Autonomy to managers

• Check that your policies work for you as an organisation and are not just box-ticking exercises 
• Allow managers the discretion to do what works for them and their teams 
• Recognise in recruitment that relevant experience can be just as valuable as formal qualifications 

Epping Forest District Council is an employer that really values employee engagement and retention. Over half (52%) its workforce is aged 51 or older, and it places great emphasis on equality, diversity and inclusion. 

From the point of view of the People Team and its Manager, Louise Warren, breaking down potential barriers to joining the Council and doing everything possible to take a flexible approach to employees’ needs must be in the interests of the Council as employer. This means using common sense, not just a slavish adherence to the law, in job advertising and interviewing, and in treating employees fairly. In turn, that requires giving managers autonomy in making decisions that work for them. And with a flexible approach to work being particularly attractive to older workers, removing barriers is a must. 

For example, when it comes to recruitment, managers are encouraged to regard relevant experience as just as valuable as formal educational qualifications – if they feel comfortable that the job candidate will bring the skills they need.  

Similarly, when it comes to dealing with requests for time off from staff, the Council invites managers to be as flexible as possible, as long as decisions will be fair to other employees and not have an adverse effect on getting the job done.  

“Our managers know their people best, so we trust them to make the judgements, rather than requiring them to stick to the letter of rigid rules,” says Louise. “We’ve deliberately designed our policies to give them this leeway.” 

On top of this, the Council has put in place employee-friendly conditions, that may particularly suit the needs of older workers. For example, as well as 28 days’ standard annual leave, it offers five days’ carers’ leave which is paid, and the care does not have to be for a relative.  

People aged 55 or over who want to take flexible retirement are able to do so, or can opt for condensed hours if that’s preferable for them and works for their manager.  

Additionally, the Council offers a free mid-life MOT annually to anyone aged 40 or over.  

Unsurprisingly, this approach pays off. Employees appreciate the flexibility that they can have over working hours and their place of work, which leads to higher satisfaction and longer retention.  

Paula Maginnis, Service Director - Corporate Services, says: “Being closer to the end of my career rather than at the beginning, has not stopped the Council from investing in my development. This enables me to carry out my role to the best of my abilities and with confidence. Age is no barrier. As my dad has recently been diagnosed with dementia and started treatment for cancer, Epping Forest DC has allowed me to work flexibly to support him through this and continue to work full-time without the additional stresses an inflexible arrangement would bring. Epping Forest DC is a fantastic employer, supporting its people regardless of age and personal circumstances.”   

Signing the Age-friendly Employers Pledge has also stimulated further new ideas. The Council is looking at introducing a 50+ working group, for older people to feed back to the People team the challenges they face at work and the further support they’d like to see. It is also considering removing names when reviewing job applications, since these can sometimes be a source of conscious or unconscious bias. 

One of the greatest challenges to the approach of ceding autonomy when it was first introduced turned out to be how to reassure managers that the flexibility being offered would not be abused. But the Council’s experience is that, on the contrary, offering trust is repaid. And with flexible working being the most important consideration for older workers, allowing them to better manage health concerns and caring responsibilities, we know that these policies allow 50+ employees to stay in work while offering employers a wider pool of employees.   

To other HR or People teams, Louise Warren’s advice is clear. “Really, really check that your policies work for you as an employer – not that they just tick the boxes that the law says you need,” she says. “Otherwise, you are never going to get the engagement from all the different levels of the organisation that you need.”