You Said, We Listened 2022

Most people, that responded to the survey, agreed that they were up to speed on what was happening in their team or work location, but fewer people felt they knew what was happening across the organisation. Good communication, in an organisation as large and diverse as Carmarthenshire County Council, is critical for ensuring people continue to feel engaged. We all have a part to play when it comes to sharing information and we all have a responsibility to be open and honest with each other.

We understand that we can do more, so, this year we will:

• Share and respond to these survey results in an open and transparent way.
• Make sure you are aware of the actions we are taking to address the areas we need to work on.
• Develop an Internal Communications Strategy that will, amongst other things, clarify how everyone can contribute to improving internal communication.
• Establish a staff forum, which will be used to listen to your views on a range of topics.
• Introduce a digital staff participation platform, giving everyone an opportunity to get involved in topics that matter to them. 
• Launch the second annual employee engagement survey, using the results to monitor the progress we have made, and identify any areas that need further work.
• Make sure that the learning and development opportunities we have available for our managers includes enhancing their communication skills.
• Continue to explore different ways of communicating messages to ensure we reach all staff in a timely and consistent way.

The majority of people that responded said that they were proud to work for Carmarthenshire County Council and would recommend us as an employer. Many of you also said that you felt your wellbeing is important to the Council, and that equality in the workplace is supported, allowing you to be yourself and speak openly. Many of you also told us that you are encouraged to make suggestions and challenge the way things are done; and that your opinions are listened to and used to improve things.

We want to build on this so that everyone has the same experience. So, this year we will:

• Continue to explore new initiatives that support your physical, mental, and financial wellbeing, as well as broaden the rewards and discounts you can access via our Staff Rewards
• Introduce new ways and opportunities for you to have your say by establishing a new online participation platform and staff forum.
• Conduct our second annual employee engagement survey and use it, in part, to measure our progress.
• We will also use the survey to anonymously collect information that will help us to understand the experiences of different groups of people.
• Make sure our leaders and managers develop their skills to manage people in an inclusive way.

Most people, that responded to the survey, felt that they have the right skills to do their job and many of you stated that you are able to perform to the best of your ability. The majority of respondents also stated that they can access learning opportunities in their preferred language.

In terms developing new skills, many of you stated that you are encouraged to learn and grow and that you had been given the opportunity to do so during the last year. However, it is clear from some of the responses received, that not everyone has this experience, so this year we will:

• Publish our revised Learning & Development policy that will ensure fair access for all to development opportunities.
• Review our appraisal process to make sure your managers support you to identify your development needs.
• Undertake an audit of everyone’s digital skills and put in place a framework that makes sure you all have the skills you need to do your job, access information and learning opportunities.
• Introduce pathways for our managers, so that they have the skills they need to effectively manage and develop people.
• And longer term we will introduce a learning management system that allows everyone to identify and track their own development.

Most of the people that responded to the survey, felt that their job makes an important contribution to the council, they were also clear about what is expected of them, and what they could expect from their manager. However, our Investors In People (IIP) review identified that not everyone had the same experience, and that appraisals were not being undertaken in a consistent manner.

Having an annual appraisal is fundamental to ensuring people can discuss their performance as well as identify any learning and development needs. Therefore, we will review our current appraisal process and put in place a mechanism to ensure this important discussion, between a manager and their individual team member, is happening consistently across all services. 

Many of you said that someone had talked to you about your progress during the previous year and that you regularly receive recognition from others for doing a good job. However, we know from our Investor in People review that this is an area we need to work on, and not everyone has the same experience, so this year we will look at ways that we recognise and reward people.