Proactive 999 Resettlement for Wellbeing and Fulfilment

Reflecting on two days at the Upbeat police wellbeing conference that were in turns fascinating, horrifying, energising and sad – I want to try and set out my vision of how proactive resettlement fits into a wider wellbeing picture for those leaving our emergency services.

Some key points – some of these I feel I’ve been banging on about for years, some came out of the conference or were stark reminders from conversations I’ve had recently.

1.      There is a long way to go. My positivity at hearing the new initiatives on offer in various parts of the country is tempered by the horror stories of mistreatment, stigma and basic lack of humanity I hear on a daily basis.

2.      The disconnect (or perceived disconnect) between policy and practice. None of this means anything without implementation and impact on those who need it – which by the way, is everyone, regardless of role/rank/length of service. Ask people what they need!

3.      There is a huge will, energy and commitment on the part of some very talented people to change things for the better. That is a cause for great optimism.

4.      There are outside countries, services, fields, people UK emergency services can learn from – so there often isn’t any need to reinvent the wheel, but this requires the humility to say so and to be receptive to new ideas.

5.      The problems we have are entirely solvable. Some of the bigger structural elements are beyond my personal means (for now) but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth working on what we can control.

What does any of that mean for the particular niche Mightify works in – career change/development and resettlement?

Well, first of all, career development (whether internal or leaving the service) is personal development plain and simple. It would be in any industry, but in one where “The Job” is a fundamental part of people’s identity, it’s essential. The earlier we invest in each individual as an individual, the more likely they are to be engaged with their work, to be in a role aligned with their personality, to be happier and to be more successful. Of course, as our lives change so do our priorities, so a continuous programme of support is critical too.

“Why would we pay you to help people leave?”

That’s a question I’ve been asked many times. It misses the point entirely. You aren’t. If you want to look at it in financial terms, you’re paying me to help you build a more engaged workforce that is more productive, gives you a better return on your investment, breaks the cycle of continuous mass recruitment, attracts top talent, reduces absence and much more. If you want to look at it in human terms, it’s also about a duty of care to people who have willingly foregone their free time, family time and often health for your organisation and the community it serves. I know it isn’t perfect, and I’m not trying to open that can of worms, but why do the MoD spend so much on military resettlement? Why do professional rugby clubs fund their players to train in totally unrelated skills?

As it stands, if we selected 10 unhappy police officers in any force, I would say that 9 or 10 will leave sooner or later. Because they increasingly see no reasons to stay. Lack of options (or the perception of it) is hugely stressful and creates a “stick or twist” choice – one I took myself a few years ago. If we apply the methods and services we can offer, I’ll be realistic – 2 or 3 might still leave. They might look for more money, a change of location, more time with family – an offer they can’t refuse, perhaps. That should be seen as healthy. It tells you that you have great people and that you are developing them well. They will leave as advocates (and who knows, they might return). What of the other two-thirds? Some might well identify a new role within the same organisation, some might work through their frustrations and remain successfully in their current role, some might take on a voluntary role or specialism, some might undertake academic/professional study… the feeling of having options and being supported and valued is powerful. Going back to the business case, the investment to retain 4 or 5 people this way is minute compared to replacing them and their expertise.

What can we actually DO?

As I said before, talk is cheap. Over the last few years we’ve worked with hundreds of emergency services personnel as individuals – covering all 43+ UK police forces at all ranks/roles, several overseas organisations and many other businesses too. Not to mention the fact that the whole initiative came from my own experience of the total lack of career support available to someone who puts their hand up to say: “I’m not sure this is for me anymore”.

One-to-one and group coaching is incredibly powerful. We also provide the UK’s only externally-accredited resettlement course for the emergency services. When I say resettlement, I don’t just mean a pre-retirement seminar – I mean anyone who is at any career stage and considering or approaching leaving for any reason.

I am increasingly working with household name employers who are beginning to understand the value of an emergency services skill set and ask me: “where can we get those people from?”. I honestly believe that this is a win-win process. Actually, it’s a win-win-win. Emergency service organisations attract, retain and develop great people. Private sector employers have access to great people they would otherwise miss. The public get the service they deserve. Dedicated, altruistic people are supported in giving their all to vital work.

Maybe I’m an idealist, but to me that seems entirely logical – and eminently achievable. 

If you agree, disagree, want to find out more or feel you are working on something that we could collaborate on - please drop me a line through LinkedIn or via [email protected]