Produced by the Council’s Engagement and Innovation Group, it will act as a guide to new and existing employees, as well as the public, on how we do things in the Vale. The book showcases the stories of colleagues and how our values and ethos are present in all aspects of their work.
We caught up with two members of the group, Kath Clarke and Glyn Davies, to hear how their work on the Staff Charter formed the starting point for the Culture Book. Delyth Miller and Natalie Jones from the OD and Learning team also joined the discussion. They have both led on the development of the Culture Book.
Kath: “We both became involved in the employee engagement sessions way back in 2015. Then it was the Big Conversation. I heard that the council was changing the way it engaged with staff. I wanted to know more and thought it was a chance to be involved in something new and have a say in how the Council was going to change.
Glyn: “After the Big Conversation sessions, working groups were set up and through these, we were able to put to senior managers what staff had told us were their priority areas. In most cases these came down to being heard, being respected, and feeling valued.
“Within the working groups we started to develop a framework for all staff and managers in line with, covering the fundamental ethics of the Council’s values and beliefs. This became the Staff Charter.
Kath: “It was great to be involved in taking the Staff Charter from being an idea within one of the early sessions all the way through to being a finished product signed off by CMT and professionally printed ready to give out. But really that was only half the job.
“We needed to ensure the book was embedded into each service area. The ‘Charter Champion’ role was developed, and Glyn and I volunteered to be part of this group too.
Glyn: “We acted as the liaison between individual teams and CMT. This led us to be part of the Welcome to the Vale sessions with new starters. We saw that new staff in particular responded really well to hearing about the sort of organisation the Vale of Glamorgan Council was and the various groups that are in place, like GLAM. At the same time the OD and Learning Team were looking into new ways of embedding the Council’s values and this feedback was one of several factors that led us to the idea of a culture book.”
Delyth: “In February 2020, just before the pandemic we we’re hosting one of our Management Development Sessions for Chief Officers and talking about stories and how they really bring a company culture to life.
“At the same time, we we’re looking at how as an Engagement and Innovation Group we could evolve the Staff Charter; and after discussing with Rob Thomas, the idea of a Culture Book that built on the Staff Charter and brought our stories to life was born.”
“Next came the Engagement and Innovation group, who worked on the content for the book, focusing on their areas and working with colleagues from across the organisation to ensure that the book represents each area of our diverse organisation.”
Natalie: “Once the content was done, I came in to bring the information together and bring it to life, to ensure it is a true reflection of our culture.
“Ensuring the Culture Book was representative of the Council we are today was important, aligning with our digital agenda and Project zero strategy. For that reason, a digital Culture Book, accessible to all on any device, that told our Culture Story, and the stories of our people was created.
“Throughout the design process we have worked with various groups in and around the organisation to ensure that the book continues to represent our staff and our values. We have worked alongside our Diversity networks, Wellbeing Champions, Insight Board, Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and Cabinet members for their comments and input to ensure that the book serves its purpose for the Council.”
Kath: “The purpose of the Staff Charter is a handbook for both managers and staff to ensure we were all working towards the Council’s values and there was a consistent approach. In many ways the Culture Book takes this idea one step further. It shows staff and the public how we all live these values in our work.”
Glyn: “I am really proud of having been involved in both initiatives. Just like with Staff Charter, the job won’t be finished when the Vale Culture Book is launched so there is still plenty of opportunity for people to get involved. I would encourage anyone to sign up.”
Delyth: “We’re thrilled that the Engagement and Innovation Group and our Senior Leadership Team (SLT) have given their final sign off and we are preparing to launch the book on Monday 6th September 2021. It will be exciting to see if our staff feel the same way we all do about what’s in the book and how it really represents the Council, our Values and the work we all do every day.”
Delyth: “The culture book is a living document that evolves with us and we’ll be looking to update the Culture Book regularly. This is our book, and we will be looking for you, our staff, to share your stories about how you live the Values in the jobs you do every day. So, keep sharing with us and checking the Book regularly.”
Look out for the Culture Book on Monday 06 September to see the final product and be in with a chance to win an Afternoon Tea for Two at the Big Fresh as part of our Launch initiative.