PUBLIC SERVICE EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS RELEASED

Released on December 11, 2003

Results of the Saskatchewan Public Service 2003 Employee Survey were released today. The survey, completed by employees in all departments earlier this year, asked questions about employees' workplace satisfaction and values to identify key strengths and areas for improvement.

"This is the first government-wide survey we've conducted," Public Service Commission Chair Wynne Young said. "We appreciate the feedback from employees, and we are pleased to make these results available for departments to work with."

"The real value of this survey will come through that work, analysis and actions, Young said. "We look forward to comparing these results with those of future surveys, and seeing what we've been able to accomplish by listening to and working with government employees."

The survey was co-ordinated by the Public Service Commission, with input from all departments. It was shared with the public service unions, SGEU and CUPE, and conducted by HayGroup, an international human resource consulting firm. All feedback was anonymous and confidential.

HayGroup Vice-President David Sissons said Saskatchewan results were compared to norms in Hay's database. "Overall, the Saskatchewan public service results are slightly above what we typically expect for the public sector," he said. "The results tend to follow a very similar pattern in terms of key strengths and areas for improvement compared to other public sector employers." Sissons added that employee surveys are a best-practice business approach, and a critical step for any organization interested in improving employee engagement and client service.

Areas where employees rated the Saskatchewan public service well include general employee satisfaction, work-life balance, and workplace diversity. Employees indicated they take pride in working for the Saskatchewan public service; that professionalism, respect and integrity are practiced in the workplace; and that they are committed to their jobs and would recommend the public service as a place to work.

Employees also indicated potential for improvement in several areas, including making department goals clearer, improving communication with department leaders, ensuring that survey results are acted on, and providing more work-related resources and training.

"We appreciate the detailed feedback employees have provided," Young said. "That's why we did this survey, to identify the top areas of concerns of our staff. We take this feedback seriously, and are committed to making our workplaces as positive and welcoming as we can. This is important, for our current employees, for the upcoming competition for talent and to maximize service to the public."

The PSC and departments will continue to work with employees over the coming months to further analyze issues, initiate actions to address areas of concern, and report back on progress to employees and the public. The next survey is planned for 2005-2006.

Survey results, including the overview and department results are available on the PSC's website at www.gov.sk.ca/psc/survey2003/.

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For More Information, Contact:

Shelley Banks Public Service Commission Regina Phone: (306) 787-6479