Organisational Culture in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

124. We were provided with information on the Building the Future Together Programme (BFT) as supporting evidence to demonstrate work on creating a positive culture. A Cultural Framework Blueprint was developed specifically for the SFRS in September 2020. It was meant to be implemented in phases with the last phase due to conclude in March 2022. This work was created using the outcomes of a 2014 cultural audit and a 2018 staff survey. The 2014 audit resulted in a series of action plans and the development of the current SFRS Values of Safety, Teamwork, Respect, and Innovation.

125. The BFT Programme aimed to enable the creation of an organisational culture where staff actively contribute to shaping the long-term strategic vision; positively impacting on performance and delivery of strategic outcomes and objectives, enabling the SFRS to do more for Scotland.

126. There were also plans to develop a Staff Governance Charter, but this was never implemented. The Service did, however, re-publish an Equality and Diversity Charter on 11 March 2025. This Charter has a version number of 1 and retains a creation date of 21 January 2016. Whilst the focus of the document is predominantly external, and about the role that SFRS has in ensuring it plays its part in addressing inequalities present in Scotland, it does contain limited content relative to its employment practices.

127. The Cultural Framework was built around eight interdependent factors, including three ‘harder’ design aspects of organisational effectiveness (i.e. strategy, structure and systems) and five pillars/workstreams reflecting the ‘softer’ organisational culture and development elements:

Pillar/Workstream 1: Our Commitments

Pillar/Workstream 2: Leadership Style

Pillar/Workstream 3: Our Workforce

Pillar/Workstream 4: Values and Behaviours

Pillar/Workstream 5: Employee Experience and Engagement

128. The BFT Programme sought to embed each of these five pillars/workstreams to create an enabling environment and conditions to support the workforce to be innovative, empower leaders, build on skills, competencies and behaviours and deliver a service that is ‘fit for the future’. It was stated that fundamental to this was a strong foundation of clear structures, systems and processes to ensure that the organisational infrastructure can support the future direction of travel. The stated main purpose of the BFT Programme was to embed a positive organisational culture.

129. Inspectors are unclear as to why the work of the BFT programme did not continue to fruition, though we are aware of the impact of the pandemic. We are advised that some of the work was later taken on through the activities of the CDG. Whilst this may be the case, the demise of the BFT is an example of changing priorities and cycle of ‘start, stop, reinitiate and rebrand’ within the Service. HMFSI are of the view that had the BFT been followed through to its conclusion, this had the potential to have a positive impact on improving culture within the Service at an earlier stage.

130. As already stated, the Service created a CDG in late 2023 with the purpose of identifying and setting down foundations for mainstreaming cultural change across the SFRS, reflective of its values. There were three overriding principles for the work; attracting and supporting a more diverse candidate pool; creating a competent supervisory and middle manager cohort; and to improve business intelligence to inform future action. The terms of reference of the Group state that the ‘CDG will ensure that action and decision making promote equality, diversity, and inclusion.’ Its scope is ‘the review, development and implementation of all activities, which ensure those working in every area of the Service feel valued, safe and able to be themselves at work, regardless of their role or position in the organisation.’ Whilst there may be advantages in having such a broad scope, inspectors are of the view that it is so broad, in that almost nothing is out of scope, it may remove an element of focus for the activity of the Group and subsequent outputs or deliverables.

131. Permanent membership of the CDG is made up of senior managers of the Service and employee representative bodies, such as the FBU and UNISON. There are two observer places at each meeting which can be applied for by any staff member. The CDG reports to the SLT (Strategic Leadership Team). During our fieldwork we were interested in the level of awareness of staff of the work of the group and an overwhelming majority of staff we spoke to had never heard of it. Since the conclusion of our fieldwork a dedicated area in the Service’s iHub has been created which will hopefully raise its profile. In addition to this, HMFSI are aware that following the appointment of the new Deputy Chief Officer, the culture development group work is currently being reviewed to clarify priorities and key actions.

132. We are aware that a ‘gap analysis’ had been undertaken by the Service which was to inform the work of the CDG. This gap analysis looked at published reports into the cultures and behaviours in other fire and rescue services, to examine the findings and to identify areas of work which might lead to an improvement in the culture of the SFRS. Namely from; the inspection reports of HMICFRS, in relation to workforce; the independent culture review of London Fire Brigade; and relevant NFCC documents, to identify the outcomes, conclusions and make comparisons to the SFRS.

133. The gap analysis produced a document identified as an action plan containing 42 actions identifying areas for development and/or improvement to support the delivery of the SFRS’ cultural objectives. This list was then distilled to produce an action plan for the CDG the work of which is split into four themes: Attraction; Recruitment; Retention and Development; and Exiting the Organisation. The action plan gives a brief overview of the actions being undertaken. The document itself however doesn’t detail any key deliverables or timescales for each action. If further information is desired, reference has to be made to rolling action logs for each sub-group of the CDG which has been established to take projects forward.

134. The CDG has sub-groups as shown in the diagram. We interviewed a sample of members of all groups.

Figure 1: CDG and sub-groups

135. We asked group representatives how data was being used to inform activity and therefore what actions should be prioritised and how to quantify improvements. We were advised that access to, and use of, data was either difficult or that data didn’t exist. This situation is partly the result of the fact that many processes within the SFRS relating to personnel matters rely on manual intervention to produce reports or are paper-based workflows, which are prone to delays, and have the potential for errors. There are some IT systems, but where available, these are outdated or incompatible with each other.

Recommendation 12

We recommend that the SFRS make greater use of digital technology and automation, to minimise manual intervention in the production, collation and access to data to improve decision making, prioritisation and measures of success for the CDG.

136. In the opinion of inspectors, a lack of robust data may mean that the Service is prioritising the wrong activities, or worse, is trying to solve a problem that it doesn’t have. For example, 52% of staff who responded to the CES agreed or strongly agreed with the statement ‘I feel that the SFRS support the psychological and emotional safety of myself and my colleagues’. Moreover, only 7% of staff disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement ‘I feel safe coming to work’. Whilst work in relation to psychological safety may be important and still be worthy of carrying out, there may be other activities which are able to provide more tangible and definable improvements to culture in a shorter time.

137. The issue regarding access to data goes beyond the work of the CDG and has a wider impact on the SFRS. The Service has recognised this problem for some time. In June 2020 the Service started the development of an integrated system to provide information and data related to People, Training, Finance and Assets Systems, however, the scope of this programme has since been amended to People, Payroll, Finance and Training. As yet no integrated system been implemented. This delay is having a significant impact on the Service being able to access quality data and statistics to support evidence-based decision making. We believe that the Service needs to recognise the power of data, both quantitative and qualitative, in evidence-based decision making to drive forward improvements in organisational culture.

138. The work of the sub-groups is progressing at different rates, some members described progress as slow, and there is a degree of overlap and duplication between them in areas of interest. At the time of writing, efforts were being made by sub-group leads to identify common culture related activity. This aims to identify areas for collaborative working, opportunities to maximise efficiency and sharing of resources to expedite outcomes where possible. This perhaps points to a need for greater investment earlier in the establishment of the terms of reference and work packages of the groups, to provide greater clarity of purpose and defined deliverables.

139. The Service has various strategic documents, including a Long Term Vision, and a three-year delivery plan 2024-27⁽¹⁴⁾. This delivery plan states that there are specific priorities for the Service to focus on in order to deliver a modern, sustainable fire and rescue service, the third of these priorities is ‘to provide a workplace that creates a positive and inclusive culture, with an open and supportive environment within which all our people can operate.’ As mentioned elsewhere the Service is currently consulting on a new strategy.

140. The Service states that it has six employee groups. However, the Race Network is currently inactive. We interviewed representatives of three of these groups. The groups have varying levels of engagement with Service managers, for example the LGBTQ+ group has an Assistant Chief Officer as an ally in promoting the work of the group. Despite this high level engagement, the groups are not routinely consulted in the development of service policy. We are also advised that this is also the position with the Equality and Diversity specialists within the organisation.

Recommendation 13

We recommend that the SFRS consider the role and importance of all staff networks in providing insight, advice, and guidance on the continual promotion of a fair and equitable culture.

141. Members of the employee groups and forums advised that their members help address and find solutions for problems for employees who share a protected characteristic. In addition to the employee groups there is also a Women Employee Liaison Forum (WELF), which is currently chaired by the Deputy Chief Officer and has contributed to policy improvements such as exit interviews, maternity arrangements and pregnancy support. WELF members also helped to address the lack of access to specific PPE designed for females, such as smaller tabards, and fire boots suitable for females. The neurodiversity group has been providing specific case related advice for staff related issues. Work has also been undertaken to locally promote the needs of neurodiverse staff members, as these are generally not well known, to increase awareness and support personnel.

142. An area of work which the neurodiversity group had been exploring as a potential support mechanism for neurodiverse staff, which also has scope for wider application, is an ‘Employee Passport’. The purpose of the passport is to help build an inclusive and supportive work environment. The overall aim is to put workplace adjustments in place more quickly, which will allow staff to work to their full capacity. Often, workplace adjustments improve the performance of personnel and may help avoid performance management issues. One practical benefit is when a passport holder changes post or manager they don’t have to re-tell their story. Research has shown this is a common issue for those with health conditions or long-term circumstances which impact on their day-to-day work. The employee passport will show what adjustments are in place, why they are in place and how they support the individual. The Employee Passport was used as part of a case study in the Service’s Mainstreaming and Equality Outcomes Report 2021-2023.

143. Employee passports are already in use within the Scottish Government, some of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies. At this time the Service does not have an Employee Passport in place. We see this as a low cost effective solution to providing respect and support for personnel, ensuring that appropriate adjustments are in place proactively.

Area for consideration 5: That the SFRS should consider the introduction of a digital employee passport system.

Social Media

144. The subject of the use of Social media is covered by the Social Media Policy; and the Acceptable Use Policy. In the Service’s Code of Conduct, staff are also advised that any inappropriate social media posts will be the subject of disciplinary action.

145. The Service has many ‘official’ social media accounts covering its activities across the country. The scale of this presents a challenge for the organisation, as it makes it impossible to monitor centrally given the size of the Service’s on-line presence. In general, the fire and rescue service brand is a strong one, and a key intent of the Service policies is to protect the reputation of the SFRS. Responsibility for ensuring compliance with the policies is passed to line managers. Individual employees also have a responsibility to comply with the policy.

146. It is clearly impossible for the Service to monitor all posts by the workforce, but from our fieldwork visits to fire stations the majority of staff we spoke to said they knew of their responsibilities around conduct, including conduct outside of work in relation to the use of social media. Staff are aware that there have been examples elsewhere where employees have been dismissed for inappropriate on-line behaviour.

Confidential Reporting Line

147. Following a robust procurement exercise the SFRS has introduced an externally provided confidential reporting line, ‘Speak Up’, for staff to use to raise any concerns they may have. This facility is the successor to a previous informal, internally provided, process aimed at delivering the same outcome. The new provider, Safe Call, has been awarded a three-year contract to provide the service, which was launched in May 2024. The SFRS supported the launch with a series of posters and communication to SFRS workplaces to highlight that the reporting line was available. There is also information on the Service’s intranet. During our fieldwork visits to fire stations we asked personnel if they were aware of the process. In our experience the awareness of this was low, we did however see evidence of the posters being on display. Some staff we spoke to, who were aware of it, felt that it was set-up simply in order to be ‘seen to be doing something’. The previous, internally provided system, had appointed contact advisors who had received training in how to handle complaints of this nature. We understand that these internal contact advisors are no longer being used for this purpose.

148. In a paper to the March 2025 meeting of the People Committee of the Board, it was stated that, in its first nine months of being open, the reporting line had been used 20 times. It was initially anticipated that there would be an annual usage of circa 29 reports. Staff can raise concerns using the process and can do so either anonymously or can agree that their identity is shared with the Service.

149. Once an issue is raised using the facility the matter would be dealt with using the relevant procedure and policy, such as discipline. At the time of writing, the confidential reporting line is not reflected in SFRS policies or procedures. This may lead to a lack of clear and transparent procedures for the handling of complaints made using the process.

150. Although, during our fieldwork, in general staff said they would be willing to use the service if needed, few staff said they would be reluctant to do so in case it led to ‘reprisals’, such as hampering their future career progression. Data from the Service’s own CES indicated that 44% of the staff who participated, who had witnessed or experienced discrimination, bullying or harassment did not report it. Given that there is some evidence that staff have felt comfortable using the reporting line, the Service should examine ways of promoting its use based on the experience of those staff who have already done so.

151. The Service also plans, on the first anniversary of opening, to analyse the calls made using ‘Speak Up’ to identify any common themes, by quantity and type, which may provide valuable learning for matters relating to culture. Some learning is already taking place, in cases were the complaint was not upheld, the information shared by the reporter has resulted in enhancements to management practises. An assessment of project objectives, review of communication framework supporting the reporting line, stakeholder feedback and overview of lessons learned/areas for improvement will also be undertaken.

Area for consideration 6: That the results of the analysis of, and learnings from, the use of the ‘Speak Up’ confidential reporting line are made available, as appropriate, to the workforce.