This autumn employees will be given the chance to air their views on what they think the Council is doing well to support and inform them at work and what more needs to be done.
Running from September 2nd until October 11th, the Employee Engagement Survey will offer every Council employee an opportunity to have their say anonymously and in confidence.
A high response rate across all Services is hoped for as that will provide a clear picture of what the biggest issues are across the organisation and what still needs to improve.
At the Employee Communications Group held earlier this month (July), volunteers from across all Services were asked for their ideas on how to encourage people to fill in the survey.
Caroline Binnie, Communications & Participation Manager, said: “The 2017 survey was the first proper Council-wide employee survey we’d ever undertaken and there were a number of hurdles that had to be overcome at that time. Two years on, we are hopeful that people will be more comfortable and confident to give their views as the survey can be filled in digitally from your own device either at work or in your own time.”
A presentation was also given on the changes the Communications Team had put into place following the outcomes of the last survey before the group were asked for views on:
- The employee website and the Falkirk 5 monthly employee e-zine
- Communication within their team and Service, the barriers to good communication, and how they felt it could be improved
Chief Executive Kenneth Lawrie was once again part of the discussions. Speaking to the group, he highlighted a lot had happened since the last meeting in January, most notably the launch of the Council’s five-year business plan, and he stressed good communication was essential during periods of change.
He said: “It isn’t just about information coming from the centre - we all have a responsibility to ensure there is good communication across our teams and Services. One of the key purposes of this group is to listen and work out the best ways to share key messages and what you take back from these meetings is important and valued.
“It’s also about establishing better two-way communications and making management more visible, as it can feel as if there’s a big gap between senior management and the frontline. We need to change that and cultivate a culture of openness and willingness on both sides to receive ideas. Good communications sit right at the heart of that goal. It will be challenging, but only by doing that can we create the conditions in which we all can excel.”
