The Department of Premier and Cabinet’s (DPAC) State Service Management Office (SSMO) coordinates the People Matter Survey (the Survey) across all agencies in partnership with the Victoria Public Sector Commission (VPSC).
The Survey provides Tasmanian State Service (TSS) employees and officers the opportunity to contribute their views about change management; employee engagement; workplace health, safety and wellbeing; job satisfaction; and team work, providing TSS agencies with valued information about what it is like
to work in their organisations.
In 2016, participation in the Survey was voluntary, and it was open to employees between 10 May and 1 June 2016.
Responses to the Survey were collected and analysed to ensure confidentiality, as required under the State Service Act 2000 and Personal Information Protection Act 2004, and all agencies have now received their results reports. The results will be used by agencies to inform their workforce management practices and activities. The results also support agency and whole-of-service planning
and reporting activities, including informing the reporting required under the State Service Act 2000.
Overview of 2016 results
A total of 8 202 people completed the Survey in 2016, or 29.5 per cent of the TSS, which is close to 2015's result of 30.6 per cent. A response rate of 30 per cent is considered to be representative.
Macquarie Point Development Corporation is our smallest agency with 11 people and the largest agency is the Department of Education with almost 10 000 people. All organisations achieved the minimum required response rate to receive reports, and 14 organisations achieved above a 30 per cent response
rate.
Overall, this year’s results were generally positive – and the public service received strong results in areas like engagement and our responsiveness to the needs of the community, job satisfaction, and safety in the work environment. The ‘engagement score’ has also gone up
this year to 67 per cent, from 66 per cent in 2015.
TSS employees also identified areas where more work is needed, including how leaders manage change and support employees to reduce stress.
2016 Demographics
Gender
- 67.7 per cent of respondents identified as female, 30.7 per cent identified as male, and 1.5 per cent chose not to disclose their gender.
- The results align with TSS workforce data (70.6 per cent of employees and officers are female in the TSS).
Employment category
- 81.9 per cent of respondents considered themselves to be permanent employees, 14.2 per cent identifying as fixed-term employees, 1.3 per cent as senior executive officers, 2 per cent as casual employees, and 1 per cent were unsure about the employment category they belonged
to.
Employment type
- 33.4 per cent of respondents identified as part-time employees and 66.6 per cent as full-time employees.
Age
The following table shows the percentage of each age group’s participation in the Survey (which is proportionate to the representation in TSS workforce data).
|
Age group
|
15-24
|
25-34
|
34-44
|
45-54
|
55-64
|
65-74
|
75+
|
|---|
|
%
|
1.8
|
13.4
|
24.1
|
34.9
|
24
|
1.8
|
0
|
|---|
Disability
- 3.8 per cent of respondents indicated that they had a disability, and 75.5 per cent of these employees had disclosed their disability to their agency.
- 75 per cent of the respondents who indicated that they had a disability stated that they required a workplace adjustment. Of these:
- 39 per cent required altered or changed working arrangements;
- 28 per cent required adjustment to their work furniture;
- 7 per cent required software; and
- the remainder of respondents required other adjustments.
- The majority of respondents requiring a workplace adjustment indicated that the adjustments had been made and that the process was satisfactory (69 per cent).
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people
- 2.7 per cent of respondents indicated that they identified as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person.
- 1.5 per cent of respondents chose the response ‘prefer not to say’.
Language
- 3.8 per cent of respondents indicated that they spoke a language other than English.
Birth place
- 9.3 per cent of respondents indicated that they were born in an overseas country where English was the primary language, and 4.0 per cent of respondents indicated that they were born in a non-English-speaking country.
Work Location
- 22 per cent of respondents worked in the North of Tasmania, 17 per cent of respondents worked in the North-West, 1 per cent of respondents worked in the West, and 4 per cent worked in the South-East.
- The remainder of respondents worked in the South.
Length of Service
The following table shows respondents’ length of service in their current organisation, and their length of service in the TSS as a percentage:
|
Length of service
|
2 yrs or less
|
3-5 yrs
|
6-10 yrs
|
11-20 yrs
|
21 years or more
|
|---|
|
Organisation
|
17.8
|
15.9
|
25.5
|
24.3
|
16.4
|
|---|
|
State Service
|
11.0
|
11.0
|
23.5
|
29.7
|
24.8
|
|---|
Caring responsibilities
- 48.0 per cent of respondents had primary or daily caring responsibilities of a child or children, elderly or other person.
Work area/type
Respondents were asked to indicate their work type or work area. The table below provides the responses as a percentage:
Area/ type of work | Percentage |
|---|
Administration support / clerical | 14 |
Corporate services | 9 |
Exercising regulatory authority | 3 |
Legal | 1 |
Policy | 3 |
Program design and / or management | 6 |
Research | 1 |
Scientific / technical | 5 |
Service delivery work (direct public contact) | 40 |
Other service delivery | 5 |
Other | 13 |
Educational levels
The following table shows how respondents answered the question relating to the educational achievement / level:
|
Doctoral
|
Masters
|
Graduate Diploma / Certificate
|
Bachelor Degree (incl. honours)
|
Adv. Diploma / Diploma
|
Certificate (incl. trade)
|
Yr 12 (or equiv.)
|
Less than Yr 12 (or equiv.)
|
|---|
|
2.2
|
10.0
|
16.0
|
30.3
|
13.6
|
14.4
|
5.6
|
8.0
|
Overview of question group responses
This section includes information on how employees answered questions on topics such as responsiveness; integrity; merit; fair and reasonable treatment; workforce diversity; avenues of redress; development of a career – public service; workplace wellbeing; employee commitment; and change management.
In 2016, the most positive results across the TSS were employee engagement; role clarity, role enablers (that is personal authority and use of relevant skills) and intrinsic reward; and responsiveness (to the needs of the community).
The 2016 results suggest that the following areas require attention across the TSS: how change is supported within organisations; the impact of work-related stress; and supporting employees to plan for their career.
Matters to note when reading the results:
- A number of new questions were asked in 2016 such as on diversity and inclusion, learning and development, and change management.
- The categories that participants responded to were different in 2016 to previous years’ surveys to provide more accurate results for almost all questions. For example, participants were given ‘don’t know’ or ‘neither agree or disagree’ options this year.
- Given this, it is not advised to directly compare the results between 2015 and 2016. In 2015 the results were provided to us as a ‘percentage agreement’, but this year we received results for each response category. Therefore, if 50 per cent of people ‘agreed/strongly agreed’
to a 2016 question, the reader should not assume that the other 50 per cent were ‘disagree/strongly disagree’, as respondents may also have selected ‘don’t know’ or ‘neither agree nor disagree’.
- For ease of reading, the results have been reported below as the percentage of respondents who ‘agreed’ or ‘strongly agreed’. If you require more information about the results, please contact people.matter@dpac.tas.gov.au
Awareness of policies and procedures
Question | % agreement 2016 |
|---|
I am aware of the Code of Conduct. | 83 |
I am aware of my organisation's values. | 81 |
I am aware of the State Service Principles. | 70 |
I am aware of my organisation’s policy regarding the giving and receiving of gifts or benefits. | 78 |
I am aware of my organisation's processes for reporting improper officer/employee conduct. | 68 |
I am aware of my organisation's programs to support employee wellbeing (i.e. Employee Assistance Program or health and wellbeing initiatives). |
82
|
I am aware of my organisation's policies and procedures to assist employees to avoid conflict of interest. |
67
|
My organisation is supportive of employees experiencing family violence. |
49
|
My organisation provides special leave entitlements, workplace flexibility and support to employees experiencing family violence. |
50
|
Values
Responsiveness
Question text | % agreement 2016 |
|---|
My workgroup strives to achieve customer satisfaction. | 88 |
My manager is committed to ensuring customers receive a high standard of service. | 83 |
My organisation provides high quality services to the Tasmanian community. | 86 |
|
In my workgroup, work is undertaken using best practice approaches.
|
79
|
Integrity
Question text | % agreement 2016 |
|---|
People in my workgroup are honest, open and transparent in their dealings. | 72 |
In my organisation, there are procedures and systems in place to assist employees in avoiding conflicts of interest. | 63 |
In my organisation, there are procedures and systems designed to prevent employees engaging in improper conduct. | 64 |
My manager encourages employees to avoid conflicts of interest. | 71 |
In my organisation, engaging in improper conduct is not tolerated. | 69 |
I am confident that I would be protected from reprisal for reporting improper conduct. | 46 |
My manager actively expects a high standard of ethical behavior. | 83 |
My manager actively demonstrates a high standard of ethical behavior. | 77 |
In my organisation, earning and sustaining a high level of public trust is seen as important. | 87 |
Impartiality
Question text | % agreement 2016 |
|---|
My manager demonstrates objectivity in decision-making. | 68 |
People in my workgroup do not show bias in their decision-making. | 71 |
Accountability
Question text | % agreement 2016 |
|---|
My workgroup always tries to improve its performance. | 78 |
Senior managers provide clear strategy and direction. | 49 |
People in my workgroup use their time and resources efficiently. | 67 |
My manager encourages people in my workgroup to monitor and improve the quality of what we do. | 77 |
Senior managers keep us informed about how we are tracking against our priorities. | 44 |
Respect
Question text | % agreement 2016 |
|---|
People in my workgroup treat each other with respect. | 74 |
Bullying is not tolerated in my organisation. | 62 |
My manager listens to what I have to say. | 77 |
My manager keeps me informed about what's going on. | 68 |
Leadership
Question text | % agreement 2016 |
|---|
Senior managers demonstrate effective leadership. | 46 |
Senior managers model my organisation’s values. | 51 |
In my organisation, behavior consistent with the State Service Principles is acknowledged. | 64 |
My manager encourages behaviours that are consistent with my organisation’s values. | 79 |
My manager translates organisational messages in a way that is meaningful to me. | 67 |
Employment Principles
Merit
Question Text | % agreement 2016 |
|---|
My performance is assessed against clear criteria. | 58 |
People recruited to my organisation seem to have the right skills for the job. | 60 |
Fair and reasonable treatment
Question Text | % agreement 2016 |
|---|
My manager involves me in decisions about my work. | 70 |
In my organisation, there are opportunities for me to develop my skills and knowledge. | 63 |
My manager treats employees with dignity and respect. | 78 |
Workforce diversity and inclusion
Question Text | % agreement 2016 |
|---|
There is a positive attitude within my organisation in relation to gender. | 77 |
There is a positive attitude within my organisation in relation to employees with disability. | 56 |
There is a positive attitude within my organisation in relation to employees of different age groups. | 79 |
There is a positive attitude within my organisation in relation to employees with diverse backgrounds. | 76 |
There is a positive attitude within my organisation in relation to employees from varied cultural backgrounds. | 70 |
There is a positive attitude within my organisation in relation to employees who are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. | 56 |
There is a positive attitude within my organisation in relation to employees who identify as LGBTI. | 56 |
There is a positive attitude within my organisation in relation to employees who have caring responsibilities. | 73 |
There is a positive attitude within my organisation in relation to employees who use flexible work practices. | 67 |
There is a positive attitude within my organisation in relation to employees who work part-time. | 80 |
My organisation is committed to creating a diverse workforce (e.g. age, gender, cultural background). | 65 |
Senior managers actively support diversity in the workplace. | 56 |
My supervisor works effectively with people from diverse backgrounds. | 70 |
My supervisor actively supports diversity in the workplace. | 66 |
My work colleagues actively support diversity in the workplace. | 72 |
My organisation fosters an environment where all staff are treated fairly and with respect. | 63 |
My organisation fosters an environment of inclusiveness. | 60 |
Avenues of redress
Question text | % agreement 2016 |
|---|
In my organisation there are clear procedures and processes for resolving grievances. | 68 |
I would be confident in approaching my manager to discuss concerns and grievances. | 76 |
I am confident that if I lodge a grievance in my organisation, it would be investigated in a thorough and objective manner. | 52 |
Supporting measures
Feedback
Question text | % agreement 2016 |
|---|
I have received formal feedback on individual performance. | 58 |
I have received informal feedback on individual performance. | 78 |
The performance management process helps me to identify and understand my work priorities. | 64 |
There is a strong link between the content of my performance plan and what I actually do/experience during the year. | 60 |
I actively seek feedback about my performance at work. | 49 |
Job satisfaction
Question text | % agreement 2016 |
|---|
Are you satisfied with: | Regular feedback/recognition for effort. | 52 |
Level of autonomy in my job. | 74 |
Chance to be innovative/creative. | 62 |
Considering everything, how satisfied are you with your current job? | 71 |
Considering everything, how would you rate your overall satisfaction with your organisation as an employer? | 66 |
Engagement
In 2016, the 'engagement score' for the whole-of-service was 67 per cent. This compares to 66 per cent in 2015. The engagement score is based on a statistical analysis of the first five questions in the following table.
Question text | % agreement 2016 |
|---|
I would recommend my organisation as a good place to work. | 68 |
I am proud to tell others I work for my organisation. | 72 |
I feel a strong personal attachment to my organisation. | 69 |
My organisation motivates me to help achieve its objectives. | 63 |
My organisation inspires me to do the best in my job. | 63 |
I receive help and support from other people in my workgroup. | 84 |
I provide help and support to other people in my workgroup. | 97 |
I feel I make a contribution to achieving the organisation's objectives. | 83 |
There is a good team spirit in my workgroup. | 70 |
Role clarity
Question text | % agreement 2016 |
|---|
I have a clear understanding of how my own job contributes to my workgroup’s role. | 89 |
I have a clear understanding of how my workgroup’s role contributes to my organisation’s stated outcomes. | 82 |
I clearly understand what I am expected to do in this job. | 86 |
Role enablers
Question text | % agreement 2016 |
|---|
I have the authority to do my job effectively (e.g. the necessary delegations, autonomy, level of responsibility). | 73 |
My job allows me to use my skills, knowledge and abilities. | 84 |
Intrinsic reward
Question text | % agreement 2016 |
|---|
I believe that the work I do is important. | 96 |
I enjoy the work in my current job. | 85 |
I get a sense of accomplishment from my work. | 82 |
I receive adequate recognition for my contributions and accomplishment. | 55 |
Negative workplace behaviour
This section provides an overview of how Survey participants answered the questions about workplace bullying. An individual’s experience or perception of bullying is another key determinant of their job satisfaction and engagement with their work, colleagues and the organisation.
- In response to the question: ‘Have you witnessed bullying (where bullying is persistent and repeated negative behaviour directed at an employee/s that creates a risk to health and safety) at work in the last 12 months’, the ‘yes’ response to this question across all agencies
was 33 per cent.
- Responses to the question of whether participants had personally experienced bullying at work in the last 12 months resulted in an average ‘yes’ response of 22 per cent.
It is important to consider the questions on bullying in relation to the Survey findings about employees’ perception of work environment, work health, safety and wellbeing, engagement and job satisfaction. Agencies will continue to work individually and together to ensure that all workplaces
are free from discrimination, harassment and other forms of negative workplace behaviour.
Career expectations and support
Question text | % agreement 2016 |
|---|
To date, my career progress within my organisation has met my expectations. | 55 |
I have the opportunity to progress my career goals within my organisation. | 42 |
There are adequate opportunities for me to develop skills and experience in my current job. | 51 |
Do you foresee your future employment/career in the next five years in the State Service? | 73 |
Change management
58 per cent of respondents indicated that they had experienced significant change in the last 12 months. Changes identified included organisation restructure, change in direct line manager, and change in management above line manager.
Question text | % agreement 2016 |
|---|
There is a clear consultation process when change in my organisation is proposed. | 36 |
My workgroup was provided with sufficient information on how the change would impact on the team. | 47 |
My workgroup was provided with adequate support during the change process. | 31 |
My workgroup was kept well informed throughout the change process. | 35 |
The change was managed well in my workgroup. | 41 |
My organisation’s leadership supports staff to work in an environment of change. | 36 |
Communications about change from senior managers are timely and relevant. | 41 |
In times of change, senior managers provide sufficient information about the purpose of the changes. | 44 |
I am provided with the opportunity to influence changes in my organisation. | 28 |
People in my workgroup adapt well to change. | 46 |
In times of change, I have an obligation to help my work colleagues understand and adapt to the new ways of working. | 76 |
Learning and development
Question text | % agreement 2016 |
|---|
Overall, how satisfied are you with your own access to learning and development opportunities within your organisation? | 54 |
My organisation places a high priority on the learning and development of staff. | 57 |
My manager encourages and supports my participation in learning and development opportunities. | 68 |
Working in the organisation provides me with the opportunity to maintain or increase my professional knowledge and skills. | 63 |
When people start in new jobs in the organisation, they are given enough guidance and training. | 48 |
In the past 12 months, have your learning and development needs been identified and agreed with your supervisor? | 63 |
To date, have your learning and development needs been addressed in the agreed timeframe? | 87 |
In the past 12 months, have you undertaken any skills development activities? Examples could include attending a course, online learning, or mentoring/coaching. | 69 |
Workplace wellbeing
Question text | % agreement 2016 |
|---|
Are you satisfied with your work/life balance? | Employees | 62 |
Managers/team leaders | 56 |
Staff working directly with customers | 61 |
I have control over the workplace issues that are causing me stress. | 34 |
The workload I have is appropriate for the job that I do. | 56 |
In times of high workload, my manager provides the support I need to get the job done. | 49 |
My organisation has effective procedures in place to support employees who may experience stress. | 58 |
I am able to effectively manage my workload. | 68 |
My workgroup encourages and supports employees to have a good work/life balance. | 64 |
My organisation encourages and supports employees to have a good work/life balance. | 65 |
|
The Survey asked employees how they were personally managing their stress. The most popular techniques were ‘debrief informally with other work colleagues’ and ‘seek support from family / friends.
|
Work health and safety
Question text | % agreement 2016 |
|---|
My organisation provides a safe work environment. | 83 |
My manager takes a positive interest in my wellbeing. | 67 |
My organisation is committed to employee wellbeing. | 60 |
Employee safety is discussed at regular workgroup meetings. | 55 |
I have received instruction/training appropriate to my role to address WH&S hazards, incidents and injuries in accordance with my organisation’s policies. | 74 |
I have both the opportunities and resources at work to support my health and wellbeing. | 60 |
I am encouraged to report health and safety incidents and injuries. | 85 |
Employee support
Question text | % agreement 2016 |
|---|
Employee support - team leaders/managers | My organisation provides me with appropriate training and guidance to manage employees. | 61 |
My organisation has good procedures in place to support team leader / managers who may experience stress in managing employees. | 38 |
My organisation has good procedures in place to support team leader / managers managing staff absences. | 35 |
Employee support - employees working with customers | I have the ability and skills to deal with difficult customers. | 91 |
My organisation provides me with appropriate training and guidance to manage customers. | 53 |
My organisation has appropriate systems and procedures in place to deal with difficult customers. | 58 |
My organisation has good procedures in place to support staff who may experience stress in dealing with customers. | 50 |
Next steps
SSMO will continue to analyse the results over the coming year and incorporate findings into its business activities and for reporting purposes.
SSMO will also continue to work with agencies to understand and action their 2016 results.
Further information
If you have any questions about these whole-of-service results for the 2016 Survey, please contact people.matter@dpac.tas.gov.au.
