Employee Engagement Survey 2019 results

In 2019 we undertook our second Employee Engagement Survey to find out if you felt supported, empowered and valued in the work that you do – and to measure progress since the first survey in 2017.

Just over half of you took the time to fill in the questionnaire, thank you. Your responses will now form the basis of an action plan being created by employees in partnership with our leadership team.

The action plan will highlight the themes emerging from the Council-wide results, the areas we need to build on, and what needs to change so we can strengthen our culture and realise the ambitions of the Council of the Future programme of change.

Following the Leadership Forum on 7 February and the Employee Listening Event on 21 February the action plan will be finalised and communicated in early spring.

Council wide results

  1. Table of contents

Completed responses

Overall 50.5% of employees filled in last year's survey compared to 30.9% in 2017. That means 3,637 employees took the time to submit their views – an increase of 1,483.

Completion rates per service including percentage shift since 2017:

  • Children's: 45.9% - an increase of 23%
  • Corporate & Housing: 77.3% - an increase of 24%
  • Development: 50.9% - an increase of 15%
  • Social Work Adult Services: 25.3% - a decrease of 1.5%
Service2019 Survey2017 Survey
Children's Services1,921901
Corporate & Housing Services1,031710
Development Services405261
Social Work Adult Services223260

Leadership & Management

  • 73.3% of employees strongly agree or agree their line manager/supervisor/chargehand clearly outlines their tasks and priorities, an increase of 8.8%
  • 75.7% of employees strongly agree or agree that their line manager/supervisor/chargehand considers their personal welfare, an increase of 15.6%
  • 63.7% of employees strongly agree or agree that senior managers are visible and accessible to employees, an increase of 6.8%
  • 61.5% of employees strongly agree or agree that their service area is well managed, an increase of 8.5%

My line manager/supervisor/chargehand clearly outlines my tasks and priorities

Answer2019 Survey %2017 Survey %
Strongly agree1,022365
Agree1,6431,005
Neither agree or disagree503424
Disagree327229
Strongly disagree142101

My line manager/supervisor/chargehand considers my personal welfare

Answer2019 Survey2017 Survey
Strongly agree1,295410
Agree1,459865
Neither agree or disagree497515
Disagree241214
Strongly disagree145118

Senior Managers are visible and accessible to employees

Answer2019 Survey2017 Survey
Strongly agree916348
Agree1,400858
Neither agree or disagree598398
Disagree487315
Strongly disagree236201

My Service Area is well managed

Answer2019 Survey2017 Survey
Strongly agree774300
Agree1,463823
Neither agree or disagree758585
Disagree444268
Strongly disagree198142

Involvement & Empowerment

  • 66.1% of employees strongly agree or agree that they are encouraged to make suggestions to improve the service we deliver, an increase of 11.5%
  • 43.3% of employees strongly agree or agree that they are involved in reviewing and identifying council priorities and plans, an increase of 2.5%
  • 76.9% of employees strongly agree or agree that their manager trusts them to make decisions, an increase of 10.9%
  • 69.2% of employees strongly agree or agree they have the right amount of responsibility, an increase of 7.8%
  • 76.2% of employees strongly agree or agree they are sufficiently challenged by their work, an increase of 3.6%

I am encouraged to make suggestions to improve the services we deliver

Answer2019 Survey2017 Survey
Strongly agree815271
Agree1,580891
Neither agree or disagree660468
Disagree404343
Strongly disagree168157

I am involved in reviewing and identifying Council priorities and plans for my team/department

Answer2019 Survey2017 Survey
Strongly agree436202
Agree1,135665
Neither agree or disagree936520
Disagree795536
Strongly disagree325199

My Manager trusts me to make decisions

Answer2019 Survey2017 Survey
Strongly agree1,035464
Agree1,748939
Neither agree or disagree505451
Disagree216159
Strongly disagree115112

I have the right amount of responsibility

Answer2019 Survey2017 Survey
Strongly agree738213
Agree1,7691,094
Neither agree or disagree598509
Disagree387230
Strongly disagree12980

I am sufficiently challenged by my work

Answer2019 Survey2017 Survey
Strongly agree1,122430
Agree1,6371,118
Neither agree or disagree493366
Disagree243157
Strongly disagree12562

Mobile & Flexible

A new question for 2019 revealed that 39.5% of employees worked in a mobile and flexible way, with 60.5% saying they didn't.

For those that work in a mobile and flexible way, 67.7% strongly agree or agree they are encouraged to work in this way (an increase of 15.2%) and 80.9% saying they like to work mobile and flexibly (new question).

The top three specific reasons for now working mobile and flexibly:

  • Job doesn’t allow (63.9%)
  • Don’t have equipment (14.5%)
  • Not allowed (7.4%)

Do you currently work in a mobile and flexible way?

Answer2019 Survey
Yes1,436
No2,201

Note: This question was not part of the 2017 survey.

I am encouraged to work in a mobile and flexible way

Answer2019 Survey2017 Survey
Strongly agree278263
Agree702796
Neither agree or disagree334578
Disagree88340
Strongly disagree45155

I am encouraged to work in a mobile and flexible way

Answer2019 Survey
Strongly agree438
Agree726
Neither agree or disagree218
Disagree35
Strongly disagree21

Note: This question was not part of the 2017 survey.

What prevents you from working in a mobile and flexible way?

Answer2019 Survey
Job does not allow1,656
Not allowed191
Do not have equipment375
Do not know how to use equipment45
I do not want to118
Other206

Note: This question was not part of the 2017 survey.

Recognition

  • 59.2% of employees are proud to work for the Council
  • 63.3% of employees strongly agree or agree that someone at work cares about them, an increase of 8.5%
  • 87.8% of employees strongly agree or agree they feel that their job is important, an increase of 0.2%
  • 58.8% of employees strongly agree or agree feel valued for the work that they do, an increase of 7.9%
  • 80.4% of employees strongly agree or agree they get the help and support they need from colleagues, an increase of 2.8%
  • 71.5% of employees strongly agree or agree that they feel part of a team working towards shared goals, an increase of 5.5%

I feel that someone at work cares about me

Answer2019 Survey2017 Survey
Strongly agree968466
Agree1,641884
Neither agree or disagree604452
Disagree288230
Strongly disagree136102

I feel that my job is important

Answer2019 Survey2017 Survey
Strongly agree1,594948
Agree1,602927
Neither agree or disagree293166
Disagree8170
Strongly disagree6728

I feel valued for the work that I do

Answer2019 Survey2017 Survey
Strongly agree694275
Agree1,445814
Neither agree or disagree753522
Disagree516394
Strongly disagree229134

I get the help and support I need from colleagues

Answer2019 Survey2017 Survey
Strongly agree1,118618
Agree1,8071,039
Neither agree or disagree449313
Disagree186119
Strongly disagree7747

I feel part of a team and we are working towards shared goals

Answer2019 Survey2017 Survey
Strongly agree1,022523
Agree1,580884
Neither agree or disagree574398
Disagree327237
Strongly disagree13487

I am proud to work for the Council

Answer2019 Survey
Strongly agree690
Agree1,463
Neither agree or disagree1,109
Disagree249
Strongly disagree126

Note: This question was not part of the 2017 survey.

Communication

  • 34.1% of employees feel their views are listened to
  • 39.9% of employees strongly agree or agree that the Council communicates well with employees, an increase of 8.5%
  • 39.8% of employees strongly agree or agree they are well informed about important issues within the Council, a decrease of 4.4%
  • 51.7% of employees strongly agree or agree they are well informed about matters affecting their work, a decrease of 1%
  • 40.5% of employees strongly agree or agree there are effective ways to feedback my views, a decrease of 4.5%

The Council communicates well with employees

Answer2019 Survey2017 Survey
Strongly agree18278
Agree1,263587
Neither agree or disagree1,172765
Disagree709465
Strongly disagree295225

I am well informed about important issues within the Council

Answer2019 Survey2017 Survey
Strongly agree197125
Agree1,246815
Neither agree or disagree1,184587
Disagree724430
Strongly disagree269165

I am well informed about matters affecting my work

Answer2019 Survey2017 Survey
Strongly agree347184
Agree1,519936
Neither agree or disagree857475
Disagree618401
Strongly disagree269128

There are effective ways to feedback my views

Answer2019 Survey2017 Survey
Strongly agree247104
Agree1,216660
Neither agree or disagree1,232722
Disagree672478
Strongly disagree248159

I feel my views are listened to

Answer2019 Survey
Strongly agree255
Agree978
Neither agree or disagree1,291
Disagree715
Strongly disagree375

Note: This question was not part of the 2017 survey.

Change Management

Since 2017, 26.7% of employees think the Council has changed for the better, while 40.1% think it has changed for the worst, and 33.3% don’t think it has changed at all.

  • 88.4% of employees strongly agree or agree they understand the need for change, an increase of 2.1%
  • 26% of employees strongly agree or agree they feel involved in the changes taking place within the Council, an increase of 9.4%

Employees were asked what they needed to play an active role in the Council of the Future changes. The top responses were:

  • Time to be involved (35.1%)
  • More information about how I can be involved (28.1%)
  • I'm already involved (11.8%)

Since 2017 do you think the Council has changed

Answer2019 Survey
For the better943
Not at all1,176
For the worse1,417

I understand the need for change

Answer2019 Survey2017 Survey
Strongly agree1,142611
Agree2,0531,218
Neither agree or disagree291224
Disagree8348
Strongly disagree4619

I feel involved in the the changes taking place within the Council

Answer2019 Survey2017 Survey
Strongly agree23754
Agree701297
Neither agree or disagree1,299706
Disagree978762
Strongly disagree389291

We would like all employees to have an active role in the Council of the Future changes, what support do you need to help you to do that?

Answer2019 Survey
I'm already involved603
More information about how I can be involved1,434
Time to be involved1,790
More information on CotF and the projects457
Support from my manager502
Other315

Learning, Growth & Performance

  • 68.1% of employees strongly agree or agree that they had opportunities to learn, develop and/or attend training in the last 12 months, an increase of 4.5%
  • 46% of employees strongly agree or agree they discussed and agreed an Achievement and Personal Development Plan in the last 12 months, a decrease of 1.1%
  • 59.1% of employees strongly agree or agree that training, learning and development has helped them do their job better, an increase of 1.1%
  • 48.4% of employees strongly agree or agree they are given feedback on their performance to help them develop (new question)

In the last 12 months, I have had opportunities to learn, develop and attend training

Answer2019 Survey2017 Survey
Strongly agree802422
Agree1,662915
Neither agree or disagree529339
Disagree402273
Strongly disagree225155

In the last 12 months, I have discussed and agreed an Achievement and Personal Development Plan

Answer2019 Survey2017 Survey
Strongly agree533322
Agree1,131671
Neither agree or disagree623315
Disagree859518
Strongly disagree469283

My training, learning and development has helped me do my job better

Answer2019 Survey2017 Survey
Strongly agree606337
Agree1,529883
Neither agree or disagree906525
Disagree347220
Strongly disagree225137

I am given feedback on my performance to help me develop

Answer2019 Survey
Strongly agree489
Agree1,256
Neither agree or disagree903
Disagree611
Strongly disagree349

Note: This question was not part of the 2017 survey.

Tell us more

Employees were given a list of areas and asked which, if any, they think had improved since 2017. 54.1% said none of the options provided had got better. For others, the top improvements were:

  • Communication (31.1%)
  • Opportunities to learn and develop (28%)
  • Work Environment (23.9%)
Answer2019 Survey
Communication876
Leadership & Management557
My involvement in Council Changes291
Work environment672
Recognition of my work450
How well different services work together522
Opportunities to learn and develop790
The services we provide579
None of the above1,448