The central focus of this risk assessment relates to things that might go wrong in the context of the decentralisation programme. The risk controls are concerned with what can be done to preserve the quality and efficiency of the organisation, to preserve business continuity and customer service.
| Description of Risk | Risk Category | Risk Control |
| HR/Staffing/Training | | |
| Lack of clarity on HR/IR issues resulting in delay in ability to undertake detailed manpower, training and succession planning | Strategic | Central issue outside Tribunal control
DJELR representative at DLOG meeting with appropriate feedback mechanism in place.
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| Staff not assigned at optimum time - staff assigned too late will be insufficiently trained. | Operational | Early manpower and succession planning by DJELR HRD
Structured and phased recruitment and transfer of staff.
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| Retention and transfer of skills particularly at Equality Officer and Equality Mediation Officer level | Operational | Equality Officer external recruitment, staff overlaps of 6 months and phased intake.
Possible retention of experienced Equality and Equality Mediation Officers by way of e-working arrangements.
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| Loss of skilled staff and experience levels, including specific knowledge of equality legislative requirements and mediation work | Operational/Reputation | Early manpower planning, recruitment and transfers to ensure appropriate levels of staff are in place to assist in on-the-job training of new staff.
Effective training provision and overlap of key staff.
Effective knowledge management - consolidation of current knowledge base - completion of up-to-date training manuals etc
All staff proposing to decentralise are phased in asap but no later than 6 months prior to relocation.
Ensure that current experienced staff (in Dublin) are available for advice/consultation for a period after decentralisation.
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| Description of Risk | Risk Category | Risk Control |
Lack of cohesion/capability/productivity/participative ethos of new staff
Quality and calibre of new staff.
| Operational | Effective induction and on-the-job training/mentoring, allowing adequate time for new staff to absorb ethos
Structured replacement of staff, allowing for 6 month overlap for Equality Officers.
Tribunal input into selection of staff for Portarlington.
External competition for Equality Officer posts completed. |
| Loss of quasi-judicial skills and corporate memory. | Operational | Ensure six month overlap with experienced Equality Officers (DJELR).
Development of an intensive training programme on quasi-judicial skills.
Continuation of informal mentoring.
Development in consultation with Labour Court and IPA a quasi-judicial skills course
Participation in other appropriate training for Tribunals (UK)
Protection of corporate memory through guides, internal databases etc.
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| Loss of Equality Officers with mediation skills. | Operational/Reputation | Mediation outsourcing on a pilot basis if business needs require.
Immediate mediation training and accreditation of recruited Equality Officers.
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| Work patterns of new staff that do not suit Tribunal requirements. | Operational | Where required by operational demands, the Tribunal should have input into no. of work sharers appointed. |
| Training: Additional demands when already operating at capacity. | Operational | Early identification of training needs through PMDS. Structured training programme in place. |
| Difficulties in securing professional training due to lack of proximity from third level institutions, e.g. Kings Inns, DIT. | Operational | Encourage distance learning; alternatively individual arrangements may be negotiated to encourage professional development without unduly impacting on customer service. |
| Insufficient resources to manage decentralisation | Operational | Appointment of manager on part time basis.
Appointment of HEO or AP to assist Decentralisation Project Manager.
Identification and appointment of Training Officer and of key trainers. All extra duties to be reflected in role profiles.
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| Problems of morale amongst staff. Dissatisfaction/Loss of staff commitment whose work is being decentralised. | Operational | Can be minimised by putting systems in place to ensure that staff are kept fully informed of developments which affect them. This will involve providing staff with detailed authoritative information as plans develop through Partnership process.
Ensure as far as possible that Expressions of Interest in other work are facilitated (DJELR HRD)
Access to Employee Assistance Service (DJELR).
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| Problems of stress/illness amongst new staff who may be commuting long distances for a long time prior to move. Possibility that new staff may opt for another location or to workshare and with consequent loss of adequate staff numbers opting to move to Portarlington. | Operational | Consider an advance office move on a phased basis. Consider bi-location attendance, i.e. attendance in both offices prior to final move to reduce employee stress, possible absences, decreased customer service, employee financial cost and increase employee commitment and satisfaction. |
| Staff remoteness from opportunities to advance education and secure professional training | Operational | Encourage distance education opportunities.
Arrangements may be negotiated which do not unduly impact on customer service.
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| Description of Risk | Risk Strategic | Risk Control |
| Business Continuity | | |
| Disruption to work output. | Operational/
Reputational
| Structured and phased movements, allowing for 6 month overlap for Equality Officers.
Impact and likelihood can be minimised by ensuring that staff vacancies at all levels are filled and that there are no gaps. (DJELR)
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| Reduction in productivity resulting from high changeover of Tribunal staff and increasing work load. | Operational/
Reputational
| Impact and likelihood can be mitigated by early manpower planning and a good training programme.
Can be minimised by ensuring that sanctioned additional staff are assigned asap (DJELR)
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| Remoteness from corporate support structure - Personnel, EAS etc. | Operational | Where possible, arrange a series of meetings for the one day.
Use of knowledge gained in other DJELR agency decentralisation to ensure that good relationships with support structures are maintained.
Optimum provision and use of ICT to maintain communications, e.g. use of video-conference facilities.
Ensure all key personnel and organisation charts are kept up to date (DJELR) |
| Remoteness from Tribunal service users. | Strategic | Retention of Dublin base for hearings and hot desking facilities for EO staff etc. To be fully discussed and agreed (DJELR) |
| Remoteness from Legal Bodies and individuals, bodies and groups the Tribunal interacts with. | Strategic | Can be minimised by retention of Dublin office accommodation for Director and Legal Adviser (DJELR) to facilitate networking and interaction. |
| Description of Risk | Risk Category | Risk Control |
| IT | | |
| Disruption to IT capability, difficulties of availability and retention of suitably skilled IT staff, resulting in inadequate response times for dealing with IT issues. | Operational | As no IT staff capability going to Portarlington, change over to DJELR Shared IT Service - Citrix. |
| Remoteness from DJELR IT Unit and possible lack of response times due to remoteness in Portarlington. | Operational | Establish position re ability to support systems and infrastructure in Portarlington.
Ensure well resourced non-Citrix IT support available, e.g. to fix machines, printers etc. However, short response times where on-site work needs to be carried out may be difficult and costly. (DJELR)
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| Changeover to DJELR Shared IT services | Operational/Financial | Ensure adequate funding for and early commencement of changeover to Citrix (DJELR) |
| Difficulties in obtaining budget and adequate funding to support changeover to DJELR IT shared services which may result in delays in service provision. | Operational/Financial | Can be minimised by ensuring key players in DJELR are fully engaged in this process. (DJELR) |
| Relocation takes place before DJELR IT shared services have been provided | Operational | Ensure IT communication links in place. Ensure system links fully tested and operational prior to move. (DJELR)
Ensure system bedded down (i.e. staff familiar with system, all high priority bugs removed prior to move). (DJELR)
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| Description of Risk | Risk Category | Risk Control |
| Customer Service | | |
| Customer dissatisfaction, in particular the lack of access to a Dublin office to which time critical documents can be lodged | Operational/Reputational | Maintain Dublin facility to allow lodgements to the office by critical dates. |
| Customer dissatisfaction with lack of access to Dublin office to attend hearings and mediations. | Operational | As 50% of complaints emanate in Dublin region maintain sufficient office/hearing space in Dublin for convenience of parties. Maintain hot-desking facilities and library for Equality Officers. |
| Customer dissatisfaction and possible increased waiting time and loss of output due to inexperienced Equality Officers and support staff. | Operational/Reputational | Establish position re support and funding for new case management system to enable streamlining of processing of claims. (DJELR)
Can be minimised by ensuring that sanctioned additional staff are assigned asap (DJELR
Can be minimised by mediation outsourcing on a pilot basis if business needs require. (DJELR & DFinance)
Immediate mediation and quasi judicial training for recruited Equality Officers. Immediate training for support staff.
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| Description of Risk | Risk Category | Risk Control |
| Accommodation | | |
| Insufficient space for numbers of staff relocating | Operational | Premises should be capable of being enlarged. (OPW) |
| Possibility of delays in securing a suitable premises in Portarlington | Operational | Adequate OPW project management resources. |
| Possibility of delays/difficulties in maintaining a premises in Dublin | Operational | Ensure DJELR and OPW are aware of Dublin space requirements. |
| Offices not ready in time in Portarlington | Operational | Possibility of temporary accommodation procurement. (DJELR & OPW) |
| Possibility that new premises may be unfinished or inferior at time of relocation | Operational | Staff consultation during specification of requirements.
Good project management to ensure premises are completed prior to move.
Possible phased move.
Ensure premises/facilities are wholly accessible.
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| Inadequate/delayed file storage arrangements | Operational | Ensure space in Dublin is maintained until suitable storage is sourced and documents transferred. |
| Possibility that new premises may not be fully accessible | Operational/Reputational | Ensure DJELR and OPW are fully briefed on accessibility issues for premises in particular access to all public spaces. |