The Public Sector People Managers’ Association (PPMA) is teaming up with its Scottish equivalent, the Society of Personnel Directors Scotland (SPDS) to co-operate on the development of consistent policies.
The new partnership comes at a challenging time for public sector HR professionals as they deal with pay negotiations, industrial unrest, productivity and efficiency drives and recruitment difficulties in many areas.
Both organisations represent HR professionals in local government and fire and rescue services – the PPMA in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and SPDS in Scotland. The PPMA also represents HR in national government and the police. Until now each organisation has operated completely independently of the other.
Policy heads at both organisations will work together to exchange information and co-ordinate consistent policy development.
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PPMA president Stephen Moir said: “It is clearly important that this partnership delivers tangible outcomes and benefits for both organisations, but this announcement really is historic in bringing the voice of people management professionals in public services truly together for the first time and it strengthens us both as a result.
“This will be a firm foundation to build upon and it makes so much sense for us to pool resources, expertise and support for the future benefit of our members and their organisations.”