Civil Service Employee Engagement Survey 2017: Key Drivers and Results, Study notes of Statistics

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Civil Service Employee Engagement Survey 2017 Prepared by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform gov.ie Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 Contents Executive Summary Message from the Civil Service Management Board 3 Top 5 positive/ challenging results for the Civil Service 5 The Results for 2017 6 Key Messages 2017 8 The Results Quick Guide 10 My Organisation Employee Engagement 12 Commitment to the Organisation 14 Well-being 16 Coping with Change 18 My Job Autonomy 20 Meaningfulness 22 Competence 24 Job Demands 26 Job Skills Match 28 Career Development and Mobility 30 Your Pay 32 Performance Standards 34 My Supports Manager Career Support 36 Social Support 38 Leadership 40 Organisational Support 42 Learning and Development 44 My Environment Innovative Climate 46 Involvement Climate 48 My Views on the Civil Service Citizen Impact 50 Public Perception of the Civil Service 52 Identification with the Civil Service 54 Commitment to Civil Service Renewal 56 Awareness of Civil Service Renewal 58 2017 Civil Service Key Drivers and Position 60 What are the results telling us? 61 How do the results vary across the Civil Service? 62 Response Rates Statistics 66 Brief insights into Gender 67 Brief insights into Grade 68 How do the results vary by Grade? 69 How do the results vary by Age? 70 How do the results vary by Length of Service? 71 How do the results vary by Gender? 72 Methodology 73 Endnotes 75 Acknowledgments 76 1 Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 The Civil Service Management Board Fergal Lynch Secretary General Department of Children and Youth Affairs Orlaigh Quinn Secretary General Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation Pádraig Dalton Director General Central Statistics Office Damien Moloney Director General Office of the Attorney General Niall Cody Chairman Office of the Revenue Commissioners Katherine Licken Secretary General Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Graham Doyle Secretary General Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport John McCarthy Secretary General Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government Maurice Quinn Secretary General Department of Defence Maurice Buckley Chairman Office of Public Works Oonagh McPhilips Secretary General (Acting) Department of Justice and Equality Fiona Tierney Chief Executive Public Appointments Service John McKeon Secretary General Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection Mark Griffin Secretary General Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment Seán Ó Foghlú Secretary General Department of Education and Skills Kevin McCarthy Secretary General Department of Rural and Community Development 4 Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 2017 2015 1. Competence 1. Competence 79+21+H79% 80+20+H80% 2. Well-being 2. Well-being 75+25+H75% 75+25+H75% 3. Employee Engagement 3. Employee Engagement 72+28+H72% 70+30+H70% 4. Social Support 4. Social Support 72+28+H72% 70+30+H70% 5. Coping with Change 5. Coping with Change 71+29+H71% 69+31+H69% 2017 2015 1. Involvement Climate 1. Public Perception of the Civil Service 38+62+H38% 33+67+H33% 2. Public Perception of the Civil Service 2. Involvement Climate 38+62+H38% 36+64+H36% 3. Your Pay 3. Your Pay 46+54+H46% 42+58+H42% 4. Performance Standards 4. Organisational Support 48+52+H48% 44+56+H44% 5. Innovative Climate 5. Career Development and Mobility 49+51+H49% 44+56+H44% The ranking of the 2017 Most Challenging themes differ from 2015. As such, the 2015 and 2017 Most Challenging themes cannot be compared side by side in the table above Positive Results – Top 5 Most Challenging Results – Top 5 5 Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 6 The Results for 2017 What are the headline results for each theme? Everything to the left of the dotted line scored below 50% with higher proportions of staff disagreeing with the survey statements. 55% Leadership 46% Your Pay 50% Career Development and Mobility 48% Performance Standards 54% Commitment to the Organisation 38% Public Perception of the Civil Service 49% Innovative Climate 38% Involvement Climate 50%40%30% 52% Job Demands 49% Organisational Support Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 7. Staff continue to feel that there is not a sufficient culture of involvement: The result for Involvement Climate is the joint lowest result in the 2017 CSEES. This measures the extent to which civil servants feel that they are involved openly in decision making in their organisation. The result shows that only a minority of civil servants feel openly involved in decision making in their Department or Office, particularly those at lower grades. 8. Staff still feel that the public does not value their contribution: Although staff are increasingly aware of the impact of their work on the general public, despite some improvement, they feel that this contribution is not valued by the wider public. There is evidence of a disparity in relation to the extent to which civil servants feel that their work has an impact on the public and their perception of the value placed by the public on their work. This challenging finding is also in stark contrast to the results of the Civil Service Customer Service Survey 2017 and previous iterations which consistently showed that citizens are satisfied with the Civil Service. 9. Staff at lower grades feel less positive than those at higher grades: There are significant differences of perceptions between grades across some of the themes, e.g. Commitment to the Organisation, Autonomy and Meaningfulness. In general, the higher the grade the more positive the result which may reflect a higher level of autonomy at more senior levels and a hierarchical culture in the Civil Service. 10. Staff still do not feel their organisation supports a culture of innovation: The result shows that staff do not believe that ideas are readily accepted in their organisation. They believe that their organisations are not quick to spot the need to do things differently and are not sufficiently searching for new ways of solving problems. There is a disparity across the grades with higher results at senior grades, decreasing to lower results at lower grades which may indicate that staff at higher grades feel they have more freedom and space to be innovative. 11. Staff do not see any meaningful improvements in the management of poor performance: This result is one of the lowest in the survey and one of the more challenging results to emerge. The majority of staff continue to feel that poor performance is not being effectively addressed throughout their departments. There is a disparity across age profiles with younger staff having significantly more positive views with regard to how performance is managed. 12. Internationally, the Irish Civil Service compares favourably in some areas but not in all: Internationally, the Irish Civil Service compares favourably in some areas but not in all. The results for Engagement, Citizen Impact and Commitment to Civil Service Renewal compare favourably with international civil service survey results. For some themes a direct international comparison is unavailable. However there are a number of areas where the score is less favourable than our international counterparts for example Organisational Support, Manager Career Support, Career Development and Mobility and Job Skills Match. These are important areas that require further attention and focus going forward. 9 Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 12 C iv il Se rv ic e O ve ra ll % • The Employee Engagement result for the Irish Civil Service is 72%, which is the third most positive result in the 2017 survey. Engagement levels continue to be high and show an increase on an already high baseline. • All Civil Service Departments and Offices represented on the Civil Service Management Board have an Employee Engagement result of over 69%. This means that the majority of staff continue to feel positively engaged and connected with their work. (Further information p.62) • The findings suggest a very high level of determination among respondents, for example, 95% state that they persevere in their work, even when things do not go well. • The result for Employee Engagement is also steady across grade levels, gender, length of service, and age which is evident of a workforce with a strong sense of connection to their work. (Further information p.62) • Organisations may be able to increase this already positive score by enhancing the Meaningfulness of work, by empowering staff to utilise their full abilities in completing their work, by demonstrating support for employees’ well-being, by demonstrating strong and visible Leadership, and by enhancing perceptions of Competence through feedback and recognition. Insight: The slight increase in Employee Engagement is a positive result, particularly when engagement scores have been shown to be relatively stable over time in other countries.1 International Benchmark: The result, at 72%, compares well internationally. For example, the employee engagement result in the 2017 Civil Service People Survey in the UK was 61%.2  2017 Agree  2017 Neutral  2017 Disagree  2015 % point change I am enthusiastic about my job 78% 5 73% 14% -3 17% 8% -2 10% At my work I always persevere, even when things do not go well 95% 1 94% 4% -1 5% 1% 0 1% At my work, I feel full of energy 64% 4 60% 23% -2 25% 12% -3 15% My job inspires me 54% 7 47% 25% 0 25% 22% -6 28% When I get up in the morning, I feel like going to work 63% 4 59% 19% -1 20% 18% -4 22% I am proud of the work that I do 82% 4 78% 12% -1 13% 6% -2 8% Note: Due to rounding, not all percent positives add up to 100%. Employee Engagement This measures the sense of energy, connection and fulfilment civil servants have with their work. The following are key drivers of Employee Engagement: 1st Key Driver – Meaningfulness 2nd Key Driver – Job Skills Match 3rd Key Driver – Organisational Support 4th Key Driver – Leadership 5th Key Driver – Competence 72% 70% 2017 Result 2015 Result 13 100% 0% M y O rgan isatio n M y Jo b M y V iew s o n th e C ivil Service M y E nviro n m en t M y Su p p o rts M y O rgan isatio n Quick Guide: How to read this report Terminology This report uses some statistical terms to explain the results. Terms used regularly include: • ‘Outcomes’: These are the four main areas which the Civil Service Management Board (CSMB) wanted to understand throughout the Survey (Employee Engagement, Well-being, Commitment to the Organisation, Coping with Change) • ‘Drivers’: These are the themes that strongly influence and impact each outcome • ‘Themes’: These represent each group of related survey statements • ‘Statements’: This refers to the 112 statements which staff were asked to rate during the survey Definition This explains what is specifically measured under each theme. These definitions are based on international research. Key Driver This explains what outcome the theme influences and impacts as a key driver. Overall theme result This result, or ‘index’, is a percentage which represents the average score for a particular outcome or theme. A score over 50% means that more staff selected positive responses. A score under 50% means that more staff selected negative responses. Some of the theme scores seem lower than you expect when looking at the percentages per statement. This is because a number of statements within the theme were asked negatively. To ensure robustness this is a standard scoring methodology overall. The more positive responses, the higher the theme score will be. The more negative responses, the lower the theme score will be. Involvement Climate (p.48) is a good example of this. 10 Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 12 C iv il Se rv ic e O ve ra ll % • The Employee Engagement result for the Irish Civil Service is 72%, which is the third most positive result in the 2017 survey. Engagement levels continue to be high and show an increase on an already high baseline. • All Civil Service Departments and Offices represented on the Civil Service Management Board have an Employee Engagement result of over 69%. This means that the majority of staff continue to feel positively engaged and connected with their work. (Further information p.62) • The findings suggest a very high level of determination among respondents, for example, 95% state that they persevere in their work, even when things do not go well. • The result for Employee Engagement is also steady across grade levels, gender, length of service, and age which is evident of a workforce with a strong sense of connection to their work. (Further information p.62) • Organisations may be able to increase this already positive score by enhancing the Meaningfulness of work, by empowering staff to utilise their full abilities in completing their work, by demonstrating support for employees’ well-being, by demonstrating strong and visible Leadership, and by enhancing perceptions of Competence through feedback and recognition. Insight: The slight increase in Employee Engagement is a positive result, particularly when engagement scores have been shown to be relatively stable over time in other countries.1 International Benchmark: The result, at 72%, compares well internationally. For example, the employee engagement result in the 2017 Civil Service People Survey in the UK was 61%.2  2017 Agree  2017 Neutral  2017 Disagree  2015 % point change I am enthusiastic about my job 78% 5 73% 14% -3 17% 8% -2 10% At my work I always persevere, even when things do not go well 95% 1 94% 4% -1 5% 1% 0 1% At my work, I feel full of energy 64% 4 60% 23% -2 25% 12% -3 15% My job inspires me 54% 7 47% 25% 0 25% 22% -6 28% When I get up in the morning, I feel like going to work 63% 4 59% 19% -1 20% 18% -4 22% I am proud of the work that I do 82% 4 78% 12% -1 13% 6% -2 8% Note: Due to rounding, not all percent positives add up to 100%. Employee Engagement This measures the sense of energy, connection and fulfilment civil servants have with their work. The following are key drivers of Employee Engagement: 1st Key Driver – Meaningfulness 2nd Key Driver – Job Skills Match 3rd Key Driver – Organisational Support 4th Key Driver – Leadership 5th Key Driver – Competence 72% 70% 2017 Result 2015 Result 13 100% 0% M y O rgan isatio n M y Jo b M y V iew s o n th e C ivil Service M y E nviro n m en t M y Su p p o rts M y O rgan isatio n Commentary This text summarises the results under each theme, highlighting some key issues and insights. This section will use phrases like ‘X% of staff in the Civil Service feel...’ to describe the results for each survey statement. This refers always to the survey respondents. Detailed results These bar charts summarise the results for each survey statement categorising them as ‘agree’ (where staff responded Agree/Strongly Agree), ‘neutral’ (where staff responded Neither Agree nor Disagree, and ‘disagree’ (where staff responded Disagree / Strongly Disagree). These figures may sum to a total slightly above or below 100% due to rounding. International Benchmark To add context to the results, this report includes references to international questions and results where relevant. It should be noted, no survey is exactly alike, and methodologies can differ hugely. These pieces of information provide context only. Insight To add context to the results, this report includes references to academic studies where relevant. 11 Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 14 C iv il Se rv ic e O ve ra ll % Commitment to the Organisation This measures the level of attachment that civil servants have to the Department/Office they work for. The following are key drivers of Commitment to the Organisation: 1st Key Driver – Organisational Support 2nd Key Driver – Meaningfulness 3rd Key Driver – Leadership 4th Key Driver – Social Support 5th Key Driver – Job Skills Match 54% 48% 2017 Result 2015 Result 100% 0% Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 • Commitment to the Organisation*, at 54%, remains a challenging result with a level of detachment evident. • Over 59% of staff indicated that they would be happy to spend the rest of their career with their organisation. 29% of staff do not feel a sense of belonging whereas 47% do feel a sense of belonging. • Although the scores for this theme remain stable across gender, length of service and age, greater variance is evident with regard to grade. Senior managers have the strongest levels of attachment to their Department/Office and this sense of connection decreases steadily among more junior grades. (Further information pp.69-72) • Enhancing commitment levels will require a focus on the key drivers, detailed on the opposite page, to ensure that staff feel supported by their organisation, that staff experience meaningful work and visible leadership, and that they have opportunities to fully utilise their skills in their work. Insight: In the public sector, Commitment to the Organisation may depend on the extent to which employees perceive that their work contributes to the public interest.3 In addition, individuals may not show high commitment to their organisation, but still demonstrate high commitment to public values in general.4 The research evidence internationally shows that organisational commitment varies across employee grades, with managers experiencing higher commitment than clerical workers5,6 which aligns to the results of this survey.  2017 Agree  2017 Neutral  2017 Disagree  2015 % point change I would be very happy to spend the rest of my career with the Department 59% -- - 22% -- - 19% - - - I really feel as if the Department's problems are my own 27% -- - 31% -- - 41% - - - I do not feel a strong sense of ‘belonging’ to the Department 29% -9 38% 24% -3 27% 47% 12 35% I do not feel ‘emotionally attached’ to the Department 35% 0 35% 25% 3 22% 39% -4 43% I do not feel like ‘part of the family’ at the Department 29% -8 37% 24% 3 21% 47% 5 42% The Department has a great deal of personal meaning for me 37% -- - 32% -- - 31% - - - Note: Due to rounding, not all percent positives add up to 100%. *The 2015 and 2017 scores for Commitment to the Organisation are not directly comparable and have been included for context. The Commitment to the Organisation results are not comparable between 2015 and 2017. In 2015, results from only 3 of the 6 questions from this theme could be included in the analysis. In 2017, all questions could be included. The inclusion of all questions is due to the increase in response rate across the Civil Service 15 M y O rgan isatio n M y Jo b M y V iew s o n th e C ivil Service M y E nviro n m en t M y Su p p o rts M y O rgan isatio n Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 16 C iv il Se rv ic e O ve ra ll % Well-being This measures the extent to which civil servants feel they can realise their own potential and cope with the normal stresses of life. The following are key drivers of Well-being: 1st Key Driver – Competence 2nd Key Driver – Meaningfulness 3rd Key Driver – Job Demands 4th Key Driver – Job Skills Match 5th Key Driver –Organisational Support 75% 75% 2017 Result 2015 Result 100% 0% Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 • Coping with Change, at 71%, is a strong result that shows that most staff generally feel they can cope with change. This score is particularly positive due to the pressures and changes in the Civil Service in recent years. • While responses are generally positive, one fifth of all staff did note change as a cause of stress. This remains a challenge for all Departments/Offices. • The variance in results on this theme related to length of service remain static which is evidence that those staff who have experienced the greatest amount of change remain confident in their ability to cope with change. (Further information pp.69-72) • Organisations can positively influence this score through ensuring that staff feel competent in their work, that they feel adequately supported by their organisation, that they are engaged in meaningful work, and that they are made aware of the difference their work makes in citizens’ lives. Insight: Support for Coping with Change can also be provided by ensuring staff are kept well informed in advance of changes, that their suggestions are considered, and that they have opportunities to ask questions helping them feel more reassured about the change. Consultation has been found to be a critical resource for Irish employees in dealing with the demands of difficult organisational change.7  2017 Agree  2017 Neutral  2017 Disagree  2015 % point change When change happens in the Department, I react by trying to manage the change rather than complain about it 87% 1 86% 10% -1 11% 3% 0 3% When changes are announced, I try to react in a problem-solving way 86% 2 84% 12% -1 13% 2% 0 2% When change occurs in the Department, it causes me stress 19% -3 22% 30% 0 30% 51% 3 48% I think I cope with change better than most 57% 3 54% 38% 0 38% 6% -2 8% I embrace change in the Department 71% 2 69% 24% -2 26% 5% 0 5% Note: Due to rounding, not all percent positives add up to 100%. 19 M y O rgan isatio n M y Jo b M y V iew s o n th e C ivil Service M y E nviro n m en t M y Su p p o rts M y O rgan isatio n Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 20 C iv il Se rv ic e O ve ra ll % Autonomy 61% 59% 2017 Result 2015 Result This measures the extent to which civil servants feel they have the freedom to influence how they approach their day-to-day work. This is a standalone theme which is not a key driver of one of the four outcomes; Employee Engagement, Commitment to the Organisation, Well-being and Coping with Change. 100% 0% Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 • Autonomy, at 61%, shows that many staff feel that they are provided with the freedom to decide how they approach their work. However, a particularly challenging finding is that approximately a quarter of staff do not feel they have opportunities for independence and freedom in how they do their job. • The variances remain similar to the findings of the 2015 survey with results highest amongst senior grades and significantly lower amongst junior grades. In terms of variances due to length of service, perceptions of Autonomy are more evident after staff have completed more than five years in their role. (Further information pp.69-72) • Organisations need to pay particular attention to perceptions of Autonomy. In particular, managers should be supported through management development initiatives designed to develop ‘empowering’ leadership styles in order to afford greater Autonomy to employees. Insight: Evidence shows that public sector workers do not typically have the same levels of Autonomy as those employed in the private sector.8 while managers in the public sector tend to afford less Autonomy to employees and lower-level managers. Evidence shows that higher levels of Autonomy are aligned with experienced Meaningfulness at work.9 International Benchmark: This result for Autonomy is considerably less favourable when compared to international benchmarks. For example, in the UK 2017 Civil Service People Survey10 scores for the statement ‘I have choice in deciding how I do my work’ were 81% for Scotland and 75% for the UK. This compares to a score of 63% in the current survey with regard to the statement ‘I can decide on my own how to go about my work’.  2017 Agree  2017 Neutral  2017 Disagree  2015 % point change I have significant freedom in determining how I do my job 59% 2 57% 17% 0 17% 24% -2 26% I can decide on my own how to go about doing my work 63% 2 61% 17% 0 17% 21% -2 23% I have considerable opportunity for independence and freedom in how I do my job 54% 2 52% 21% 1 20% 25% -3 28% Note: Due to rounding, not all percent positives add up to 100%. 21 M y O rgan isatio n M y Jo b M y V iew s o n th e C ivil Service M y E nviro n m en t M y Su p p o rts M y Jo b Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 24 C iv il Se rv ic e O ve ra ll % Competence 79% 80% 2017 Result 2015 Result This measures civil servants’ belief in their ability and skills to carry out the work required in their role. Competence is a key driver of the following outcomes: 1st Key Driver – Well-being 1st Key Driver – Coping with Change 5th Key Driver – Employee Engagement 100% 0% Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 25 M y O rgan isatio n M y Jo b M y V iew s o n th e C ivil Service M y E nviro n m en t M y Su p p o rts  2017 Agree  2017 Neutral  2017 Disagree  2015 % point change I am confident about my ability to do my job 91% -1 92% 6% 1 5% 3% 0 3% I am self-assured about my capabilities to perform my work activities 89% 0 89% 8% 1 7% 3% -1 4% I have mastered the skills necessary for my job 79% -4 83% 14% 2 12% 7% 1 6% I feel competent and fully able to handle my job 87% -1 88% 9% 1 8% 4% -1 5% Note: Due to rounding, not all percent positives add up to 100%. • Competence, at 79%, indicates that the majority of staff feel capable and skilful at work. • This theme had one of the most positive responses with 91% of respondents agreeing with the statement that they are ‘confident about their ability to do their job’. • This theme is a key driver of a number of outcomes and organisations need to ensure that staff feel competent in their work in order to increase their employees’ ability to cope with change (Coping with Change), and levels of engagement (Employee Engagement) and Well-being. • Recent developments related to Learning and Development may have positively influenced the level of self-belief amongst staff regarding their ability to carry out the work required. Perceptions of Competence should strengthen in the coming years with the establishment of OneLearning, the new Civil Service Learning and Development Centre, which was established in 2017 to support the development of skills and competencies across the Civil Service. Insight: The slight decrease in Competence scores may be as a result of increased mobility within the Civil Service. Individuals moving into new roles are typically faced with new challenges and it can take a period of adjustment before they feel fully competent. This is not inherently negative. International Benchmark: In the Welsh Government Civil Service People Survey 201712, 89% of respondents reported that they had the skills needed to do their jobs effectively. M y Jo b Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 26 C iv il Se rv ic e O ve ra ll % Job Demands 52% 51% 2017 Result 2015 Result This measures how demanding civil servants find their work in terms of the content of their work and the time required to complete their work. Job Demands is a key driver of the following outcome: 3rd Key Driver – Well-being 100% 0% Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017  2017 Agree  2017 Neutral  2017 Disagree  2015 % point change I feel that my work utilises my full abilities 46% 4 42% 20% 2 18% 34% -6 40% I feel that my job and I are well matched 63% 4 59% 23% -1 24% 14% -3 17% My job gives me a chance to do the things I feel I do best 50% 4 46% 27% 1 26% 23% -4 27% I feel I have had adequate preparation for the job I now hold 61% 1 60% 19% 1 18% 20% -1 21% Note: Due to rounding, not all percent positives add up to 100%. • Job Skills Match, at 60%, is important as it is a main driver for all survey outcomes (Employee Engagement, Well-being, Commitment to the Organisation and Coping with Change). • The results show that 63% of staff feel that they are well matched to their jobs, which compares to 59% in 2015. This result may indicate that staff have had the opportunity to develop more suitable skills as a result of the increase in Learning and Development opportunities across Departments/Offices, or this may be a reflection of the increase in movement across the system as staff have more opportunities to move into a role that is better aligned with their skills. While the results show that 61% of staff feel adequately prepared for the job they currently hold, 20% indicate that they do not. This suggests that further learning or career supports may be required as people move into new roles. • Departments/Offices can increase their scores in this theme by ensuring staff have more flexibility to move to roles that match their skills or that they have opportunities to avail of training that helps them to develop required skills. Insight: Evidence suggests that both public service motivation and job satisfaction can be negatively impacted when there is a poor fit between individuals’ skills and the type of jobs that they do. They are also less likely to feel that their work has a positive impact on society.17 International Benchmark: This result, at 60%, is somewhat less favourable compared to international benchmarks. For example, according to the Australian Public Service – State of the Service Report, 74% of respondents feel that they use their skills in their current jobs. 18 29 M y O rgan isatio n M y Jo b M y V iew s o n th e C ivil Service M y E nviro n m en t M y Su p p o rts M y Jo b Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 30 C iv il Se rv ic e O ve ra ll % Career Development and Mobility 50% 44% 2017 Result 2015 Result This measures the extent to which civil servants feel there are sufficient opportunities for career development, learning, mobility and promotion in the Civil Service. This is a standalone theme which is not a key driver of one of the four outcomes; Employee Engagement, Commitment to the Organisation, Well-being and Coping with Change. 100% 0% Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017  2017 Agree  2017 Neutral  2017 Disagree  2015 % point change I have opportunities to be moved around various positions so that I can learn a broad range of skills 41% 4 37% 23% 2 21% 36% -6 42% I receive training to keep me up to date with developments in the Department (e.g. new rules, procedures, guidelines, IT systems) 52% 8 44% 19% -1 20% 30% -6 36% I receive the training that I need to do my job well 51% 6 45% 24% -1 25% 25% -4 29% I believe that if I perform well I will have the opportunity to be promoted 36% 10 26% 20% 2 18% 43% -12 55% I feel I have all the opportunities I need for promotion 33% 9 24% 27% 3 24% 40% -12 52% The Department has a clear and fair promotion process 30% 7 23% 31% 3 28% 38% -11 49% My ability to show Leadership is not limited by my grade in the Department 46% 6 40% 26% 1 25% 28% -6 34% Note: Due to rounding, not all percent positives add up to 100%. • Career Development and Mobility, at 50%, has improved considerably since 2015 but remains one of the more challenging results in the survey. • Notwithstanding this challenging result, there was a considerable increase in agreement to the statement ‘I believe that if I perform well I will have the opportunity to be promoted’ (from 26% in 2015 to 36% in 2017). • It is worth noting that no significant differences emerged in perceptions of Career Development and Mobility according to gender. Improvements across a number of groupings including amongst junior grades and a significant increase amongst staff aged 30-34 years old may be an indication of the positive impact on perception of mobility through the increase in open competitions for promotion and the recently launched Civil Service Mobility Scheme. (Further information pp.69-72) • While this score has improved, the results show that opportunities for Career Development and Mobility are constrained. The score will further be improved as a result of the roll out of the Civil Service Mobility Scheme under Action 15 of the Civil Service Renewal Plan. Insight: The challenges associated with career development need to be considered in conjunction with both performance management and Learning and Development opportunities. International Benchmark: In the UK Civil Service People Survey 2017, 47% of respondents indicated that they had opportunities to develop their careers compared to 33% in this survey.16 31 M y O rgan isatio n M y Jo b M y V iew s o n th e C ivil Service M y E nviro n m en t M y Su p p o rts M y Jo b Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 34 C iv il Se rv ic e O ve ra ll % 100% 0% Performance Standards 48% 44% 2017 Result 2015 Result This measures the degree to which civil servants feel Performance Standards are high and that underperformance is managed effectively. This is a standalone theme which is not a key driver of one of the four outcomes; Employee Engagement, Commitment to the Organisation, Well-being and Coping with Change. Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017  2017 Agree  2017 Neutral  2017 Disagree  2015 % point change Poor performance is effectively addressed throughout the Department 15% 3 12% 26% 6 20% 59% -9 68% Senior managers in the Department are held accountable for achieving results 33% 4 29% 37% 3 34% 30% -7 37% The Department has high Performance Standards 53% 6 47% 30% -1 31% 17% -5 22% People in the Department are held accountable for achieving goals and meeting expectations 40% 5 35% 34% 2 32% 26% -6 32% The Department measures job performance to ensure all staff are achieving results 32% 4 28% 33% 3 30% 35% -6 41% Note: Due to rounding, not all percent positives add up to 100%. • Performance Standards, at 48%, was one of the lowest in the survey, raising questions for the Civil Service about how Performance Standards, and performance management is perceived. This is one of the more challenging results to emerge from the survey, where only 15% of staff think that poor performance is being addressed. The results highlight that civil servants do not see any meaningful improvements in the management of poor performance. • Almost 60% of civil servants feel that ‘poor performance’ is not effectively addressed throughout their Department – this is a particularly challenging result. Although the score remains quite low, the marginal improvement since 2015 may be attributed to the range of initiatives progressed to combat this challenging area including the introduction of a new Performance Management and Development System and an updated disciplinary code in 2016, along with an updated Management of Underperformance Policy which came into effect in 2017. • The results show that those aged between 30-34 years old have significantly more positive views with regard to how performance is managed. (Further information pp.69-72) • Departments/Offices can optimise individual and team performance by tackling underperformance along with identifying increased supports and recognition for high performance. Maintenance of Performance Standards can also be supported by fostering a culture of Learning and Development and by facilitating continuous professional development. Insight: The management of performance, including underperformance, continues to be a dominant focus in public management internationally.19 Studies suggest that managers and employees should identify and discuss the types of supports that are required to achieve higher future performance, with a particular emphasis on Learning and Development needs. International Benchmark: This result for Performance Standards is considerably less favourable compared to international benchmarks. For example, in the 2017 UK Civil Service People Survey, 40% of respondents agreed with the statement that ‘poor performance is dealt with effectively in my team’. This compares to just 15% of respondents in this survey agreeing with the statement ‘poor performance is effectively addressed throughout the department'.16 35 M y O rgan isatio n M y Jo b M y V iew s o n th e C ivil Service M y E nviro n m en t M y Su p p o rts M y Jo b Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 36 C iv il Se rv ic e O ve ra ll % 100% 0% Manager Career Support 61% 56% 2017 Result 2015 Result This measures the level of support and development civil servants feel is provided from their immediate manager. This is a standalone theme which is not a key driver of one of the four outcomes; Employee Engagement, Commitment to the Organisation, Well-being and Coping with Change. Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017  2017 Agree  2017 Neutral  2017 Disagree  2015 % point change I have the opportunity to develop close friendships in my job 70% 4 66% 20% -2 22% 10% -2 12% I have the chance in my job to get to know my colleagues 82% 2 80% 11% -2 13% 6% -2 8% I have the opportunity to meet with others in my work 79% 2 77% 12% -1 13% 8% -2 10% People I work with take a personal interest in me 65% 4 61% 26% -3 29% 9% -1 10% People I work with are friendly 90% 2 88% 8% -1 9% 2% -1 3% Note: Due to rounding, not all percent positives add up to 100%. • Social Support, at 72%, shows that the majority of civil servants feel that they have opportunities to develop close relationships at work. • Following the results of the 2015 survey, organisations implemented a number of initiatives aimed at improving organisational communication and support, such as Town Hall meetings and ‘lunch and learn’ events, which may have positively influenced this result. • This theme has increased steadily across grade, age and length of service which indicates that all groups are increasingly satisfied with the level of social support in their organisations. As a key driver of Commitment to the Organisation, efforts to improve social support should strengthen employees’ feelings of attachment to their organisation. This can be achieved by effective onboarding, peer network groups and through the organisation of social activities both during and after work. (Further information pp.69-72) Insight: Extensive international evidence shows that Social Support can ‘buffer’ negative features of work such as pressurised work environments. In fact, it is probably the most prominent job resource. Support from colleagues can help to get work done, it helps to cope with job strain and alleviates burnout symptoms.20,21 International Benchmark: The result for Social Support is slightly less favourable compared to international benchmarks. For example, in the 2016 UK Civil Service People Survey, 77% of respondents agreed with the statement ‘I have some really good friendships at work’. This compares to 70% of respondents in this survey who agreed with the statement ‘I have the opportunity to develop close friendships in my job’.16 39 M y O rgan isatio n M y Jo b M y V iew s o n th e C ivil Service M y E nviro n m en t M y Su p p o rts M y Su p p o rts Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 40 C iv il Se rv ic e O ve ra ll % 100% 0% Leadership 55% 50% 2017 Result 2015 Result This measures how civil servants feel about the quality and effectiveness of Leadership in the civil service. It also measures views on decision making, vision, values and communications. Leadership is a key driver of the following outcomes: 3rd Key Driver – Commitment to the Organisation 4th Key Driver – Employee Engagement Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017  2017 Agree  2017 Neutral  2017 Disagree  2015 % point change I feel that the Department as a whole is managed well 46% 7 39% 25% 0 25% 29% -7 36% Senior managers in the Department are sufficiently visible 49% 7 42% 21% 0 21% 30% -7 37% I believe that actions of senior managers are consistent with the Department’s values 46% 6 40% 35% -1 36% 19% -6 25% I believe that senior managers have a clear vision for the future of the Department 41% 6 35% 35% 0 35% 24% -6 30% Overall, I have confidence in the decisions made by the Department’s senior managers 44% 8 36% 31% -1 32% 25% -7 32% Note: Due to rounding, not all percent positives add up to 100%. • Leadership, at 55%, has seen a 5-point increase since 2015, but it still remains a significant challenge for the Civil Service. • Nearly one third of staff (29%) believe that their organisation as a whole is not managed well and a quarter of staff do not have confidence in the decisions made by their organisation’s senior managers. • Leadership is a key driver of two of the main outcomes in the survey (Employee Engagement and Commitment to the Organisation). • While this result is particularly challenging, the increase in scores within the theme is evidence of the positive steps taken by organisations following the results of the 2015 survey including the introduction of grade fora and enhanced internal communications. It also reflects the numerous strategic initiatives that have been rolled out across the Civil Service such as benefits arising from the establishment of the Civil Service Management Board, the establishment of an Accountability Board for the Civil Service, and the setting of governance standards both within Departments/Offices and for the Civil Service as a whole. There have also been investments in Leadership development, such as the Public Service Executive Leadership programme, to assist in building future Leadership capacity across the Civil Service. Insight: Concentrating on improving communications, both top-down and bottom-up, between leaders and employees within Departments is the first step towards improving attitudes towards leadership in their organisation. International Benchmark: The responses regarding Leadership are somewhat less positive compared to responses from the 2017 UK Civil Service People Survey. For example, only 49% agree with the statement ‘senior managers in the Department are sufficiently visible’ compared to 60% in the UK.16 41 M y O rgan isatio n M y Jo b M y V iew s o n th e C ivil Service M y E nviro n m en t M y Su p p o rts M y Su p p o rts Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 44 C iv il Se rv ic e O ve ra ll % Learning and Development 58% 52% 2017 Result 2015 Result This measures the extent to which civil servants feel they have sufficient and effective opportunities for Learning and Development. This is a standalone theme which is not a key driver of one of the four outcomes; Employee Engagement, Commitment to the Organisation, Well-being and Coping with Change. 100% 0% Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017  2017 Agree  2017 Neutral  2017 Disagree  2015 % point change I am able to access the right Learning and Development opportunities when I need to 55% 5 50% 22% -2 24% 22% -4 26% Learning and Development activities I have completed in the last 12 months have helped improve my performance 49% 7 42% 34% -2 36% 18% -5 23% There are opportunities for me to develop my career in the Department 52% 13 39% 22% 0 22% 26% -13 39% Learning and Development activities I have completed while working for the Department are helping me to develop my career 48% 8 40% 32% 1 31% 21% -8 29% Note: Due to rounding, not all percent positives add up to 100%. • Learning and Development, at 58%, has experienced one of the largest increases since 2015. • The largest increase under this theme is evident in respondents’ agreement to the question ‘There are opportunities for me to develop my career in the Department’, which increased from 39% in 2015 to 52% in 2017. This substantial improvement from the 2015 Survey may be as a result of increased development opportunities. In addition, 55% of staff believe they can access the correct training opportunities when required (up from 50% in 2015), which may reflect the increased emphasis on identifying learning needs of staff through the PMDS system. • The largest improvement in this theme is amongst staff aged 30-34 years old and those with over five years’ service in the Civil Service which may reflect the increased resources now available for training as opposed to the budget cuts that were applied to this area in the past. (Further information pp.69-72) • To see further improvements on this score, organisations should ensure that training needs identified through the PMDS system are adequately addressed and that appropriate monitoring and evaluation of training is carried out. These scores can be impacted further by the ongoing work to improve Learning and Development in the Civil Service through the establishment of OneLearning (Action 9 of the Civil Service Renewal Plan). Insight: While training and development opportunities serve dual purposes by addressing performance problems while also developing an individual’s potential, they also signal an investment in employees on the part of organisations. This investment represents a form of Organisational Support which is often then reciprocated on the part of employees in the form of higher levels of commitment, engagement, performance and other outcomes. Such investments, by alleviating performance deficits can also lead to more fulfilling work for employees, which in turn can impact positively on their Well-being. International Benchmark: The result is somewhat less favourable compared to international benchmarks. In the survey, 55% of staff agreed with the statement ‘I am able to access the right Learning and Development opportunities when I need to’, which compares to 67% among respondents to the 2017 Welsh Civil Service People Survey.24 45 M y O rgan isatio n M y Jo b M y V iew s o n th e C ivil Service M y E nviro n m en t M y Su p p o rts M y Su p p o rts Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 46 C iv il Se rv ic e O ve ra ll % 100% 0% Innovative Climate 49% 45% 2017 Result 2015 Result This measures the extent to which civil servants feel the organisation supports and encourages them to be innovative. This is a standalone theme which is not a key driver of one of the four outcomes; Employee Engagement, Commitment to the Organisation, Well-being and Coping with Change. Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017  2017 Agree  2017 Neutral  2017 Disagree  2015 % point change Changes are made without talking to the people involved in them 59% -5 64% 23% 3 20% 18% 2 16% People don’t have any say in decisions which affect their work 53% -5 58% 25% 2 23% 22% 3 19% People feel decisions are frequently made over their heads 66% -5 71% 22% 4 18% 12% 1 11% Information is widely shared 32% 3 29% 28% 2 26% 39% -7 46% There are often breakdowns in communication here 57% -3 60% 25% 3 22% 18% 0 18% Note: Due to rounding, not all percent positives add up to 100%. • Involvement Climate, at 38%, this is the most challenging result in the survey and shows that only a minority of civil servants feel that they are openly involved in decision making in their organisation. • While this result is low across most grades, it is particularly low at at lower grades which may indicate that this may be impacted by a hierarchical culture in the Civil Service. (Further information pp.69-72) • Variances in this result are also evident with regard to length of service as staff are increasingly negative about the lack of an involvement climate the longer they spend working in the Civil Service. (Further information pp.69-72) • The slight increase in the score from 2015 may have resulted from the emphasis placed on internal communications by Departments/Offices but further efforts are required to involving all staff in the decision making process where possible. Insight: Evidence suggests that investment in employee involvement mechanisms can have the dual outcomes of both enhancing engagement and Well- being in a civil service context.25 This suggests that managers might consider ways in which to both strengthen existing participation mechanisms and to explore different types of involvement to afford greater opportunities for employees to have a say in work activities and decision making within their organisations. International Benchmark: This result for involvement is considerably less favourable compared to international benchmarks. For example, in the 2017 Welsh Civil Service People Survey, 16% disagreed with the statement ‘I feel involved in decisions about my work’, while 59% agreed. This compares to 53% of respondents in this survey who agreed with the statement ‘people don’t have any say in decisions which affect their work’, while 22% disagreed.16 49 M y O rgan isatio n M y Jo b M y V iew s o n th e C ivil Service M y E nviro n m en t M y Su p p o rts M y E nviro n m en t Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 50 C iv il Se rv ic e O ve ra ll % 100% 0% Citizen Impact 70% 68% 2017 Result 2015 Result This measures the extent to which civil servants feel their work has an impact on the public. Citizen Impact is a key driver of the following outcome: 5th Key Driver - Coping with Change Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017  2017 Agree  2017 Neutral  2017 Disagree  2015 % point change I feel that my work makes a positive difference in citizens’ lives 68% 3 65% 22% -1 23% 10% -2 12% I am very aware of the ways in which my work is benefiting citizens 71% 3 68% 20% -1 21% 9% -2 11% I am very conscious of the positive impact that my work has on citizens 67% 3 64% 23% -1 24% 10% -2 12% Note: Due to rounding, not all percent positives add up to 100%. • Citizen Impact, at 70%, shows staff continue to feel that their work has a positive impact on the public and makes a positive difference in citizens’ lives. • It is interesting to note the difference between this theme and the Public Perception of the Civil Service theme. Even though the vast majority of staff feel that they make a difference in citizens’ lives, they still do not believe that the public appreciate the work that they do. • Citizen impact is a key driver in the perceptions of staff regarding their ability to cope with change and improvements in this area will positively impact on this important outcome. • As part of the Civil Service Renewal Plan, efforts have been made to recognise and celebrate success through the Civil Service Excellence and Innovation Awards. This is an opportunity for management to highlight the significant achievements of staff in assisting in building a better and more innovative Civil Service. Insight: Research on other public servants in Ireland has shown that when they perceive their work has a positive impact on others, they are more likely to feel engaged in their work.26 Beyond the effects on engagement, other research shows that perceiving a positive impact on others through work helps to buffer the effects of strain at work.27 International Benchmark: The result for Citizen Impact is quite favourable compared to international benchmarks. For example, in the 2017 UK Civil Service People Survey, 77% of respondents agreed with the statement ‘My work gives me a sense of personal accomplishment’. In the current survey, 68% agree with the statement ‘I feel that my work makes a positive difference in citizens’ lives’. As a further comparison, in the 2017 Scottish Civil Service People Survey, only 23% agreed with the statement ‘[The Department] is making a positive difference to the way things are done in the Scottish Government’.16 51 M y O rgan isatio n M y Jo b M y V iew s o n th e C ivil Service M y E nviro n m en t M y Su p p o rts M y V iew s o n th e C ivil Service Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 54 C iv il Se rv ic e O ve ra ll % 100% 0% Identification with the Civil Service 63% 62% 2017 Result 2015 Result This measures the extent to which civil servants feel a sense of belonging to the Civil Service compared to the Department or Office that employs them. This is a standalone theme which is not a key driver of one of the four outcomes; Employee Engagement, Commitment to the Organisation, Well-being and Coping with Change. Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 55 M y O rgan isatio n M y Jo b M y V iew s o n th e C ivil Service M y E nviro n m en t M y Su p p o rts  2017 Agree  2017 Neutral  2017 Disagree  2015 % point change I feel that my values and those of the Civil Service are very similar (e.g. independence, integrity, impartiality, equality, fairness and respect) 73% 6 67% 19% -2 21% 8% -4 12% It is important to me that my work aligns with the values and ethos of the Civil Service 75% 3 72% 21% -2 23% 4% -1 5% When someone praises the Civil Service, it feels like a personal compliment 53% 0 53% 30% 1 29% 17% -1 18% If a story in the media criticised the Civil Service, I would feel embarrassed 46% -1 47% 29% 1 28% 25% 0 25% When I talk about the Civil Service, I usually say ‘we’ rather than ‘they’ 58% 1 57% 25% 1 24% 17% -2 19% I feel that people in the Department live the values of the Civil Service 48% 6 42% 39% -1 40% 13% -5 18% Note: Due to rounding, not all percent positives add up to 100%. • Identification with the Civil Service, at 63%, is a very positive result and reflects the work progressed as part of the Civil Service Renewal Plan to develop the Civil Service as a single unified organisation. • Staff overwhelmingly agreed with the statements related to the values and ethos of the Civil Service which is a particularly positive result. • While this result is highest at senior levels, staff across all grades identify with the Civil Service. (Further information pp.69-72) • Departments/Offices can maintain this result through continuing to improve internal communication related to the work of the Civil Service Management Board which progresses actions concerning the Civil Service as a collective. Insight: It is necessary to increase communication, both vertical – to support identification with the Civil Service vision (“One Civil Service”); and horizontal – to foster identification with the specific Department.29 Higher levels of organisational identification within the Civil Service fosters a sense of belonging and so fosters social support amongst organisational members.30 M y V iew s o n th e C ivil Service Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 56 C iv il Se rv ic e O ve ra ll % 100% 0% Commitment to Civil Service Renewal 61% 58% 2017 Result 2015 Result This measures the degree to which civil servants support Commitment to Civil Service Renewal. This is a standalone theme which is not a key driver of one of the four outcomes; Employee Engagement, Commitment to the Organisation, Well-being and Coping with Change. Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 59 M y O rgan isatio n M y Jo b M y V iew s o n th e C ivil Service M y E nviro n m en t M y Su p p o rts  2017 Agree  2015 % point change I have been made aware that there is a renewal plan for the Civil Service 74% 2 72% There has been good communication in relation to the Civil Service Renewal Plan 39% 6 33% I am optimistic that the Civil Service will change for the better as a result of the Civil Service Renewal Plan 31% 8 23% I am aware that the Civil Service Renewal Plan will change the way we work 51% 2 49% *The statements in the Awareness of the Civil Service Renewal Plan theme were not developed the same way as the other themes in this report. As a result, there are a reduced set of outputs available for this theme compared to others. • The result for Awareness of the Civil Service Renewal Plan* is 57%. • Launched in October 2014, the plan focuses on delivering 25 actions that will help the Civil Service work towards a more professional, responsive, open and accountable, and unified organisation, a ‘One Civil Service’ that civil servants can be proud to be a part of. • 74% of all staff have been made aware that there is a Renewal Plan for the Civil Service. However, only 39% agree that there has been good communication about the detail of the plan and only 31% are optimistic that the plan will improve the Civil Service. This suggests that information related to the plan, including its aims and actions, has not been clearly disseminated to all staff. • Staff with less than 1 year in the Civil Service are the least aware of the Civil Service Renewal Plan which may reflect the need for the achievements of the plan to be communicated more widely. (Further information pp.69-72) • The lower proportion of positive responses to this theme related to the communication of the plan and the level of optimism surrounding it is very challenging. It suggests that senior Leadership should consider how its vision for an improved Civil Service is articulated and how it will make a positive difference to those working in the service. Insight: The result suggests that while there is a certain level of awareness of the plan, more efforts may be needed to ‘localise’ communication in order to signal how the plan will change and benefit staff in delivering a better service to the public. International Benchmark: This result is quite positive when considered in the context of international benchmarks. For example, in the UK Civil Service People Survey, 43% of respondents agreed to the statement, ‘I am aware of the Civil Service vision for ”A Brilliant Civil Service”. In comparison, 74% of respondents to the current survey agreed with the statement ‘I have been made aware that there is a renewal plan for the Civil Service’. M y V iew s o n th e C ivil Service Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 60 2017 Civil Service Key Drivers and Position How to read this table • The survey is focused on 4 main outcomes – Employee Engagement, Commitment to the Organisation, Well-being and Coping with Change. • Statistical analysis shows that different themes influence the outcome score. • Some of the 24 themes have a particularly strong positive impact on the outcome score. These are known as ‘drivers’. The top 5 drivers are ranked from 1 (the driver with the highest impact) to 5. • To influence the outcome score in future, focus should be on the highest ranking drivers. In some cases, drivers can be negative. • The highest ranking (most influential) drivers are not always the highest scoring in the survey. Outcome 1: Employee Engagement Overall Score Position Theme Score Driver (15 vs 17) 72+28+L72% Key Driver 1 Meaningfulness 67% - Key Driver 2 Job Skills Match 60% - Key Driver 3 Organisational Support 49% - Key Driver 4 Leadership 55% - Key Driver 5 Competence 79% - Outcome 2: Commitment to the Organisation* Overall Score Position Theme Score 54+46+L54% Key Driver 1 Organisational Support 49% Key Driver 2 Meaningfulness 67% Key Driver 3 Leadership 55% Key Driver 4 Social Support 72% Key Driver 5 Job Skills Match 60% Outcome 3: Well-being Overall Score Position Theme Score Driver (15 vs 17) 75+25+L75% Key Driver 1 Competence 79% - Key Driver 2 Meaningfulness 67% - Key Driver 3 Job Demands 52% - Key Driver 4 Job Skills Match 60% - Key Driver 5 Organisational Support 49% New Driver Outcome 4: Coping with Change Overall Score Position Theme Score Driver (15 vs 17) 71+29+L71% Key Driver 1 Competence 79% +2 Key Driver 2 Organisational Support 49% New Driver Key Driver 3 Meaningfulness 67% -2 Key Driver 4 Job Skills Match** 60% - Key Driver 5 Citizen Impact 70% New Driver *The Commitment to the Organisation results are not comparable between 2015 and 2017. In 2015, results from only 3 of the 6 questions from this theme could be included in the analysis. In 2017, all questions could be included. The inclusion of all questions is due to the increase in response rate across the Civil Service. ** This is a negative driver, where a high score in the theme is more likely indicative of a lower score in the outcome. For example, a high score on Job Skills Match is more likely to be associated with a low score on Coping with Change. Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 61 What are the results telling us? Understanding the main outcomes Data analysis is complex. This section of the document provides a light overview of the underpinning principles of the survey and how they’re linked. These linkages are important as they help shape the actions required to improve Employee Engagement in the Civil Service. The findings in this section are based on advanced statistical analysis and they provide key insights that provide a deeper understanding of what the survey data means for the Civil Service. To fully understand the ‘employee experience’ in the Civil Service, the Civil Service Management Board (CSMB) wanted the survey to tell them about 4 main outcomes: • The extent to which civil servants have a sense of energy and connection with their work activities, can deal with the demands of their job and find their work fulfilling (Employee Engagement) • The emotional bond or attachment that civil servants feel to the Department or Office they work for (Commitment to the Organisation) • The extent to which civil servants feel they can cope with the normal stresses of life and make a contribution to their own community (Well-being) • The extent to which civil servants attempt to minimise the negative emotions that arise from the experience of change events (Coping with Change) These outcomes were selected to reflect major strategic issues facing the Civil Service following a period of enormous change. Understanding key drivers Knowing the score for each outcome only tells us part of the story. We also need to understand what factors drive and determine each outcome. Understanding this helps us to focus our efforts on the right areas. Different factors influence each outcome – these ‘drivers’ are captured on p.60, and are ranked in line with how strongly they impact the outcome score. The level of impact or influence does not automatically align with the highest scoring driver. This is due to the statistical analysis underpinning it (see notes on pp.73-74). Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 64 Well-being Department/Office 2017 % Point Change 2015-17 Central Statistics Office 76% -2 Chief State Solicitor’s Office 74% — Companies Registration Office including Registry of Friendly Societies 77% 3 Courts Service of Ireland 76% — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine 78% 2 Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation 74% -1 Department of Children and Youth Affairs 74% -2 Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment 74% Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht 75% Department of Defence 76% — Department of Education and Skills 76% — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection 74% 2 Department of Finance 75% 1 Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 78% 2 Department of Health 72% 2 Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government 74% Department of Justice and Equality 76% 1 Department of Public Expenditure and Reform 74% -1 Department of Rural and Community Development 75% Department of the Taoiseach 78% 3 Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport 73% 1 Forensic Science Ireland 73% 5 Garda Civilians 77% 1 Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission 70% -6 Houses of the Oireachtas Service 76% 1 Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission 75% 1 Irish Prison Service 72% 3 Labour Court 81% Legal Aid Board 77% -1 National Council for Curriculum and Assessment 85% National Council for Special Education 70% 2 National Shared Services Office 72% -3 Office of Government Procurement 74% 1 Office of Public Works 74% Office of the Attorney General 77% 1 Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General 72% -4 Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement 76% 5 Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions 75% -1 Office of the Ombudsman 74% -2 Office of the Revenue Commissioners 75% — Patents Office 80% President’s Establishment 80% -3 Probation Service 76% 1 Property Registration Authority 76% 1 Public Appointments Service 80% -1 State Examinations Commission 80% — State Laboratory 73% -2 Valuation Office 68% 8 Workplace Relations Commission 75% 1: Significance testing is used to show whether the change in outcome score for a Department/Office between 2015 and 2017 is statistically significant. For changes in outcome scores that are statistically significant, the result is highlighted yellow. 2: Changes to Department scores are blank if the structure of a Department/Office has changed substantially between 2015 and 2017. Although structural changes have occured in the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Welfare, Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation and the Companies Registration Office including the Registry of Friendly Societies, their 2015 and 2017 results are deemed comparable for the purposes of this survey. 3: "% Point Change 2015-17" refers to the percentage point change or arithmetic difference between the 2015 and 2017 theme scores for the Department/Office. Civil Service Overall 75% Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 65 Coping with Change Department/Office 2017 % Point Change 2015-17 Central Statistics Office 69% -1 Chief State Solicitor’s Office 68% -3 Companies Registration Office including Registry of Friendly Societies 76% 5 Courts Service of Ireland 72% -1 Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine 71% 2 Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation 71% 1 Department of Children and Youth Affairs 73% — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment 71% Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht 69% Department of Defence 71% -1 Department of Education and Skills 72% -1 Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection 70% 2 Department of Finance 71% 3 Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 72% 1 Department of Health 71% 1 Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government 69% Department of Justice and Equality 72% 2 Department of Public Expenditure and Reform 71% — Department of Rural and Community Development 69% Department of the Taoiseach 74% — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport 69% — Forensic Science Ireland 71% 5 Garda Civilians 73% 1 Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission 70% — Houses of the Oireachtas Service 73% 2 Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission 72% 2 Irish Prison Service 67% 4 Labour Court 78% Legal Aid Board 71% -1 National Council for Curriculum and Assessment 81% National Council for Special Education 68% 1 National Shared Services Office 70% -1 Office of Government Procurement 72% -2 Office of Public Works 69% Office of the Attorney General 72% 2 Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General 68% -3 Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement 71% 3 Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions 70% -1 Office of the Ombudsman 70% 1 Office of the Revenue Commissioners 70% 1 Patents Office 78% President’s Establishment 75% 1 Probation Service 69% 3 Property Registration Authority 72% -1 Public Appointments Service 75% 3 State Examinations Commission 74% — State Laboratory 69% -2 Valuation Office 66% 2 Workplace Relations Commission 70% 1: Significance testing is used to show whether the change in outcome score for a Department/Office between 2015 and 2017 is statistically significant. For changes in outcome scores that are statistically significant, the result is highlighted yellow. 2: Changes to Department scores are blank if the structure of a Department/Office has changed substantially between 2015 and 2017. Although structural changes have occured in the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Welfare, Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation and the Companies Registration Office including the Registry of Friendly Societies, their 2015 and 2017 results are deemed comparable for the purposes of this survey. 3: "% Point Change 2015-17" refers to the percentage point change or arithmetic difference between the 2015 and 2017 theme scores for the Department/Office. Civil Service Overall 71% Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 66 Civil Service Employee Engagement Survey 2017 Response Rate Statistics Average Number of Responses per Day 1,424 Average (Median) Survey Completion Time 17 mins Overall Response Rate 5,847 Change 56% 2017 39% 2015 Responses by Region (% of Total) Connacht 8% Munster 16% Dublin 47% Rest of Leinster 16% Prefer not to say 8% Outside Ireland 2% Ulster 3% 8% prefer not to say 37% male 55% female Respondent Gender Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 69 T h em e A ll G ra d es A SG a n d ab ov e P O a n d eq u iv al en t A P a n d eq u iv al en t A O a n d eq u iv al en t H E O a n d eq u iv al en t E O a n d eq u iv al en t* * C O a n d eq u iv al en t SV O a n d eq u iv al en t In du st ri al O th er E m p lo ye e E n ga ge m en t 7 2 7 0 8 8 8 7 7 6 7 6 7 5 7 4 7 3 7 1 7 2 7 0 7 1 6 8 7 1 6 7 7 8 7 4 7 6 7 5 7 6 7 5 C o m m it m en t to t h e O rg an is at io n* 5 4 4 8 8 1 8 3 6 2 6 1 5 9 5 4 5 7 5 3 5 3 4 8 5 3 4 5 5 1 4 3 5 9 4 7 4 9 4 9 5 4 5 0 W el l- b ei n g 7 5 7 5 8 5 8 6 7 7 7 6 7 6 7 5 7 4 7 4 7 4 7 3 7 4 7 3 7 6 7 5 7 9 8 0 7 7 7 8 7 8 7 9 C o p in g w it h C h an ge 7 1 6 9 8 3 8 3 7 3 7 2 7 3 7 2 7 2 7 2 7 1 7 0 7 0 6 9 7 0 6 8 7 2 7 0 7 2 5 9 7 0 6 7 A u to n o m y 6 1 5 9 8 7 8 4 6 7 6 9 6 9 6 8 6 3 6 1 6 2 6 1 5 9 5 8 5 5 5 3 6 5 5 8 7 2 5 9 6 1 6 1 M ea n in gf u ln es s 6 7 6 5 9 1 9 0 7 5 7 5 7 3 7 2 6 7 6 5 6 8 6 6 6 5 6 2 6 2 5 9 7 1 6 5 7 8 7 5 7 3 7 3 C o m p et en ce 7 9 8 0 8 7 8 5 8 2 8 0 7 8 7 9 7 4 7 5 7 7 7 8 7 7 7 8 8 1 8 2 8 4 8 8 8 7 8 6 8 3 8 4 Jo b D em an d s 5 2 5 1 5 3 5 3 4 5 4 3 4 6 4 5 5 2 5 2 4 9 4 7 5 3 5 2 5 7 5 6 6 2 6 0 5 3 5 6 5 3 5 4 Jo b S ki lls M at ch 6 0 5 8 8 3 8 0 6 8 6 7 6 5 6 2 5 7 5 7 6 1 5 8 5 9 5 6 5 7 5 4 6 0 5 5 6 7 6 4 6 4 6 5 C ar ee r D ev el o p m en t an d M o b ili ty 5 0 4 4 7 8 7 3 5 7 5 7 5 6 5 1 5 5 5 0 5 0 4 5 5 0 4 3 4 6 4 0 4 5 3 8 3 4 3 4 4 4 4 2 Yo u r P ay 4 6 4 2 5 8 4 9 5 1 4 7 5 4 4 7 4 2 4 2 5 2 4 9 4 8 4 4 3 9 3 5 4 1 4 0 4 5 3 7 4 3 3 9 P er fo rm an ce S ta n d ar d s 4 8 4 4 6 8 6 4 4 9 5 0 4 9 4 6 5 2 4 9 4 7 4 3 4 8 4 3 4 8 4 3 5 5 4 8 3 5 3 7 4 9 4 6 M an ag er C ar ee r Su p p o rt 6 1 5 6 7 6 7 2 5 9 6 1 6 5 6 1 6 9 6 4 6 2 5 8 6 2 5 7 5 9 5 3 6 3 4 8 5 1 4 1 5 8 5 4 So ci al S u p p o rt 7 2 7 0 8 1 7 9 7 3 7 3 7 3 7 2 7 4 7 3 7 2 7 0 7 2 7 0 7 2 6 9 7 2 7 3 6 9 7 1 7 2 7 0 Le ad er sh ip 5 5 5 0 8 0 7 9 5 7 5 8 5 8 5 4 6 2 5 7 5 3 5 0 5 5 4 9 5 3 4 7 6 2 5 4 4 0 3 9 5 2 4 9 O rg an is at io n al S u p p o rt 4 9 4 4 7 8 7 4 5 4 5 4 5 3 5 0 5 3 5 0 4 7 4 3 4 8 4 2 4 7 4 1 5 4 4 7 4 1 4 1 4 7 4 6 Le ar n in g an d D ev el o p m en t 5 8 5 2 8 0 7 5 6 1 6 1 6 3 5 9 6 6 6 1 5 9 5 5 5 9 5 2 5 4 4 7 5 3 4 3 4 3 4 0 5 1 4 8 In n ov at iv e C lim at e 4 9 4 5 7 1 6 9 5 0 5 2 5 1 4 8 5 0 4 7 4 8 4 5 4 9 4 5 4 8 4 4 5 2 4 5 3 7 3 5 4 5 4 3 In vo lv em en t C lim at e 3 8 3 6 6 6 6 4 4 5 4 5 4 2 4 0 4 1 3 9 3 6 3 5 3 6 3 3 3 6 3 3 4 4 3 5 2 6 3 2 3 7 3 7 C it iz en Im p ac t 7 0 6 8 8 9 8 7 7 4 7 3 7 3 7 1 6 9 6 8 7 0 6 8 6 9 6 6 6 9 6 6 7 0 7 2 7 2 7 2 7 3 7 4 P u b lic P er ce p ti o n o f t h e C iv il Se rv ic e 3 8 3 3 5 5 4 5 4 1 3 6 4 0 3 3 3 8 3 3 3 7 3 3 3 7 3 1 3 7 3 2 4 7 4 2 3 9 4 4 4 5 4 2 Id en ti fi ca ti o n w it h t h e C iv il Se rv ic e 6 3 6 2 7 8 7 8 6 7 6 8 6 8 6 7 6 6 6 6 6 4 6 3 6 3 6 1 6 1 5 9 6 5 6 1 5 9 5 7 6 0 5 9 C o m m it m en t to C iv il Se rv ic e R en ew al 6 1 5 8 7 5 7 4 6 3 6 1 6 5 6 1 6 7 6 2 6 2 6 0 6 0 5 7 5 8 5 6 5 8 5 5 5 9 5 5 5 6 5 6 A w ar en es s o f C iv il Se rv ic e R en ew al 5 7 5 5 7 4 7 4 5 9 5 9 6 5 6 1 6 4 6 1 6 1 5 8 5 8 5 6 5 2 5 0 4 9 4 9 4 6 4 0 4 5 4 5  2 0 1 7  2 0 1 5 *T h e C o m m it m en t to t h e O rg an is at io n r es u lt s ar e n o t co m p ar ab le b et w ee n 2 0 1 5 a n d 2 0 1 7 . I n 2 0 1 5 , r es u lt s fr o m o n ly 3 o f t h e 6 q u es ti o n s fr o m t h is t h em e co u ld b e in cl u d ed in t h e an al ys is . I n 2 0 1 7 , al l q u es ti o n s co u ld b e in cl u d ed . T h e in cl u si o n o f a ll q u es ti o n s is d u e to t h e in cr ea se in r es p o n se r at e ac ro ss t h e C iv il Se rv ic e. ** E O a n d E q u iv al en t an d S O a n d E q u iv al en t ar e n o t co m p ar ab le b et w ee n 2 0 1 5 a n d 2 0 1 7 . S O g ra d es w er e in te gr at ed in to E O g ra d es in 2 0 1 7 . T h e E O a n d e q u iv al en t gr ad e in cl u d es t h e 2 0 1 5 S O a n d eq u iv al en t co h o rt . Si gn ifi ca n ce t es ti n g is u se d t o s h o w w h et h er t h e ch an ge in t h em e sc o re b et w ee n 2 0 1 5 a n d 2 0 1 7 fo r ea ch g ra d e is s ta ti st ic al ly s ig n ifi ca n t. 2 0 1 5 a n d 2 0 1 7 t h em e sc o re s ar e sh o w n s id e by s id e, b u t fo r ch an ge s in s co re t h at a re s ta ti st ic al ly s ig n ifi ca n t th e 2 0 1 7 r es u lt is u n d er lin ed . How do the results vary by Grade 2017 vs 2015? T h is is t h e re su lt fo r th e C le ri ca l O ffi ce r gr ad e. A t  b el o w 5 0 % , t h is m ea n s th e m aj o ri ty o f s ta ff a t  C le ri ca l O ffi ce r gr ad e d o n o t fe el in vo lv ed in t h e o rg an is at io n . T h is is t h e ov er al l r es u lt . A t 7 9 % , t h is m ea n s th e m aj o ri ty o f s ta ff fe el c o m p et en t an d s ki llf u l. Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 70 How do the results vary by Age 2017 vs 2015? T h em e A ll A ge s 2 4 & u n d er 2 5 -2 9 3 0 -3 4 3 5 -3 9 4 0 -4 4 4 5 -4 9 5 0 -5 4 5 5 -5 9 6 0 -6 4 6 5 + E m p lo ye e E n ga ge m en t 7 2 7 0 7 2 7 2 7 1 7 0 7 1 6 6 7 1 6 7 7 1 6 9 7 2 6 9 7 3 7 1 7 4 7 4 7 9 7 7 8 4 8 4 C o m m it m en t to t h e O rg an is at io n* 5 4 4 8 5 5 5 0 5 4 4 9 5 3 4 7 5 3 4 7 5 2 4 7 5 3 4 7 5 4 4 7 5 7 5 1 5 8 5 2 6 3 5 3 W el l- b ei n g 7 5 7 5 7 6 7 9 7 6 7 7 7 6 7 4 7 5 7 4 7 4 7 4 7 5 7 3 7 6 7 4 7 6 7 7 8 0 7 9 8 5 8 7 C o p in g w it h C h an ge 7 1 6 9 7 2 7 5 7 3 7 4 7 4 7 2 7 3 7 1 7 1 7 0 7 0 6 8 7 0 6 8 6 9 6 8 6 9 6 9 7 6 7 0 A u to n o m y 6 1 5 9 6 1 5 9 6 0 5 8 6 0 5 9 6 1 5 8 6 0 5 8 6 1 5 8 6 1 6 0 6 2 6 2 6 4 6 3 6 2 7 1 M ea n in gf u ln es s 6 7 6 5 6 2 5 9 6 1 6 0 6 3 5 9 6 5 6 2 6 7 6 4 6 7 6 3 6 9 6 7 7 0 7 1 7 4 7 3 7 7 7 5 C o m p et en ce 7 9 8 0 7 7 7 9 7 8 7 9 7 8 8 1 7 8 8 0 7 8 7 9 7 9 7 9 7 9 7 9 8 0 8 1 8 2 8 3 8 6 8 8 Jo b D em an d s 5 2 5 1 6 4 6 2 6 0 6 1 5 5 5 3 5 2 5 1 5 0 5 0 5 1 4 9 5 0 4 9 5 1 5 1 5 4 5 4 6 2 6 2 Jo b S ki lls M at ch 6 0 5 8 5 8 5 4 5 6 5 6 5 7 5 4 5 8 5 4 5 9 5 7 6 1 5 7 6 2 6 0 6 3 6 3 6 7 6 6 6 8 6 7 C ar ee r D ev el o p m en t an d M o b ili ty 5 0 4 4 5 9 5 5 5 5 5 2 5 2 4 2 5 0 4 4 4 9 4 4 4 9 4 3 4 9 4 4 5 0 4 6 5 2 4 6 5 0 4 5 Yo u r P ay 4 6 4 2 4 5 4 3 3 7 3 4 3 9 3 6 4 3 4 2 4 6 4 1 4 8 4 3 4 9 4 5 5 1 4 6 5 2 4 7 5 8 4 6 P er fo rm an ce S ta n d ar d s 4 8 4 4 5 8 5 7 5 3 5 2 5 0 4 2 4 7 4 2 4 6 4 2 4 7 4 3 4 7 4 5 4 9 4 7 5 0 4 7 5 1 4 9 M an ag er C ar ee r Su p p o rt 6 1 5 6 7 5 7 2 6 9 6 5 6 7 5 8 6 3 5 6 6 0 5 5 6 0 5 5 5 9 5 6 6 0 5 7 6 0 5 7 6 3 6 2 So ci al S u p p o rt 7 2 7 0 7 7 7 6 7 6 7 6 7 4 7 2 7 3 7 1 7 2 7 0 7 2 6 9 7 1 7 0 7 2 7 1 7 3 7 1 7 1 7 1 Le ad er sh ip 5 5 5 0 6 4 6 2 6 0 5 6 5 7 4 8 5 4 4 8 5 3 4 9 5 4 4 9 5 4 5 0 5 5 5 3 5 6 5 3 6 3 4 9 O rg an is at io n al S u p p o rt 4 9 4 4 5 9 5 8 5 4 5 1 5 1 4 3 4 9 4 3 4 7 4 3 4 8 4 3 4 8 4 5 5 0 4 7 5 1 4 7 5 5 5 0 Le ar n in g an d D ev el o p m en t 5 8 5 2 6 7 6 1 6 4 6 0 6 1 5 2 5 9 5 2 5 7 5 1 5 7 5 1 5 7 5 2 5 8 5 4 5 8 5 3 5 6 4 9 In n ov at iv e C lim at e 4 9 4 5 5 4 5 4 5 1 5 1 4 9 4 3 4 8 4 3 4 7 4 4 4 8 4 4 4 8 4 7 5 0 4 8 5 0 4 7 5 3 4 5 In vo lv em en t C lim at e 3 8 3 6 4 7 4 7 4 1 4 0 3 9 3 3 3 7 3 3 3 6 3 4 3 7 3 6 3 8 3 6 3 9 3 8 3 8 3 8 4 4 3 9 C it iz en Im p ac t 7 0 6 8 7 1 6 7 6 8 6 8 6 8 6 5 6 9 6 7 7 0 6 8 7 1 6 7 7 1 7 0 7 1 7 1 7 4 7 2 7 6 7 6 P u b lic P er ce p ti o n o f t h e C iv il Se rv ic e 3 8 3 3 3 9 3 8 3 5 3 4 3 5 2 8 3 6 3 0 3 7 3 1 3 7 3 2 3 9 3 5 4 2 3 8 4 4 4 1 5 2 5 9 Id en ti fi ca ti o n w it h t h e C iv il Se rv ic e 6 3 6 2 6 4 6 4 6 4 6 3 6 3 6 0 6 3 6 1 6 2 6 1 6 3 6 1 6 3 6 3 6 5 6 4 6 6 6 3 6 6 6 6 C o m m it m en t to C iv il Se rv ic e R en ew al 6 1 5 8 6 0 6 2 6 1 5 9 6 1 5 8 6 2 5 8 6 0 5 8 6 0 5 7 6 0 5 8 6 1 5 8 6 3 6 1 6 3 6 1 A w ar en es s o f C iv il Se rv ic e R en ew al 5 7 5 5 4 9 5 2 5 3 5 3 5 6 5 2 5 7 5 4 5 7 5 4 5 8 5 5 5 8 5 6 6 0 5 7 6 0 5 6 5 8 5 1  2 0 1 7  2 0 1 5 *T h e C o m m it m en t to t h e O rg an is at io n r es u lt s ar e n o t co m p ar ab le b et w ee n 2 0 1 5 a n d 2 0 1 7 . I n 2 0 1 5 , r es u lt s fr o m o n ly 3 o f t h e 6 q u es ti o n s fr o m t h is t h em e co u ld b e in cl u d ed in t h e an al ys is . I n 2 0 1 7 , al l q u es ti o n s co u ld b e in cl u d ed . T h e in cl u si o n o f a ll q u es ti o n s is d u e to t h e in cr ea se in r es p o n se r at e ac ro ss t h e C iv il Se rv ic e. Si gn ifi ca n ce t es ti n g is u se d t o s h o w w h et h er t h e ch an ge in t h em e sc o re b et w ee n 2 0 1 5 a n d 2 0 1 7 fo r ea ch a ge is s ta ti st ic al ly s ig n ifi ca n t. 2 0 1 5 a n d 2 0 1 7 t h em e sc o re s ar e sh o w n s id e by s id e, b u t fo r ch an ge s in s co re t h at a re s ta ti st ic al ly s ig n ifi ca n t th e 2 0 1 7 r es u lt is u n d er lin ed . T h is is t h e ov er al l r es u lt fo r P u b lic P er ce p ti o n . A t  b el o w 5 0 % , t h is m ea n s a si gn ifi ca n t m aj o ri ty o f s ta ff d o n o t fe el t h e p u b lic v al u e th ei r w o rk . T h is is t h e re su lt fo r al l s ta ff a ge d 4 0 -4 4 in t h e C iv il Se rv ic e. A t 7 2 % t h is m ea n s th at t h e m aj o ri ty o f c iv il se rv an ts b et w ee n t h e ag e o f 4 0 -4 4 fe el a d eq u at el y su p p o rt ed b y th ei r m an ag er s. Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 71 How do the results vary by Length of Service 2017 vs 2015? T h em e A ll Le n gt h o f Se rv ic e Le ss t h an 1 ye ar 1 t o 5 y ea rs 5 t o 1 0 y ea rs 1 0 t o 1 5 ye ar s 1 5 t o 2 0 ye ar s 2 0 t o 2 5 ye ar s 2 5 t o 3 0 ye ar s G re at er t h an 3 0 y ea rs E m p lo ye e E n ga ge m en t 7 2 7 0 7 9 7 8 7 4 7 4 7 0 6 8 7 0 6 7 7 1 6 9 7 1 7 0 7 2 7 0 7 4 7 3 C o m m it m en t to t h e O rg an is at io n* 5 4 4 8 5 9 5 2 5 5 5 0 5 1 4 6 5 1 4 6 5 2 4 6 5 3 4 7 5 3 4 8 5 7 5 1 W el l- b ei n g 7 5 7 5 8 0 8 1 7 7 7 7 7 4 7 4 7 4 7 4 7 4 7 4 7 4 7 4 7 5 7 3 7 6 7 5 C o p in g w it h C h an ge 7 1 6 9 7 4 7 4 7 4 7 2 7 1 7 1 7 2 6 9 7 0 6 9 7 0 6 9 6 9 6 8 6 9 6 8 A u to n o m y 6 1 5 9 6 2 6 0 6 0 5 9 6 0 5 8 5 9 5 7 6 0 5 9 6 1 5 9 6 0 5 9 6 3 6 3 M ea n in gf u ln es s 6 7 6 5 6 9 6 7 6 7 6 9 6 7 6 2 6 5 6 2 6 6 6 4 6 7 6 5 6 7 6 5 7 0 6 9 C o m p et en ce 7 9 8 0 7 6 7 8 8 0 8 1 7 9 8 1 7 9 8 0 7 9 8 0 7 9 8 0 7 9 7 8 8 0 8 0 Jo b D em an d s 5 2 5 1 6 4 6 5 5 6 5 2 5 0 5 2 5 1 5 1 5 0 5 0 4 9 4 9 5 0 4 9 5 0 4 9 Jo b S ki lls M at ch 6 0 5 8 6 0 5 8 5 9 5 9 5 8 5 4 5 8 5 5 6 0 5 8 6 1 5 9 6 1 5 9 6 5 6 2 C ar ee r D ev el o p m en t an d M o b ili ty 5 0 4 4 6 0 5 8 5 3 4 7 4 6 4 1 4 7 4 1 4 7 4 3 4 9 4 4 4 8 4 4 5 2 4 7 Yo u r P ay 4 6 4 2 4 3 3 9 3 6 3 8 4 6 3 9 4 7 4 2 4 7 4 2 4 9 4 4 5 1 4 4 5 2 4 6 P er fo rm an ce S ta n d ar d s 4 8 4 4 6 0 6 0 5 1 4 6 4 5 4 1 4 6 4 1 4 5 4 3 4 7 4 3 4 6 4 5 4 9 4 7 M an ag er C ar ee r Su p p o rt 6 1 5 6 7 3 7 1 6 6 5 9 5 9 5 5 6 0 5 6 5 9 5 5 5 8 5 4 5 7 5 5 6 0 5 7 So ci al S u p p o rt 7 2 7 0 7 6 7 5 7 4 7 0 7 1 7 0 7 1 6 9 7 2 7 0 7 1 7 0 7 1 7 0 7 3 7 1 Le ad er sh ip 5 5 5 0 6 7 6 5 5 9 5 1 5 0 4 6 5 2 4 6 5 1 4 9 5 3 4 9 5 3 5 1 5 6 5 3 O rg an is at io n al S u p p o rt 4 9 4 4 6 2 6 0 5 3 4 7 4 5 4 2 4 6 4 1 4 5 4 3 4 6 4 3 4 7 4 4 5 0 4 7 Le ar n in g an d D ev el o p m en t 5 8 5 2 6 5 6 5 6 3 5 5 5 4 4 8 5 6 5 0 5 6 5 2 5 6 5 1 5 7 5 2 5 9 5 4 In n ov at iv e C lim at e 4 9 4 5 5 6 5 7 4 9 4 4 4 4 4 1 4 6 4 2 4 6 4 4 4 8 4 5 4 9 4 7 5 2 5 0 In vo lv em en t C lim at e 3 8 3 6 5 0 4 9 4 0 3 6 3 4 3 2 3 5 3 3 3 5 3 4 3 6 3 5 3 7 3 7 3 9 3 8 C it iz en Im p ac t 7 0 6 8 7 2 7 0 7 0 7 1 6 9 6 6 6 9 6 7 7 0 6 7 7 0 6 8 7 0 6 9 7 1 7 1 P u b lic P er ce p ti o n 3 8 3 3 4 5 4 1 3 8 3 7 3 6 3 1 3 6 3 0 3 6 3 1 3 7 3 3 3 8 3 2 4 1 3 6 Id en ti fi ca ti o n w it h t h e C iv il Se rv ic e 6 3 6 2 6 7 6 5 6 4 6 1 6 2 6 0 6 2 6 0 6 2 6 1 6 3 6 2 6 3 6 2 6 5 6 4 C o m m it m en t to C iv il Se rv ic e R en ew al 6 1 5 8 6 1 6 2 6 3 6 2 6 1 5 9 6 1 5 8 6 0 5 7 6 0 5 7 6 0 5 7 6 0 5 8 A w ar en es s o f C iv il Se rv ic e R en ew al 5 7 5 5 5 1 5 4 5 6 5 4 5 6 5 2 5 8 5 3 5 7 5 4 5 8 5 5 5 8 5 6 6 1 5 8  2 0 1 7  2 0 1 5 *T h e C o m m it m en t to t h e O rg an is at io n r es u lt s ar e n o t co m p ar ab le b et w ee n 2 0 1 5 a n d 2 0 1 7 . I n 2 0 1 5 , r es u lt s fr o m o n ly 3 o f t h e 6 q u es ti o n s fr o m t h is t h em e co u ld b e in cl u d ed in t h e an al ys is . I n 2 0 1 7 , al l q u es ti o n s co u ld b e in cl u d ed . T h e in cl u si o n o f a ll q u es ti o n s is d u e to t h e in cr ea se in r es p o n se r at e ac ro ss t h e C iv il Se rv ic e. Si gn ifi ca n ce t es ti n g is u se d t o s h o w w h et h er t h e ch an ge in t h em e sc o re b et w ee n 2 0 1 5 a n d 2 0 1 7 fo r ea ch le n gt h o f s er vi ce is s ta ti st ic al ly s ig n ifi ca n t. 2 0 1 5 a n d 2 0 1 7 t h em e sc o re s ar e sh o w n s id e by si d e, b u t fo r ch an ge s in s co re t h at a re s ta ti st ic al ly s ig n ifi ca n t th e 2 0 1 7 r es u lt is u n d er lin ed .T hi s is th e re su lt fo r al l c iv il se rv an ts w ho h av e se rv ed fo r be tw ee n 1 5 -2 0 y ea rs . B ec au se th is is b el ow 5 0 % , th is m ea ns th at a m in or it y of s ta ff w or ki ng in th e C iv il Se rv ic e fo r be tw ee n 1 5 -2 0 y ea rs fe el fa ir ly r ew ar de d. T h is is t h e ov er al l r es u lt fo r al l c iv il se rv an ts . B ec au se t h is is a b ov e 5 0 % , t h is m ea n s th at a s lig h t m aj o ri ty o f c iv il se rv an ts fe el a d eq u at el y su p p o rt ed b y th ei r m an ag er . Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 so respondents who agree with the statements score more highly on the ability to cope with change. One statement was negatively worded – this is ‘When change occurs in the Department, it causes me stress’. Respondents who agree with this statement are actually answering negatively and are less able to cope with change. For this statement, where a resondent selected Strongly Agree, they were given a score of 0, while a response of Agree resulted in a score of 1, Neither Agree nor Disagree resulted in 2, Disagree gave 3 and Strongly Disagree gave 4. This is the reverse of the scoring for positively worded statements, where Strongly Agree gives the highest score and Strongly Disagree the lowest. Each respondent’s score on the entire Coping with Change theme was then calculated as the average of their score across the five statements. The respondents with the very highest scores agreed with the four positive statements and disagreed with the negative statement. The scores were converted to percentages, and the Coping with Change index calculated as the average score across the Civil Service. How were the drivers of Employee Engagement, Commitment, Well-being and Coping with Change identified? To identify the key drivers of Employee Engagement, the extent that each of the themes is associated with Engagement was measured using a statistical technique called key driver analysis. This method uses multiple linear regression to determine which of the themes have the strongest association with Employee Engagement. These themes are called the key drivers of Employee Engagement. While it is not possible to increase Employee Engagement directly, it may be possible to identify actions that improve scores on the key drivers. These in turn will drive up the Employee Engagement score. Statements with low scores that are strongly linked to Employee Engagement should be the main focus of change initiatives and engagement strategies. The same technique was used to identify the key drivers of the other outcomes: Commitment to the Organisation, Well-being and Coping with Change. How were the 2015 and 2017 results compared? When comparing the 2015 and 2017 results, the changes in scores between the two years for each theme are calculated and checked for statistical significance. If a result is statistically significant then the changes in scores between 2015 and 2017 are reliable and representative of the Civil Service population. If a result is not statistically significant, the difference may be due to a margin of error. The CSEES is based on information collected from a proportion of civil servants, not the entire Civil Service population. A certain amount of error is bound to occur simply because not all civil servants responded to the survey. The margin of error aims to measure the maximum amount by which the results from the civil servants who responded to the survey are expected to differ from those of the actual Civil Service population if all responded. A standard international statistical technique called “paired t-tests with equal variance” was used to test the statistical significance of the difference between the 2015 and 2017 results. What happens to the data now? The CSO will continue to analyse the data so that each Civil Service organisation that took part in the survey can receive departmental data that will allow them to focus on issues specific to their staff and environment/ culture. As with all CSO analyses, full anonymity will be upheld for all respondents. Grades Director, Assistant Secretary General and above (and equivalents) – Principal Officer (and equivalents) PO Assistant Principal Officer (and equivalents) AP Administrative Officer (and equivalents) AO Higher Executive Officer (and equivalents) HEO Executive Officer (and equivalents) EO *Staff Officer (and equivalents) SO Clerical Officer (and equivalents) CO Service Officer (and equivalents) SVO Industrial (and equivalents) – *Staff Officer grades were integrated into Executive Officer grades in 2017 74 Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 Endnotes 1. Job Demands and resources as antecedents of work engagement: A longitudinal study. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 70(1), 149-171. 2. Cabinet Office - Civil Service People Survey: 2017 results. 3. Understanding & managing public organizations (3rd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. 4. Galloping elephants: Developing elements of a theory of effective government organizations. 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HR practices and commitment to change: An employee level analysis. Human Resource Management Journal, 18(1): 72-89 75 Civil Service | Employee Engagement Survey 2017 Acknowledgments Pádraig Dalton, Director General, Central Statistics Office (Sponsor Action 25 Civil Service Renewal Plan) Members of the Civil Service Management Board Central Statistics Office Heads of Office of all Civil Service Departments/Offices Professor Edel Conway, Dublin City University Business School Associate Professor Yseult Freeney, Dublin City University Business School Members of the Civil Service Employee Engagement Survey Working Group Civil Service Renewal Single Points of Contact ICT Contacts across all Civil Service Departments/Offices 76