Agenda item - Worcestershire Regulatory Services Staff Survey Results

Agenda item

Worcestershire Regulatory Services Staff Survey Results

Minutes:

The Board was asked consider a report that detailed the Worcestershire Regulatory Services, Staff Survey Results.

 

The Head of Regulatory Services, Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS), introduced the report and informed the Board that historically one of the performance indicators reported to Members had been the satisfaction of staff working at WRS.

 

In previous years, this had been generated by an in-house survey and had yielded various results over the years, but had generally shown reasonable levels of satisfaction with working for WRS.  The internal survey had also helped identify a number of ways to support staff in certain areas, by responding to feedback in the survey where it was appropriate.

 

This year Redditch Borough Council and Bromsgrove District Council had chosen to employ an external consultancy to undertake its staff survey and the Chief Executive had offered WRS the facility since WRS staff were all employees of Bromsgrove District Council.

 

The Head of Regulatory Services, WRS, felt that this would provide a good opportunity to try something different and to get a professional analysis of the results.  WRS had limited influence over the questions being asked as there was a set framework that the consultancy company used. Therefore the results could not be compared with the previous surveys conducted.

 

However, having an independent review ensured that no unintended bias in the results could be reported, so on balance it was felt that this exercise could helpfully replace the normal performance indicator at least for this year.  The feedback received from the Management Team was that staff were pleased that it had been done externally.

 

The Head of Regulatory Services, WRS, drew Members’ attention to the following key areas, as detailed in the report:-

 

·         Balance of the Deal

·         Conversation Practice

·         Workplace Tensions

·         Job Pressure

·         Organisational Personality

·         Satisfaction

 

In conclusion, the survey was undertaken by over 50% of staff.  Whilst it was below the level that senior managers would like, it was likely to be representative of both experience and feelings across the service. 

 

The analyst had provided independent evidence to support the assertions made by managers around the impact of current workloads on staff. It suggested that whilst performance was probably currently good, there were signs that further pressures and the lack of recognition of the existing pressures may result in a worsening of performance in the future.

The Head of Regulatory Services, WRS, reassured the Board, that having taken the information into account, the report remained positive and that scores were mainly in the moderate range, which indicated that work could be done to improve things.  He would ensure that managers engaged with staff and reiterated all of the positive support for WRS from Members of the WRS Board, so that staff understood this.

 

The Head of Regulatory Services, WRS, responded to questions from Members and explained that staff surveys were completed voluntarily.  Staff were made aware that completed surveys were anonymous and that the surveys were conducted for their benefit.  Routine staff briefings were carried out and there was a staff briefing planned for September this year, where the survey findings would be discussed.

 

Staff had an annual appraisal, whereby all officers understood what was expected of them and to determine if they had any training requirements.  If there were any issues the Senior Practitioners would raise these with Management.  WRS had a good training budget, and, because of the number of officers in the service, buying-in a trainer was often cost effective, so lots of local training had taken place for officers.  Staff from other authorities had been invited to attend a number of these training events to the extent that some were cost neutral and WRS staff benefitted.

 

RESOLVED that the Worcestershire Regulatory Services, Staff Survey Results 2017, be noted.

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