Recruitment

Professional methods are used in recruitment to ensure that competent, flexible and positive people are hired.

All vacancies are advertised, except for cover positions, part-time work, temporary appointments or internal transfers. All applications for advertised positions are acknowledged once the recruitment process has concluded.

Management

Managers should adopt good and modern management practices and set a good example. Management training is available to all managers and a management handbook is accessible on Læknar, the council's intranet.

The role of managers is to:

• Develop work plans in consultation with staff and delegate responsibility.
• Ensure that the flow of information to staff is good.
• Build a positive working environment that strengthens the team.
• provide staff with regular feedback on their work, including through annual staff appraisals and performance reviews.

Working environment

Hafnarfjörður's priorities

• A positive working environment where the well-being of staff is a priority.
• Staff feel part of a team.
• Managers and staff respect diversity and treat each other with respect.
• Working conditions and equipment enable staff to carry out their work to the best of their ability.
• Staff feel that their work is valued and that they have the opportunity to maximise their performance at work.
• Prejudice, bullying, violence or gender-based and sexual harassment are not tolerated.
• Staff can balance work and family life with flexible working hours, part-time work, or a job transfer.
• The workplace is smoke-free and being under the influence of drugs during working hours is not permitted.

Information flow and communication

Staff should have ready access to information relating to their daily duties. Regular staff meetings are held to ensure good communication.

The council's external and internal websites play an important role in communicating information. Lækurinn, the council's intranet, provides information that is used by both managers and staff, and which they help to keep up to date.

Cooperation between departments and workplaces is encouraged, and staff are encouraged to share their experiences with one another. Constructive and solution-focused communication is prioritised.

Presence and Absences

• Emphasis is placed on punctuality and on staff attendance being in accordance with the employment contract and the council's attendance policy.
• It is the responsibility of managers to monitor staff attendance and intervene if necessary.
• Open discussion in the workplace about sickness absence is positive and can reduce absenteeism.

Career development and continuing education

The working environment is constantly changing, so staff must be able to increase their knowledge and professional competence. Staff in Hafnarfjörður are encouraged to undertake continuing professional development, both within and outside the organisation.

Staff must be prepared to adapt to changing circumstances. In annual staff appraisals, professional development needs are identified and a personal development plan is drawn up.

Staff must have the opportunity for career progression within the council, for example by transferring between roles.

Equality and equity

The council's equality policy is integrated into all workplace activities. Special consideration must be given to the integration of staff of foreign origin, and they must be offered work-related Icelandic language courses as required.

We are actively working against all discrimination in the town's workplaces by ensuring a supply of jobs, working arrangements, working hours and working conditions that are suitable for people with different abilities.

Pay policy

Salary decisions are based on collective agreements and guidelines on allowances and benefits.

All pay decisions shall:

• to ensure equality
• to be transparent
• to be objective
• be documented and traceable

Staff are to receive equal pay for comparable or equal work in accordance with the requirements of equality legislation. A job evaluation system is used which systematically assesses the council's jobs in terms of responsibility, stress and specialised knowledge. If a pay gap is identified in a pay analysis that cannot be objectively justified, improvements will be made.

Retirement

Exit interviews are conducted professionally, whatever the circumstances. In exit interviews, the scope of the role is reviewed and the reasons for leaving are identified.

Employees can move into less demanding roles and reduce their working hours as retirement approaches. It is also possible to take courses to prepare for this milestone.

• Hafnarfjörður's Human Resources Policy

• Hafnarfjörður's Equality Policy