be applied to reduce the negative impact that money worries have both on staff and the workplace.
• Suitable for line managers, team leaders, supervisors and HR

Date: 11 January 2022, 10am-12 noon. February and March dates coming soon.

Keeping people safe at work - effective risk assessments in a changing world

This session will:outline the key responsibilities and requirements of completing risk assessments

• describe the five steps to risk assessments
• explain how to identify hazards and evaluate risks, including COVID-19
• signpost to further guidance and support
• Suitable for line managers, team leaders, supervisors and HR

Date: 18 January 2022, 10am -11am. February and March dates coming soon.

Cancer Research UK Workplace Webinar

This session will:

• explore how to reduce the risk of cancer and increase chances of detecting it early
• cover the cancer screening programmes available
• Answer any questions you may have
• Suitable for anyone with an interest in cancer prevention and support

Date: 18 January 2022, 2pm-3pm. February and March dates coming soon.

Returning to the workplace - supporting staff mental health

This session includes:

• looking after mental health and wellbeing at work following the pandemic
• improve your knowledge and understanding of COVID-related anxiety and stress when returning to the workplace/or hybrid working
• practical tips and ideas to create healthy and sustainable working conditions.
• Suitable for line managers, team leaders, supervisors and HR

Date: 20 January 2022, 10am - 12 noon. February and March dates coming soon.

Glasgow Credit Union - good money management

This session covers:

• Importance of budgeting
• Budgeting advice and tips
• How the credit scoring system works
• Pitfalls of debt and how to manage debt
• This session is for anyone with an interest and helps build confidence in taking control of finances.

Date: 27 January 2022, 10am-11.30am. February and March dates coming soon.

To sign up for the Healthy Working Lives sessions Click here

When asked if your organisation is signed up to the Healthy Working Lives programme, answer 'Yes' - the Council is a GOLD award member of the programme. You will also be asked to provide your name, service, line manager's name and email address, and the title/date of the course(s) you want to attend.

Tuesday 11 January 2022

Lifelink Wellbeing Sessions - MS Teams

Improving Motivation

This session will help you to:

• Gain an understanding of motivation
• Set achievable goals
• Manage unhelpful thoughts and feelings
• Learn some practical strategies for maintaining motivation in the longer term.

Date: 19 January 2022, 10am - 12 Noon. 

Sign up now to secure your place on Eventbrite.

Building Confidence (Taster Session)

This session will help you to:

• Gain an understanding of what affects and drives our levels of self confidence
• Develop strategies to help build confidence
• Overcome barriers to building your confidence

Date: 28 January 2022, 2pm - 3pm.

Sign up now to secure your place on Eventbrite.

Boosting Self esteem 

This session will help you to:

• Gain an understanding of self-esteem and how it affects your daily life
• Develop strategies to help build self-esteem
• Overcome barriers to building self -esteem

Date: 10 February 2022, 10am - 12 noon.

Sign up now to secure your place on Eventbrite.

Building Confidence

This session will help you to:

• Gain an understanding of what affects and drives our levels of self confidence
• Develop strategies to help build confidence
• Overcome barriers to building your confidence

Date: 28 January 2022, 2pm - 3pm.

Sign up now to secure your place on Eventbrite.

If you have difficulty accessing or securing a place on any of the above courses, please contact

Corporate Health and Wellbeing: YourHealthandWellbeing@glasgow.gov.uk

Tuesday 11 January 2022

SAMH and NHS Online Sessions - MS Teams

Hybrid Working

This session covers:

• Benefits and negatives of homeworking
• Consultation process between staff and management
• Managing anxieties with hybrid working
• Building resilience when hybrid working
• Planning and preparation, tips and support
• Group discussion on initiating conversations around hybrid working fears
• Suitable for all staff involved in Hybrid Working

Dates: 27 January 2pm - 2.30pm, 3 February 10am - 11.30am, 14 February 2pm - 2.30pm, 21 February 2pm - 2.30pm, 9 March 2pm - 2.30pm, 22 March 10am - 11.30am

Looking After Your Wellbeing

Course covers:

• Identifying your own responsibilities in creating a mentally healthy workplace
• Stress, what this looks like for you, and ways to manage it
• Impact of poor wellbeing on yourself, your workplace, and your community
• Utilising tools and understand signposting to look after your wellbeing
• Suitable for all staff

Dates: 11 January 2pm - 2.30pm, 24 January 2pm - 2.30pm, 7 February 2pm - 2.30pm, 21 February 10am - 11.30am, 21 March 2pm - 2.30pm, 28 March 2pm - 2.30pm

Introduction to Suicide Prevention

Course will enable you to:

• Gain a deeper insight into current prevalence and statistics around suicide
• Spot signs which may be associated with suicide, and discuss helpful questions which clarify suicide
• Listen and signpost to support
• Know how to keep yourself safe
• Suitable for all staff

** Please note this is an introduction to suicide prevention, and does not go into detail of suicide intervention **

Dates: 17 January 2pm - 3.30pm, 22 February 10am - 11.30am, 28 February 2pm - 3.30pm, 2 March 2pm - 3.30pm, 11 March 10am - 11.30am, 24 March 10am - 11.30am

Mental Health: Supporting Others

Course will help you to:

• Increase awareness of mental health problems and having a conversation.
• Gain knowledge of the most common mental health problems, and their affects
• Identify early warning signs and triggers of poor mental health
• Create a safe space to confidently facilitate a conversation around mental health
• Suitable for all staff

Dates: 20 January 10am - 11.30am, 7 February 2pm - 3.30pm, 18 February 10am - 11.30am, 8 March 10am - 11.30am 22 March 10am - 11.30am, 30 March 2pm - 3.30pm

Mental Health in the Workplace:

  A guide for Managers (3hr course)

For managers, team leaders and supervisors on supporting staff and managing positive mental health in the workplace. Course includes:

• Introduction to mental health and the impacts of poor mental health on staff, managers, and organisations
• Manager's role in supporting staff - remit and limitations/boundaries
• Legislation around mental health
• Having a conversation - and using Wellness Action Plans

Dates: 12 January, 3, 10 14 and 22 February, 3, 9, 15 and 31 March

Times: 10 - 11.30am and 2 - 2.30pm

To sign up for the above SAMH & NHS sessions

Email:training@samh.org.uk  and provide the following information:

• Course you want to attend
• Your Name:
• Job Role:
• Organisation: Glasgow City Council
• HSCP Area: Greater Glasgow & Clyde
• Manager's Name & email address

If you have difficulty accessing or securing a place on any of the above courses, please contact

Corporate Health and Wellbeing: YourHealthandWellbeing@glasgow.gov.uk

Tuesday 11 January 2022

Mental Health in the Workplace:

A guide for Managers (Live Webinar)

Overview for managers, team leaders and supervisors on supporting staff and managing positive mental health in the workplace.

Course includes:

• Introduction to mental health and the impacts of poor mental health on staff, managers, and organisations
• Manager's role in supporting staff - remit and limitations/boundaries
• Legislation around mental health
• Having a conversation - and using Wellness Action Plans

Date: 2 February 2022

Sign up now to secure your place on Eventbrite.

If you have difficulty accessing or securing a place on any of the above courses, please contact

Corporate Health and Wellbeing: YourHealthandWellbeing@glasgow.gov.uk