Microsoft Word - Managers UpdateJanuary09.doc

Internal Managers’ Update January 2009

Managers’ Update
Keeping you informed


Welcome to January’s
In this issue:
Update

Targets – current performance
As usual, we’ve got news from around our
Driving performance – sharing good practices
organisation to keep you and your teams up
Activity Based Management
to date.
Information security campaign internal communication

Please use the articles in the Update to help you
campaign – ‘I will do my bit’
decide what information you need to
Managers who Deliver – Leaders who Inspire
pass on to your teams.
Lean Development Centres

If you have any other feedback about the Update,
Directgov website
or suggestions for next month’s issue,
Benefits Advisor Service and the Directgov marketing
then send us an email.
campaign

Human Resources policies clarified


National Benefit Fraud Hotline

Prince’s Trust programmes and benefits payments
reminder
Periodicity and Payday Project
DWP Excellence Awards
Work travel in London
Staff attendance
Coming soon – the staff survey
Making a Difference
Finding a recruitment agency

Communication update

Your Call
InfoSource
Hot Topics

Delivery of Performance
Current performance (January 2009)


YTD
Variance
Trend
YTD
Variance
Trend
JOT
87%
- 13%
  CST
86.5%
+ 0.5%

EET
94.0%
+2.0%
  AACT IS
8.4 days
- 1.6 days

IDT
91.6%
+ 5.6%
  AACT JSA
10.0 days
- 1.5 days

Fraud and
107.0%
+ 7.0%
  AACT IB
12.2 days
- 2.8 days

Error

An up arrow indicates the YTD performance trend is improving and a down arrow indicates the YTD performance
trend is worsening.

Job Outcome Target (JOT)
JOT final performance in June 2008 was 86 per cent of profile. Year To Date (YTD)
performance is 87 per cent.

Interventions Delivery Target (IDT)
YTD performance based on complete data for August 2008 is 91.6 per cent.
YTD performance using the latest available data for each element of IDT is 91.6 per
cent.

Customer Service Target (CST)
Quarter 2 performance at September 2008 was 87.1 per cent against a target of 86 per
cent.

Employer Engagement Target (EET)
In month performance for December 2008 is 93.5 per cent, with YTD performance
standing at 94.0 per cent against the 92 per cent target.

Average Actual Clearance Times Target (AACT)
For November 2008, YTD AACT performance is:
- 8.4 days for IS, 1.6 days below the 10 day target level
- 10.0 days for JSA, 1.5 days below the 11.5 day target level
- 12.2 days for IB, 2.8 days below the 15 day target level.

Fraud and error
YTD activity volumes against profile are as follows:

Fraud investigations cleared

164.5 per cent
November 2008
Customer compliance

125.4 per cent
November 2008
Process compliance

128.7 per cent
October 2008
KWO related and targeted checks
109.2 per cent
November 2008
Benefit overpayments actioned

  96.8 per cent
November 2008

Overall (October 2008 complete month)    107 per cent.

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Further information can be found in the Target Definitions Handbook and the KMI
Guidebook.

Back to contents

Driving performance – sharing good practices

To help staff deal with increased workloads due to a rising number of people claiming
Jobseekers Allowance, they can view the Driving Performance Intranet site.

Good practices are listed on the site, which is maintained by the Operational Delivery
Support Division (ODSD) within the Chief Operating Officer’s Directorate.

ODSD welcome other suggestions for good practices. If you would like to submit any
suggestions for publication, follow the simple Good Practice Routeway process.

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Activity Based Management

Keep an eye out for a change to the way productivity information is collected and fed
into the Activity Based Management (ABM) model.

Through the Human Resource (HR) section on the Resource Management (RM)
system, the Jobcentre Plus Finance group has been trialling a system where line
managers record staff activities monthly.
The trials have been successful and have significantly improved the accuracy of
productivity information.
As a result, during February and March, line managers of staff in Operational and
Head Office business units will take part in a short cascade event to enable them to
record ABM staff activities in RM.

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Information security internal communication campaign: ‘I will do my
bit’

An internal information security campaign launched on 12 January to highlight the
steps everyone should take to make sure we keep the Department’s information
secure.

The campaign identity focuses on a positive statement 'I will do my bit' and aims to
bring to life the fact that the individual is at the heart of information security.

Teaser campaign ‘i’ stickers were placed on random keyboards across offices from 5
January. An e-shot reinforcing good security behaviours was sent to everyone on 12
January, when a security character animation also appeared on the DWP homepage.
These linked to the improved information security portal and encouraged staff to
familiarise themselves with security procedures and protocol.

On 26 January campaign packs will be distributed to all offices. Each pack will include
four A3 posters, an A5 photocopier sticker, and an A4 end-of-day reminder notice to
be displayed around offices.

Compulsory security e-learning will be available for all staff in 2009.

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Managers who Deliver – Leaders who Inspire

Places are still available for the Managers who Deliver – Leaders who Inspire
development programme for Band D and E managers.

There are spare places available for the CMI Diploma (Workshop 3 onwards) on 3
February 2009 in Sheffield.

People wishing to undertake one of the CMI programmes must have already
completed the Manage the Business programme.

Further information is available on the Organisational Capability web page.

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Lean Development Centres

The Phase 1 roll out of Lean Development Centres will take place on 19 January.

They will operate in five product/operational areas in five Operational Delivery
Networks (ODN) including London, Wales, East Midlands, North East and the Grimsby
Contact Centre.

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The centres will provide a controlled environment where Lean changes, process
designs and ‘capability build’ can happen, allowing staff to learn about and apply Lean
tools and techniques.

The first five sites will examine the labour market, Social Fund, new claims and Benefit
Delivery Centre activity. The Grimsby Contact Centre site work programme will be
determined by national business priorities

Using Lean tools and techniques, Development Centres will trial a range of processes
that will increase Jobcentre Plus’s effectiveness and efficiency, and build Lean
capability.

For more information, see the Lean homepage.

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Directgov website

Jobcentre Plus customers can use the cross-government website Directgov to find
information about benefits, search for jobs, and get help with interview techniques,
preparing job applications and CVs.

From February, Directgov will include all content currently available for Jobcentre Plus
customers on www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk. By using Directgov, customers can access
other services, such as tax credits, childcare and the mortgage guarantee scheme, all
on the same site.

Customers can still access Jobcentre Plus information and services on the Jobcentre
Plus website.

Information for employers and businesses will be unchanged, and still available at
www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk

Directgov contains information on many government services, and by March 2011 will
replace all customer-facing Government websites.

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Benefits Advisor Service and the Directgov marketing campaign
Directgov has launched a new marketing campaign to help customers during the
economic downturn. As the Benefits Advisor Service (BAS) is part of Directgov, it is
important that staff know about the information available via the BAS in case
customers make reference to information they have seen there.

The BAS allows people to find out what benefits, pensions and credits they may be
entitled to, and directs them to a job search facility.

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To further support Jobcentre Plus staff, an online claim form for contribution- based
Jobseekers Allowance is expected to be available from summer 2009.

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Human Resources policies clarified
Managers have a responsibility to create a working environment where good security
practice is the norm. Human Resources (HR) Standards of Behaviour and Discipline
policies relating to information security have therefore been made clearer.

This means that managers have a personal responsibility to ensure their team know,
understand and apply information security and related HR policies and procedures.

This is so staff are clear about what they should be doing to keep information secure
and what actions have disciplinary consequences.

If managers discover that information security procedures have not been followed by a
member of their team, they must deal with the issue immediately and consider
disciplinary action.

Guidance is available on The Department and You site. Contact your HR Business
Partner Team for advice and support if you think disciplinary action is appropriate in
relation to information security.

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National Benefit Fraud Hotline

The current fraud campaign We’re closing in and the recent screening of an episode of
On the Fiddle are likely to lead to increased reports of benefit fraud. Therefore, it is
important to ensure that the correct freephone number is given to customers and
members of the public.

The National Benefit Fraud Hotline number is: 0800 854 440.

Please do not confuse this number with the Whistleblowers’ Hotline for staff. There
have already been several calls to the Whistleblowers’ Hotline from members of the
public who have been given the number by mistake. This may result in a loss of fraud
referrals.

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Prince’s Trust programmes and benefits payments reminder

The Prince’s Trust has informed Jobcentre Plus that staff may not always be fully
aware of procedures allowing Jobcentre Plus customers to access Prince’s Trust
provision.

The Prince’s Trust has informed Jobcentre Plus that staff may not always be fully
aware of procedures allowing Jobcentre Plus customers to access Prince’s Trust
provision.

There is a National Framework Agreement between Jobcentre Plus and the Prince’s
Trust to facilitate closer working and jointly support young people to find employment.
Service Level Agreements (SLAs) that have been set up at a local level further support
this.

Where districts have signed local SLAs with the Prince’s Trust, customers can access
programmes and still keep their benefit, providing they continue to satisfy basic
eligibility conditions as detailed in guidance.  Further details about these conditions are
included in schedule 4 of the National Framework Agreement.

Please ensure customers are provided with the correct advice about their entitlement
to benefits when they enquire about a Prince's Trust programme prior to starting.

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Periodicity and Payday Project

In January or early February you should receive a presentation from your local
Change team called 'What it means for you'. The presentation should be delivered to
your staff before 16 February – when communications with customers begin – so that
staff can answer customer questions.

Change tasks can found in the Implementation Planning Guide and Managers
Information Brief. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)  can also be found on the
Periodicity and Payday intranet site.

A DVD including audio and sign language information will be sent to Benefit Delivery
Centres and Jobcentre Plus buildings for customers who have communication
difficulties. This is also available in Welsh.

Information flyers will also be sent to local offices. DVDs and flyers will be sent during
the first week in February and extra copies of both can be ordered through the normal
route in RM Zanzibar.

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DWP Excellence Awards

The DWP Excellence Awards were announced on 15 January at a ceremony at
Lancaster House.

The new DWP Excellence awards are based on the four departmental values of
‘Respecting People’, ‘Making a Difference’, ‘Looking Outwards’ and ‘Achieving the
Best’.

The award winners are:

Achieving the Best: Team: Civil Legal Enforcement – Northern Region and Child
Support Agency Falkirk

Achieving the Best: Individual: XXX - Pensions/DCS Rochdale

Making a Difference: Team: The Outreach Team Jobcentre Plus Hastings

Making a Difference: Individual: XXX - Jobcentre Plus Aberdeen

Making a Difference Special Award: XXX - Jobcentre Plus Pontypridd

Looking Outward: Team: Customer Engagement Team - Jobcentre Plus Mitcham

Looking Outward: Individual: XXX- Jobcentre Plus Willesden

Respecting People: Team: Diversity Outreach Team Jobcentre Plus Sparkhill

Respecting People: Individual: XXX- Jobcentre Plus Fraud Investigation Wigan

Volunteer Award: XXX - Jobcentre Plus Bootle

Permanent Secretary’s Award: Team: Civil Legal Enforcement – Northern Region
Child Support Agency Falkirk

Permanent Secretary’s Award: Individual: XXX- Jobcentre Plus Fraud Investigation
Wigan.

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Work travel in London
Do you or your team need to travel across London for work reasons? If so, you may be
entitled to an Oyster card to finance your business travel on public transport within
London.

You are entitled to an Oyster card if:

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•  There is a cost saving to the Department that you can demonstrate in writing.
Approval should be obtained from your line manager. A full audit trail must be
retained.
•  The use of the Oyster card is for business use only. The Oyster card must not
be used for any private journeys as there will be a tax liability and it is an
inappropriate use of public funds.

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Staff attendance
DWP staff attendance continued to improve in 2008 from 10.8 days in January to 9.55
days in October. While poor compliance with RM still adversely affects the accuracy of
the Department’s attendance performance, managers can improve this situation by
taking the following actions:

  Opening and closing absences promptly
  Closing absences prior to dismissal, retirement, resignation etc
  Recording changes to location, working hours etc
  Ensuring data cleansing is undertaken on a regular basis.
A recent check of one year's worth of live cases on RM found that 67 people had
left the Department, nine people had returned to work and 10 people had agreed to
a return to work date.
Guidance on entering sickness absence is on RM.

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Coming soon – the staff survey

The DWP Survey will begin with a phased launch from 2 March and will be available
for all staff to complete from 9 March.

This year’s survey will include new cross-Government questions developed by the
Cabinet Office.
Once the results are in, managers at all levels will receive a report stating the top three
things they need to improve, and the top three things they need to keep doing the
same way. This should make it easier for managers to focus on practical action plans.
Stay tuned for further information over the next six weeks or visit the survey site.

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Making a Difference

Nominations are now open for the first seven Making a Difference launch events,
which will take place between 24 February and 18 March in Cardiff, London,
Manchester and Leeds.

The programme is targeted at managers primarily at Band D level, and aims to help
them understand their leadership role, how to better engage people and to support
them to identify practical improvements.

Managers who are interested in taking part should first notify their line manager.
Managers in non-operational areas can then apply via the Making a Difference site.

Places for operational managers will be allocated on a regional basis, and individuals
will be contacted by regional coordinators to let them know which launch event they
will be attending.

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Finding a recruitment agency

Jobcentre Plus is now working with recruitment agencies to help customers expand
their job opportunities. Recruitment agencies can offer support to all jobseekers, but
may be particularly helpful to customers recently out of work or people seeking
employment in a specific sector.

The Jobcentre Plus customer pages have been updated and provide advice to
customers on how to find an agency and information about the standards they can
expect. It also directs customers to the leaflet recently published by BERR – Agency
Work ‘Know your Rights’.

The REC website provides advice for jobseekers. They can also search for a suitable
agency in their area, by sector.

The Job Kit insert, Registering with Recruitment Agencies, provides advice about
recruitment agencies and can be printed off and given to customers.

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Communication update

Your Call

There was no Your Call in December. The next Your Call has been rearranged and will
now take place on Friday 30 January between 9 am and 10 am – is your office being
represented?

People are welcome to just listen in – there’s no pressure to ask a question. For those
who do, it's a chance to speak directly to the Chief Executive and other Board
Members, and get their questions answered.

Anyone can take part, with calls taken in the order received, and questions are not
recorded in advance.

Some managers nominate members from their team to take part and provide feedback
to their colleagues – this can even be a useful development opportunity.

For details about how to take part, see the Jobcentre Plus intranet.

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InfoSource

InfoSource provides you with up-to-date information on a wide range of topics relevant
to Jobcentre Plus people. You can use InfoSource to help you find answers to
questions that you may be asked by your teams, external stakeholders or our
customers.

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Hot Topics

Throughout 2008, the monthly national Hot Topics report analysed feedback from
Jobcentre Plus people and recommended ways to act on what‘s been said/suggested.
The monthly report is considered by the Jobcentre Plus Board.

Jobcentre Plus will be conducting a review of Hot Topics from now until the end of
January. Support and suggestions from staff are appreciated.

Feedback is gathered through a network of communication colleagues across
Jobcentre Plus and from our internal feedback channels, including Your Call, Talk
Direct events, TeamTalk, Speak Up and Have Your Say.

Jobcentre Plus is looking to expand Hot Topics and incorporate other feedback
channels in 2009.

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