A string of formal reviews across individual Trusts, fire and rescue, and police forces have exposed serious workplace relations issues: ‘bullying’ cultures, issues with discrimination over gender and race, cases of harassment.
Rather than encourage knee-jerk reactions, it’s important to recognise the special character of team dynamics, the complexity and competing demands that blue light teams face. Staff are bonded together by their shared experiences — often by shared trauma — and that can make it difficult for ‘outsiders’, whether that’s new recruits, leaders or well-intentioned HR staff looking to introduce policies that seem removed from the reality of day-to-day practice.
Services are still dealing with the transition from the typical ‘command and control’ management style to the modern focus on the need for emotional intelligence and soft skills. There can be clashes in expectations across generations, and when people move from one employer to another. And an acceptance that soft skills aren’t always the answer when it comes to crisis situations and life-and-death pressures.
CMP partners with blue light organisations to untangle their specific situations, provide advice and help put in place the right kind of positive, constructive communications and the basis for good relationships. We support organisations knowing that the unique public interest and support must be highlighted, alongside the critical importance of operational demands. Our recommendations must maintain operational output as an necessity to ensure delivery of consistent and reliable services or products.
