At the end of November 2022, we undertook a pulse survey to find out if employees felt supported at work and involved in improving services.

1974 people from across the organisation completed the survey – a 61% increase on the number of employees who filled in the last employee pulse survey.

Thank you to all who took the time to respond. Your answers are extremely important.

Pulse Survey Action Plan Spring 2023

The responses to the survey were used to form an action plan for improvement. Members of the Leadership Forum (Service Managers and Chief Officers) and the Council's Wellbeing Group contributed to the formation of the plan. The Council’s Wellbeing Group membership includes Trade Union and Service representatives.

The plans detailed below each question provide management with several actions that they will take forward with their teams to help strengthen culture and ensure all employees have the support and information needed to thrive.

To make that happen, we need everyone to buy-in to the plan and what it aims to achieve.

A further pulse survey will be undertaken after the summer to measure progress made against the plan.

If you have any questions, please email OrganisationalDevelopment@falkirk.gov.uk


  1. Table of contents

Completed responses

Overall 1,974 of employees filled in the Pulse Survey. Of those who completed the survey:

ServiceNumber of responses
Chief Executive’s Office9
Children’s Services759
Health & Social Care Partnership251
Place Services380
Transformation, Communities & Corporate Services575

I know where to find support for my personal wellbeing

If you need support with your health, safety or wellbeing, please visit our wellbeing pages.

AnswerNumber of responses
Strongly agree267
Agree924
Neither agree or disagree376
Disagree275
Strongly disagree128

Action plan

Organisationally we will

  • Encourage more employees to become Mental Health First Aiders
  • Promote the Wellbeing resources available on the intranet
  • Source Mental Health training
  • Design an Olle course on Mental Toughness
  • Promote the use of wellbeing action plans recommended by Mind (experts in mental health)
  • Promote the use of the Employee Assistance Programme especially at Induction events
  • Advertise mental health support from Able Futures
  • Promote the use of the SHE system

Leaders and Managers will

  • Promote the Mental Health First Aider service
  • Include Wellbeing on every team meeting
  • Attend Mental Health training so they can identify the signs of mental health problems in their employees
  • Encourage employees to complete the Olle course on Mental Toughness
  • Carry out wellbeing conversations with employees and complete wellness action plans
  • Make themselves aware of the Employee Assistance Programme so they can signpost employees
  • to the support available e.g. following bereavement
  • Make themselves aware of the mental health support from Able Futures so they can signpost employees
  • Ensure that HR14's are completed and appropriately investigated

I have enough contact with my line manager / supervisor / chargehand to meet my needs

AnswerNumber of responses
Strongly agree585
Agree860
Neither agree or disagree202
Disagree195
Strongly disagree126

Action plan

Organisationally we will

  • Encourage managers to continue to have good contact with their employees

Leaders and Managers will

  • Check with all employees whether the contact they receive meets their needs. Leaders / managers should especially ask employees they don’t see very often if the contact is enough e.g. employees who are out in the community most of the time or hybrid workers who rarely attend the office

My team are communicating well and staying connected

AnswerNumber of responses
Strongly agree390
Agree855
Neither agree or disagree309
Disagree259
Strongly disagree151

Action plan

Organisationally we will

  • Promote team meetings and get togethers to ensure face to face contact

Leaders and Managers will

  • Conduct team check ins to ensure employees receive the communications they need. (The Good Conversation process details what the team check ins should cover)

I am given the opportunity to make suggestions about improvements to the workplace

AnswerNumber of responses
Strongly agree319
Agree803
Neither agree or disagree386
Disagree259
Strongly disagree200

Action plan

Organisationally we will

  • Continue to run employee Listening Events including one on the pulse survey results
  • Conduct another pulse survey in the autumn to monitor progress
  • Explore how an employee suggestion scheme would work and be resourced
  • Facilitate sessions with specific teams to produce continuous improvements actions

I feel involved in making change happen where I work

AnswerNumber of responses
Strongly agree233
Agree633
Neither agree or disagree459
Disagree356
Strongly disagree284

Action plan

Organisationally we will

  • Reinvigorate the change agent and digital champions networks
  • Continue to share good news stories using appropriate methods e.g. team meetings, Yammer

Leaders and Managers will

  • Ensure "improvements" is an item on team meeting agendas
  • Look to praise employees in various ways – simple thank you, supervision, 1-1's, toolbox talks, Good Conversations, ERD. Ask teams for feedback on how best to recognise their contribution

I feel my contribution to the organisation is recognised

AnswerNumber of responses
Strongly agree204
Agree635
Neither agree or disagree505
Disagree329
Strongly disagree297

Action plan

Organisationally we will

  • Continue to publicise back to shop floor activity

Leaders and Managers will

  • Have a programme of attending locations they are not based in

Senior managers are visible

AnswerNumber of responses
Strongly agree291
Agree691
Neither agree or disagree346
Disagree333
Strongly disagree311

Action plan

Leaders and Managers will

  • Have a programme of attending team meetings Have a programme of attending team meetings