Domain G: Workforce & Culture¶
Focus: Human capacity, capability, and culture
Indicators: 7 (4 Core, 3 Enhancement)
The business question
Do we have the people to run this? Identifies critical skill gaps in engineering and AI.
The UK faces an acute shortage of data engineers, research software engineers, and information governance specialists. Many health data services depend on a small number of key individuals with no succession planning. This domain assesses workforce capacity, retention, professionalisation, and whether the organisational culture supports service delivery and cross-boundary collaboration.
Indicator Summary¶
| ID | Indicator | Type | Class | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.1.1 | Staff Capacity | Core | B0 | Both |
| G.1.2 | Staff Retention & Development | Enhancement | O | Both |
| G.1.3 | Strategic Workforce Planning | Enhancement | O | Both |
| G.2.1 | Role Definition & Professionalization | Core | B0 | Both |
| G.2.2 | Technical Skills | Core | B0 | Both |
| G.3.1 | Service Orientation | Core | B0 | Service |
| G.3.2 | Collaboration & Knowledge Sharing | Enhancement | O | Both |
G.1 — Capacity & Retention¶
G.1.1 Staff Capacity¶
CORE · B0 · Both
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| L1 | Critical shortages. Key roles vacant. Insufficient. High temp reliance. |
| L2 | Challenges identified. Recruitment underway. Below requirements. |
| L3 | Adequate for core. Constraints in peak/specialist. Vacancy <15%. |
| L4 | Meets requirements with headroom. Vacancy <10%. Planning enables recruitment. |
| L5 | Optimal with strategic capacity. Vacancy <5%. Strong pipeline. Flexible surge. |
G.1.2 Staff Retention & Development¶
ENHANCEMENT · O · Both
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| L1 | High turnover. Limited development. Knowledge lost. |
| L2 | Concerns identified. Opportunities expanding. Exit interviews informing. |
| L3 | Moderate (<20% turnover). Pathways exist. Some progression. |
| L4 | Good (<15%). Clear pathways. Regular review. Succession identified. Satisfaction surveyed. |
| L5 | Excellent (<10%). Employer of choice. Comprehensive development. Alumni network. |
G.1.3 Strategic Workforce Planning¶
ENHANCEMENT · O · Both
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| L1 | No planning. Reactive recruitment. No future view. |
| L2 | Planning initiated. Workforce profiled. Requirements scoped. |
| L3 | Basic 1-2 year plan. Key gaps identified. Annual review. |
| L4 | Comprehensive 3+ years aligned to strategy. Scenario planning. Pipeline development. |
| L5 | Sophisticated with workforce as asset. Long-term pipelines. Integrated with financial. Contributing nationally. |
G.2 — Professionalization¶
G.2.1 Role Definition & Professionalization¶
CORE · B0 · Both
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| L1 | Undefined. Staff outside competencies. No framework. |
| L2 | Definitions developing. Frameworks reviewed. Gap analysis. |
| L3 | Key roles defined. Framework for some. Job families emerging. |
| L4 | Comprehensive aligned to DDaT/SFIA. All mapped. Competency informs development. |
| L5 | Mature professional workforce. Contributing to standards. Recognised leader. |
G.2.2 Technical Skills¶
CORE · B0 · Both
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| L1 | Critical gaps (engineering, governance, analysis, AI/ML). Limited specialist access. |
| L2 | Assessment completed. Priority training. Development underway. Gaps remain. |
| L3 | Core skills present. Development programme. Specialists via partnerships. |
| L4 | Comprehensive across engineering, governance, security, analysis, data science/AI. Skills matrix. CPD. |
| L5 | Advanced including AI/ML, federated, PETs. Contributing to standards. Attracts talent. |
G.3 — Culture¶
G.3.1 Service Orientation¶
CORE · B0 · Service
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| L1 | "Computer says no". Requests as burden. Defensive. |
| L2 | Improvement priority. Feedback collected. Culture change initiated. |
| L3 | Improving. Feedback reviewed. Some embrace service culture. |
| L4 | Embedded. Needs prioritised. "How can we help?" Satisfaction tracked. Standards published. |
| L5 | Exemplary with proactive engagement. Empowered staff. Continuous improvement. Externally recognised. |
G.3.2 Collaboration & Knowledge Sharing¶
ENHANCEMENT · O · Both
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| L1 | Siloed. Limited collaboration. Knowledge held by individuals. |
| L2 | Improvement identified. Knowledge management started. Cross-team emerging. |
| L3 | Regular cross-team. Knowledge documented. Some external collaboration. |
| L4 | Strong collaborative culture. Communities of practice. Knowledge accessible. UK/international networks. |
| L5 | Collaborative leadership. Anchors networks. Knowledge flows. Attracts opportunities. |