Agenda item

This report provides an update to members of the People, Performance and Development Committee (PPDC) on the results of the Staff Survey. In particular, this report looks at the services scoring below the ‘ones to watch’ category in 2015 and 2016 to better understand the work and actions being proposed in these service areas.

Declarations of interests:

None

Witnesses:

Amy Bailey, Employee Engagement Lead

Rachel Crossley, Chief of Staff

Key points raised during the discussion:

1.    Clarification was sought on the Staff Survey scoring system and how it was determined whether the results achieved by a given service were considered to be good or bad. This query was raised specifically in relation to the Adult Social Care (ASC) Operations Team. Officers advised that SCC had been allocated a ‘One to Watch’ rating which was the equivalent of being assessed as ‘Good’. Best Companies, who conducted the survey, analysed the results to arrive at a score for SCC which was then benchmarked against those of other organisations which had participated in the survey. ASC Operations had been identified in the report on account of the fact that its specific score at fallen beneath the ‘One to Watch’ achieved by the rest of the organisation. An action plan had, however, been developed to target areas of concern highlighted by the survey results which sought to improve staff perceptions of communication, personal growth and wellbeing. It was agreed that the Committee would receive data on the breakdown of the Staff Survey results for the entirety of the Adult Social Care Directorate as a backdrop to the results achieved by ASC Operations.

2.    Specific concerns were raised regarding the results achieved by Surrey Fire & Rescue Service (SFRS) and clarification was sought on the steps being taken to improve leadership. Members were advised that an action plan had been created to address the concerns highlighted by the survey which included introducing measures to improve staff perceptions of leadership. The Committee requested that the Chief of Staff reflect Members’ concerns on SRFS’s Staff Service results back to the Strategic Director of Environment & Infrastructure and seek assurances on how the action plan will improve leadership and communication across the Service.

3.    The Committee highlighted that staff perceptions of leadership were relatively low across SCC and asked what steps could be taken to change this. Officers stressed that the Council was, by necessity, a diverse and disparate organisation due to the range of services it provides over a large geographical area which meant that a degree of disconnection from senior leaders was inevitable. Work had, however, been done with to improve how senior managers from across SCC engage with staff which it is hoped will improve how staff feel about the way in which SCC is led. Members emphasised the importance of collaborating with the Internal Communications Team to demonstrate that SCC is listening to staff by showing what steps the Council will take to ameliorate concerns articulated in the survey.

4.    Discussions took place regarding whether it was necessary for the Council to conduct a Staff Survey annually. Officers indicated that it was important to have some means of understanding staff perceptions of the Council to determine the need to make improvements in how individual services or the organisation as a whole functions. Officers did, however, stress the need balance the cost of the Staff Survey against the benefits it provides to the Council to determine whether a full survey is required every year.

Actions/ further information to be provided:

1.    Committee Members to receive data on the breakdown of the Staff Survey results for the Adult Social Care Directorate (Action Ref: A26/17).

2.    Chief of Staff to reflect Members’ concerns on SRFS’s Staff Service results back to the Strategic Director of Environment & Infrastructure and seek assurances on how the action plan will improve leadership and communication across the Service(Action Ref: A27/17).

3.    Officers to speak to the Head of Communications to ensure that there is effective communication to staff about next steps following analysis of the results of the staff survey (Action Ref: A28/17).

RESOLVED:

That the People, Performance and Development Committee notes the work underway to respond to the staff survey results in the service areas identified.