Nova Scotia Public Service Employee Survey Results Announced

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION--Nova Scotia Public Service Employee Survey Results Announced

The results of a provincewide survey of more than 8,000 civil servants released today, Aug. 5, shows that provincial employees feel relatively good about relationships with their supervisors, teamwork, training and safety in their workplace.

The results of the workplace survey, which was conducted earlier this year, will be used to strengthen the provincial public service. Areas where employees identified opportunities to improve include hiring practices, career advancement and compensation.

"Asking employees what they think about their work environment is a fundamental part of building a strong public service in Nova Scotia," said Human Resources Minister Carolyn Bolivar-Getson. "Surveying employees is a common practice in workplaces today. The information we've gathered will help us to develop policies that are more in tune with our workforce and improve the way we communicate and work with one another."

The Public Service Commission surveyed government employees to find ways to make the workplace better. The survey sought employees' views of the work environment, assessed by measuring the following 10 dimensions -- leadership, communications, compensation and recognition, personal growth, recruitment and retention, quality of work life, employee involvement, diversity, teamwork, and safety and security.

All permanent civil servants, NSGEU Local 480 (Department of Justice, Adult Corrections) and CUPE Local 1867 (Department of Transportation and Public Works, Highway Workers) employees were included in the scope of this project, representing 8,162 eligible participants as of Dec. 1, 2003. The survey is similar to those done in the public and private sectors. The response rate was 53 per cent, and representative of the entire civil service.

"Overall, the survey highlights strengths that we can build upon as well as areas that need improvement," said Richard Nurse, public service commissioner. "This was the first time that all government employees were surveyed in this way. We expected to hear a wide range of views and we have. Overall, our results were comparable with other organizations -- both private and public."

"Government will move forward by gaining a full understanding of the reasons why public servants hold the opinions they've expressed, by identifying priority areas for improvement and taking action to address these concerns," said Ms. Bolivar- Getson. "We look forward to the continued involvement of employees in efforts to improve the workplace and to strengthen the public service for Nova Scotians."

More information on the survey can be found on the department's website at www.gov.ns.ca/psc/survey .