Further Details on Report Topic

EXAMPLES OF NATIONAL ACTIVITY

National activity in response to the 2024-25 Workforce Survey findings focused on communication and visibility of leaders, particularly senior leaders and the Chief Officer Team.

In addition, several key transformation programmes and projects being driven through Operation Evolve have been enhanced by the insight provided through the 2024-25 Workforce Survey. Feedback from colleagues has, for example, shown where greatest need is required and has helped to prioritise transformation activity across the Service and in line with our three-year business plan. These activities were outlined in more detail in the previous Your Voice Matters update provided to People Committee Members in August.

A significant budget has been made available to support a national wellbeing fund, enabling teams to request budget to support initiatives aimed at improving colleague wellbeing – as a direct result of findings from the survey.

Between January and February 2025, local leaders conducted increased tours of duty to engage with frontline colleagues, visited local offices to hear firsthand of any issues which need addressed and carried out in-person and online engagement sessions with divisional and departmental colleagues.

The feedback leaders gathered from their teams informed their activity which will continue to support considerations of the design and implementation of meaningful change across the Service.

In addition, Chief Officer Team representatives have hosted and continue to host a range of forums to communicate and engage directly with colleagues.

As well as providing regular updates via the intranet – including the new format of the Chief Constable’s update blogs/videos issued regularly throughout the year – Chief Officers and other senior leaders have hosted:
• Senior leader engagement forums in various locations,
• Divisional Commander Meetings,
• A new mid-level leaders engagement forum format for Inspectors, Chief Inspectors and staff equivalents,
• Chief Officer Team visits to various locations around our estate to connect with colleagues and learn more about their work.

Events have taken place around Scotland in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Inverness, Edinburgh and Stirling. As we head towards 2026, there are plans to do more of this and extending the opportunity to those in other ranks and grades.

EXAMPLES OF LOCAL ACTIVITY
Local leaders continue sharing best practice to improve officer and staff wellbeing and their treatment when assaulted in the line of duty, a key area identified for improvement in the workforce survey results.

Local and national divisions are implementing tailored strategies and taking proactive steps to minimise court attendance where possible to support policing within our communities whilst also balancing the welfare needs of our officers and staff, owing to the fact suitable resourcing and wellbeing were highlighted in the survey feedback.

Training & Development

Local policing divisions and national specialist services took forward significant activity in response to the survey theme of ‘Training and Development’.
Specialist Crime Division held conversations with colleagues across Crime Management Units to better understand staff training needs, available support, and workload pressures, creating a national picture that informed future departmental planning.

Tayside Division have established an Inspector Development Programme. In person development day organised with all Inspectors present and first session allowed senior leaders to provide strategic updates and listen to feedback. Inputs were provided by Contact, Command and Control Division, Criminal Justice Services Division, Professional Standards and Mental Health Taskforce to advance knowledge and instil confidence in operational decision making. Future sessions are planned and will be led by the Inspectors, focusing on divisional transformation with the overall objective of Inspectors feeling more valued, trusted and part of divisional leadership.

Corporate Services' Transformation function introduced a Technical Competency Framework and development pathways, enabling colleagues to self-assess their skills and understand progression routes; later expanding this framework to all relevant roles.

In Greater Glasgow Division, senior management demonstrated commitment to building workforce capability by engaging with a local authority to explore opportunities for joint leadership training for officers and staff.

In Criminal Justice Services Division focus has been given to our MyCareer opportunity for colleagues to reflect on achievements and consider future professional development goals. Competency and Values Framework awareness sessions have been hosted to raise awareness of how our values, competencies and behaviours come alive in day-to-day work.

Communication and visibility
Local and national policing divisions and service areas responded to the survey theme of ‘communication and visibility’ by increasing direct engagement with colleagues through visits, forums, and structured discussions. These are in addition to the national activity outlined in section 2.

Greater Glasgow Division established a workstream to understand colleague experiences surfaced through the survey in greater detail through facilitated sessions that cascaded throughout the division.

Criminal Justice Services Division introduced regular engagement forums and quarterly division meetings to escalate issues for all colleagues to join as they wished.

Argyll & West Dunbartonshire Division implemented a refreshed suite of engagement activities, including monthly tactical meetings, briefing visits, and locally supported events to improve senior management visibility and ensure staff concerns were recognised and addressed.

Wellbeing and support for colleagues
Local divisions undertook a range of targeted activities in response to the workforce survey’s theme of ‘wellbeing’, focusing on supporting colleagues affected by traumatic incidents, assaults, and workplace pressures.

Leaders shared best practice and strengthened welfare processes, including improved follow-ups after traumatic events monitoring court outcomes, and support for colleagues impacted by hate crime.

Divisions also analysed assault trends to better understand risk and enhance post-incident care. Tailored strategies were introduced to manage court-related demands and reduce unnecessary attendance.

Renfrewshire & Inverclyde Division are delivering Lifelines sessions to promote peer support and Argyll & West Dunbartonshire Division is working to ease workloads for officers on rest days.

The restructure within our Human Resources function has enabled greater capability to be invested into our Wellbeing team. As part of the work progressed to achieve the new format of HR support within the Service, wellbeing now has a greater focus with more professional police staff in place to support colleagues and provide connections and opportunities as part of our thriving workforce approach. In addition, there is greater support in place for line managers with a professional HR Case team in place to ensure colleagues who are people managers have the right support at the right time to respond to what is often challenging HR matters.

In Tayside Division a new LGBTQI+ Forum has been established to better care for all staff, build awareness and inclusion while discussing and raising awareness of wellbeing and support issues serving members of the community.

Road Policing inspectors identified and communicated initiatives through regular engagement, while Edinburgh City Division delivered enhanced wellbeing sessions to introduce officers and staff to Police Treatment Centre services and in addition funded wellbeing breaks for colleagues.