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Updated 1.05pm
DESPITE CONCERNS OVER how bullying and harassment are tackled in their workplace, 84% of staff at the Department of the Taoiseach are proud to work there.
That’s according to a staff consultation initiative 2014, which was published last month by RA Consulting and put on the department’s website on Tuesday.
The 95-question survey looked at a number of areas in the department.
It can be read in full here. In its conclusion, it says:
Results should be seen against a background of cuts, media criticism, corporate memory losses and increased workloads. Department should be seen to have made progress while ‘swimming against a particularly challenging tide’.
It showed that just 3% said they were not proud to work for the Department of the Taoiseach, which is up from 2% in 2007 and 1% in 203. Overall, 84% are proud, which is also up by 1% on the previous survey.
Bullying
Just 34% gave a favourable response to the phrase “I am confident that the anti-bullying and harassment policy is supported in practice”, and 59% gave a favourable response to “I have not experienced bullying or harassment of any kind in the Department”.
It showed that 75% said they are satisfied with the leadership displayed by their immediate manager, while 53% said the department is focused on effective leadership.
Just 29% agreed that good performance is recognised by the department.
The report recommended a requirement to “enhance commitment to dignity and respect (anti-bullying and harassment) through refresher training/awareness programmes”.
However, in an information note published in response to media reports today, the report’s author, RA Consulting’s Peter Ryan, said:
It should also be emphasised that the extremely positive findings were largely absent from the media reports and importantly, these findings could not coexist if there was a culture of workplace bullying.
“In particular, the survey revealed that 84 per cent were proud to work for the Department, 72 per cent said that they trusted their managers (only 8 per cent disagreed) and 95 per cent said that they were able to work on their own initiative (only 2 people (individuals) disagreed) which would not be the case if bullying was an issue.”
Good place to work?
Asked if they would recommend the Department to others as a good place to work, 68% said they would.
Just over half, 58%, said they consider the culture within the department to be generally good. The same percentage said that they are encouraged to speak up “where we disagree with a decision”.
Just a quarter – 25% – said that employee morale has improved over the last number of years, with 35% giving an “unfavourable” response to this question.
When asked about communication, 52% said that communications within the department have improved over recent years.
Just over a fifth of staff surveyed – 21% – agreed that workloads are fairly distributed within the Department.
Some of the lowest favourable responses were in the development and career progression section, with just 12% giving “I am encouraged to proactively identify my T&D needs” a favourable response.
In addition, 30% said that the department provides good opportunities for career development.
Overall, the document concluded that work undertaken over recent years has “had a positive impact upon the workplace culture”, but that some improvements have been more modest, and satisfaction has fallen in other areas.
The department said that in response to the report a new human resources strategy is being prepared along with a new Civil Service-wide ‘Dignity at Work’ policy.
- additional reporting from Hugh O’Connell
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I wasn’t too impressed with their “Bomb Gaza ” game; as a parent I was horrified actually !
I know – the graphics on it were terrible.
Google made that game?
They made it available …Here’s a question that might help you understand ; Do heroin dealers grow poppies in Afghanistan ?
I got a nasty letter from the bank last week.
I was none too impressed with the basstarding postman
But you said “their” game.
It’s not their game. It’s someone else’s.
Sorry Cpm , when I buy my shopping I tend to hold the shopkeeper somewhat responsible for insuring the quality … but that’s just me …you are obviously a bit different …cool !
Is your postman paying taxes and going around shooting people for money Gaggsy ?
Not enough postmen both pay tax & shoot people…… Its pretty niche.
“Sorry Cpm , when I buy my shopping I tend to hold the shopkeeper somewhat responsible for insuring the quality … but that’s just me …you are obviously a bit different …cool !”
I see…
So you do you hold Google responsible for anything you purchase which you’ve found using their search engine? Do you hold them responsible for anything you purchase after you’ve clicked one of their Adword ads?
Do you not think you’d be better off holding yourself responsible, as a parent, for what your kids see and install on their phones, instead of expecting on someone else to do the job for you? Google aren’t responsible for babysitting kids, and over-sensitive parents.
“Is your postman paying taxes and going around shooting people for money Gaggsy ?”
Jaysus, I hadn’t suspected so but I do now! His eyes are quite close together now that you mention it.
Are google also paying taxes and shooting people for money? The dirty hoors (for the shooting people, not for the tax paying). If they are they should reconsider their “Do no evil” slogan. And I’ll rewatch the Internship in a new light after this.
The things you learn on the internet.
Thanks!
So smartasses – if was such a good idea then why did they remove it …which begs the question why did they put it there in the first place – Google apps store I believe – if I am wrong I would contact Google and apologise – but I tried to contact Google some time ago – and guess what – very hard to contact them for some reason !
You probably need to get yourself an iPhone, Dermot.
I still don’t get the ‘paying taxes and going around shooting people for money” reference/analogy.
One of these is a good thing and one is a really really terrible thing. Throw my postman into the mix and now I am nothing but perplexed.
The tax-compliant double-jobbing postman/hitman is a rather unusual concept, it has to be said.
But the real OUTRAGE lies in them upsetting Dermot (as a parent).
sorry gagsy – I was referencing the heroin dealers in the analogy …..
Is thirteen the upper or lower age limit for children?
Will parents be enabled to control what their children will be doing on the Internet?
Probably not.
Maybe it is progress!
have your say