Report Detail

Background and Executive Overview

This report provides the first annual overview of HR Case Management activity, bringing together insight from grievance, disciplinary, capability and employment tribunal cases. It provides assurance on the management of casework and demonstrates how organisational learning is being used to drive improvement, inform workforce decision-making and support delivery of the People Strategy and Strategic Workforce Plan.

HR Case Management supports workforce capacity, management capability and organisational culture by providing insight into how policies and procedures operate in practice. Organisational learning indicates that:

A significant proportion of cases relate to procedural fairness, management approach, welfare and reasonable adjustments.

Organisational risk arises less from gaps in policy and more from variation in the application of policy and process.

Issues frequently escalate due to communication, decision-making and delays in progression through workforce processes.

The creation of the Centralised HR Case Team has strengthened the organisation’s ability to capture learning and translate insight into targeted improvement activity. This has informed end-to-end attendance management guidance; improvements to reasonable adjustments and Access to Work arrangements; leadership and management development and enhanced governance through organisational learning and case management forums.

The focus remains on improving consistency in management practice; strengthening ownership and accountability; embedding organisational learning and reducing escalation through earlier intervention and more effective workforce management.

Further Detail – Overview of Case Management Activity and Assurance

Activity and Demand

There were 258 open cases across grievance, disciplinary, capability and employment tribunal processes at the end of Q1 2026/27. (See Appendix A)

Open disciplinary cases reduced from 33 at March 2026 to 27 at June 2026. With 12 disciplinary cases concluded during the quarter, this suggests case closures exceeded new intake, although timeliness remains a challenge.

Open grievance cases increased from 150 to 158 despite 24 grievances being concluded. This indicates new grievance activity exceeded case closures and suggests timeliness continues to influence overall caseload levels.

Attendance and performance capability activity remains comparatively low, aligning with wider organisational learning regarding progression through formal capability pathways. This has informed development of the end-to-end Attendance Management Guidance and related improvement activity focused on management capability, case progression and workforce capacity.

Employment tribunal activity is managed in partnership with Legal Services. Organisational learning from tribunal activity is reflected throughout this report, and work is underway to develop reporting arrangements that will support future inclusion of newly open and closed cases.

A total of 44 new cases were received across grievance, disciplinary and capability processes during Q1. Whilst lower than Q4 2025/26, activity remains broadly comparable to the same period last year, suggesting no significant reduction in underlying demand.

Themes from Grievances Raised

Since 21 October 2025, 109 grievances have been raised. Grievances often involve multiple themes. The most common concerns related to procedural fairness (67), management / psychological safety (59), welfare / duty of care (56), disability / adjustments (34), and promotion / career progression (26).

Outcomes and Resolution

During Q1, 24 grievances and 12 disciplinary cases were concluded. Informal resolution accounted for 38% of concluded grievances, compared with 31% during 2025/26. (See Appendix A)

Ten mediation referrals were made during Q1, compared with 25 during the whole of 2025/26, suggesting continued use of early intervention and informal resolution approaches.

Collectively, these findings indicate increased emphasis on resolving workplace issues through information mechanisms before they progress formally.

Timeliness and Case Progression

Grievances

Timeliness continues to be a challenge. Initial analysis suggests delays in Resolution Manager appointment may be a contributing factor, alongside case complexity, multi-theme grievances, availability of key parties and evidence gathering requirements. Further analysis is underway to inform improvement activity.

Disciplinaries

The average duration of disciplinary cases concluded during Q1 was 187 days. Open disciplinary cases have been active for an average of 172 days.

The data continues to indicate pressure on disciplinary timeliness, with a significant proportion of cases taking more than six months to conclude. Some cases are affected by ongoing criminal investigations or proceedings, which may take precedence over internal processes. Further analysis is being undertaken to understand the wider drivers of delay and inform improvement activity.

Key Observations

Grievances remain the largest area of formal casework demand. Demand levels are broadly stable, while capability activity remains comparatively low. Increased use of informal resolution and mediation suggests greater use of early intervention approaches. Timeliness remains the most significant issue within grievance and disciplinary processes, and workforce concerns continue to centre on procedural fairness, management practice, welfare and workplace adjustments.

Organisational Learning and Strategic Intent

Organisational learning from HR Case Management continues to identify a small number of recurring themes which drive escalation and organisational risk. These are highlighted at Appendix A.

Collectively, these themes demonstrate that the drivers of casework are consistent and well understood. Organisational risk arises less from gaps in policy and more from variation in management practice, application of process and communication.

Strategic Response and System Improvement

Organisational learning is informing a focused programme of improvement activity in the priority areas captured at Appendix B.

Progress has been made across all priority areas, including end-to-end attendance management guidance, establishment of Attendance and Health Oversight Meetings, stabilisation of reasonable adjustment arrangements and case allocation improvements.

Detailed delivery plans, progress and ownership are set out in Appendix B.

Workforce Risk and Organisational Impact

The themes identified through HR Case Management align closely with a number of the organisation's established workforce risks (see Appendix A) and provide insight into the effectiveness of workforce policies, processes and management practice.

Improvement activity is therefore focused on strengthening management practice, supporting progression through workforce pathways and addressing issues with the greatest impact on workforce capacity, deployability and organisational resilience.

Alignment to Audit and Inspections

Recent audit and inspection activity provides assurance the risks and themes identified through HR Case Management are consistent with wider organisational findings, particularly in relation to management
capability, application of process, decision-making and timeliness. (See Appendix A)

Alignment to Improvement Programme

Audit and inspection findings consistently highlight management capability; application of process; decision-making;timeliness and organisational learning. These priorities are reflected within the HR Case Management Improvement Programme (Appendix B) and overseen through the Workplace Relations Organisational Learning Review Group.

Overall Assessment of Impact and Direction of Travel

Demand has remained broadly stable, with grievances continuing to represent the largest source of formal casework activity. Increased use of informal resolution and mediation suggests greater emphasis on early intervention before issues progress to formal processes outcomes, with 38% of grievances concluded during Q1 resolved informally, building on the position during 2025/26. Alongside an increase in mediation referrals, this suggests greater use of early intervention and informal resolution before issues progress to formal processes.

Organisational learning indicates that the main drivers of casework and organisational risk are becoming increasingly well understood. Targeted improvement activity is underway across attendance management, reasonable adjustments, management capability, case progression and decision-making.

Overall, the direction of travel is positive. Improved governance, stronger organisational learning and targeted improvement activity have strengthened understanding of the issues impacting workforce capacity and organisational effectiveness. The key challenge remains translating this insight into measurable improvements in timeliness, management practice and progression through workforce pathways.