Agenda item - Staff Survey - Update

Agenda item

Staff Survey - Update

Minutes:

The Training and Development Advisor presented an update on the staff survey.  During the delivery of this presentation the following matters were highlighted for Members’ consideration:

 

·                A new edition of the staff survey was due to be issued in April. 

·                The majority of the questions remained the same (with a small number being amended to allow easier interpretation of the data) as those which had featured in the previous survey to enable the Human Resources team to compare the data from the responses.

·                Lessons had been learned from the previous survey and a separate survey focusing on mental health, about how to maximise the number of completed questionnaires received.

·                There had been some problems experienced with the previous survey in terms of encouraging staff to complete paper copies.  To address this personalised letters would be sent to those staff in receipt of a paper copy.

·                Staff had been updated in respect of the actions that had been taken in response to various concerns raised in the survey.

·                The responses provided to the new survey would enable the Human Resources team to assess the impact that various actions had had in terms of addressing staff concerns.

·                It was anticipated that the data would be reviewed more quickly than previously and support would be provided by the Policy Team which had expertise in respect of recording and analysing data.

·                Once the feedback had been analysed a communications plan would be devised to ensure that the outcomes were reported back to staff in an appropriate manner.

 

Following presentation of the report a number of matters were discussed in further detail:

 

·                The need for both qualitative and quantitative data to be analysed in completed surveys in a constructive manner.

·                The reasons for the delays in issuing a second survey to staff.   Members were advised that initially there had been an intention to include questions about mental health and equalities issues and, whilst these would not now be included in the final version, this had caused some delays.

·                The Board sought assurance that the data arising from completed surveys would be shared with Members in a timely manner.  Officers confirmed that it would be possible, but some detail would need to remain restricted in order not to compromise staff confidentiality.

·                The action that would be taken to encourage more staff to complete the survey than the previous version.  Members were advised that Human resources would be liaising directly with service managers in order to encourage staff to complete the surveys. 

·                It was noted that a one third response rate for a staff survey was good.

·                The role of Human Resources in developing and administering the survey.  Members were assured that external consultants would not be involved.

·                The potential to make completion of a survey compulsory for staff.  The Board was informed that ideally voluntary participation was preferable.

·                The improvements that had been made in terms of communicating with staff over IT problems. 

·                The use of an IT dashboard to inform staff about the number of IT technicians available at any one time to resolve IT problems.

·                The number of staff who regularly accessed and used the data recorded on the measures dashboard.

·                The continuing development of the skills matrix and the likely timeframes in which use of the matrix would be extended across all teams.  The Board was advised that the matrix was being piloted in Customer Access and Financial Support Services.  In the long-term the aim would be to use the matrix to develop a training programme which addressed gaps in staff skills.

·                The time taken to develop an induction process for new staff.

·                The extent to which Human Resources worked with other local authorities to share ideas in terms of staff training.  The Board was informed that the Council worked closely with other local authorities, particularly other Councils in the West Midlands.

·                The progress that had been made in terms of enabling staff to report concerns about the working environment.

 

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Supporting documents: