Agenda item
Staff Survey 2008/09 and Action Plan
This report reviews progress on implementation of the 2008/9 Staff Survey Action Plan, highlighting achievements and work in progress. It will be appreciated that for many of the initiatives the full impact and realisation of the benefits will become more evident over time.
Minutes:
Claire Gore (Strategic Human Resources Manager) presented the report which reviewed progress on the implementation of the 2008/09 Staff Survey Action Plan. Claire Gore began by referring to the 2008 staff survey which had provided favourable results overall, with above average scores for 15 of the 35 benchmark questions, within the benchmark average for 16 questions and below average for 4 questions. In addition, the overall engagement score had improved from 66% for the 2007/08 survey to 77% for the 2008/09 survey. Members heard that headline areas of strong performance included good relationships within teams; work seen as related to goals and objectives of the Council; training; and in equal opportunities values and fairness and respect. Areas in need of improvement included opportunities for bottom up communication; limited communication regarding career opportunities and promotion decisions; accuracy of appraisals in reflecting performance; low reporting of perceived discrimination; visibility of senior managers and the need to monitor working hours to maintain a work life balance.
Claire Gore advised that in view of the areas identified in the survey as requiring improvement, a key driver analysis had been undertaken, and the consultants ORC International had highlighted 2 areas to focus upon, namely professional development and senior management change and cooperation. Claire Gore then referred to the detail of the report regarding the Action Plan and highlighted the issues being addressed, including career development, training and appraisals, partnership working and reduction in contact numbers and visibility of senior managers and communication. Members heard that the Chief Executive held staff lunches and maintained a blog to enhance 2 way communication with staff, whilst engagement with staff was a priority of the Action Plan. Claire Gore confirmed that the 2009 staff survey was currently in the process of being finalised and would take place during the autumn of 2009, with feedback and action planning sessions due to commence early in 2010.
During discussion, Councillor Mendoza sought reasons as to why consultants had been recruited to assist with the Action Plan and how had they determined the 2 areas that needed to be focused upon. He sought further details with regard to the Chief Executive lunches and reasons as to why an Internal Communications Manager had been recruited in view of budget pressures the Council faced. Councillor Mendoza commented that difficult economic circumstances such as the present would be motivation in itself for staff and he questioned the need to focus on internal communication at the moment, adding that this would be a more useful exercise when the economy and the employment market was more buoyant.
The Chair commented that his own experience had highlighted the need for sound internal communication and facilitated organisations during time of change, such as the Council’s Business Transformation programme as it was vital to explain to staff the reasons to make such changes. He asked how the Business Transformation programme, including the results of the analysis undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers, would be communicated to staff.
In reply to the issues raised, Claire Gore explained that ORC International had been responsible for designing the software to analyse the staff survey and produce the resulting reports. ORC International had devised a methodology to identify areas in need of improvement and that have a high impact on staff. The Select Committee heard that the Chief Executive lunches operated on an open invitation basis with up to 15 persons per lunch and that there was presently a waiting list. The lunches provided opportunity for the Chief Executive to receive feedback and then communicate his response back to staff. With regard to the appointment of an Internal Communications Manager, Claire Gore advised that it was important to engage staff as it impacts positively on areas such as staff morale, whilst a lack of communication, particularly during change, would have a negative effect on staff. She advised that improving internal communication also helped increase productivity and would assist in unlocking staff potential. Furthermore, the need for sound internal communication was recognised as good practice in both the public and private sector. Members also heard that secondment opportunities were increasing which in turn, improved the variety of skills and knowledge of staff and there were also more opportunities for staff to make suggestions.
Cathy Tyson (Assistant Director – Policy, Policy and Regeneration) added that the Chief Executive’s regular newsletter provided updates on the Business Transformation Programme. The One Council programme had created 9 task groups to consider a range of initiatives across service areas, whilst a number of staff had been involved in the PricewaterhouseCoopers analysis. The central aim of the One Council Programme was to provide an integrated, strategic approach and to remove duplication of work, whilst maintaining the front line service and responding to change. The outcome would be fed back to the Senior Managers’ Conference where it would be set out what the Council needed to achieve over the next few years.
Supporting documents:
- Staff Survey Action Plan Performance, item 6. PDF 85 KB
- Appendix A - Staff Pledge, item 6. PDF 134 KB
- Appendix B - Staff Survey Action plan, item 6. PDF 81 KB