By Andrew Cooper, Development Director
The Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust in NHS Wales has received the first ‘avoidable employee harm’ award for its programme to take a compassionate approach to the application of its disciplinary policy and processes.
It was praised by judges for the way in which it put individuals at the centre of the process, whilst also demonstrating clear organisational impact, with reduced cases and timelines and increased understanding and awareness.
Liz Rogers, Deputy Director of People for the Trust, said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this award as it celebrates the work colleagues throughout the Welsh Ambulance Service have been doing to improve this area of HR practice. We still have much more to do in this space, but this certainly energises our resolve to continue to make changes that will not only positively impact our employees, but the people we serve every day.”
The winner was presented at the HPMA’s annual awards in Birmingham on Thursday 20 November. The award was presented by Lee Carroll, from law firm Bevan Brittan who had sponsored the award.
The award category was established as part of the HPMA’s Avoiding Harm programme of work. Following its’ launch in October 2024, more than 800 people attended their online seminars on improving employee investigations. Further sessions are planned for next year.
Delegates who attended its annual conference on the same day were given a copy of a new book, ‘Under Investigation: Transforming Disciplinary Practice in the Workplace.’ The book unpacks the concept of ‘avoidable employee harm’ – exploring the impact of the disciplinary process on individuals being taken through it.
Julie Rogers, chief executive of the HPMA, said: “We launched our Avoiding Harm programme to encourage conversations in 100 organisations. We have achieved well over that number. That’s HR colleagues thinking differently, asking questions of the processes we manage and working on more compassionate, effective and less costly ways to run them.
“The award celebrates the success organisations are already making. Further online seminars will allow even more people to join the journey. And the book provides evidence, explanation and practical ways of preventing harm.”
Andrew Cooper, Development Director for the HPMA’s Avoiding Harm programme and co-editor of ‘Under Investigation’, said, “The motivation for the book was a growing awareness of the harm that disciplinary processes can cause and a deepening understanding of the range of that impact.
“Working with experts from a range of disciplines, we identified that the harm is not limited to employees. It affects the people conducting the investigations, the culture of the teams and organisations in which they work and it hits the reputation and bottom line of businesses and organisations. And this is harm which can often be avoided.
“The book aims to provide practical steps that every business and organisation can take to make employee investigations a last resort, using them only when really needed. It sets out action for improving disciplinary policy and process and organisational culture. It calls on the HR profession to lead the change, promoting employee wellbeing and improving organisational culture, reputation and finances in the process.”
‘Under Investigation: Transforming Disciplinary Practice in the Workplace’ is published by Bristol University Press (RRP £19.99) and can be ordered online [ Bristol University Press | Under Investigation – Transforming Disciplinary Practice in the Workplace] and from all good bookshops.
For further details about the Avoiding Harm programme, visit www.hpma.org.uk/avoiding-harm
Photo caption
From left to right: Carl Kneeshaw (Wales Ambulance Services University NHS Trust), Lee Carroll (Sponsors – Bevan Brittan), Liz Rogers (Deputy Director of People, Wales Ambulance Services University NHS Trust), Angela Lewis (Wales Ambulance Services University NHS Trust) and Kwame Kwei-Armah OBE (Awards Host)
