0. OPS Employee Survey:
From Results to Action
September 9, 2008

1. Overview Overview of Employee Engagement Concepts and Framework
Employee Engagement Measurement Program: a phased approach
Acting on the results: the case for local action
Case studies: two ministries / two different approaches to Action Planning
The future

2. Employee Engagement Program
Ensuring a capable, diverse and engaged workforce, committed to quality public service, is a key component of the OPS modernization agenda, and a critical performance indicator in our measurement/ accountability framework
The EE Measurement Program mandate:
Create organizational metrics to support OPS modernization objectives
Establish baseline data
How engaged are our employees?
What is driving their level of engagement?
Create metrics for tracking progress
Inform an integrated strategy to improve employee engagement
Inform related strategies underway/planned
Identify gaps and priority areas to focus energy/resources
Facilitate benchmarking with other jurisdictions through the Public Service Commissioner’s Employee Engagement Inter-jurisdictional Initiative Team

3. What is Employee Engagement? Drivers of Satisfaction & Commitment
Engaged employees have:
High-level of satisfaction with their jobs
High-level of commitment to their organizations
feel pride for their organization
intend to remain with their organization
desire to serve or to perform at high levels
positively recommend their organization to others
improve the organization’s results
Drivers of Satisfaction & Commitment
quality of management/ supervision
clear expectations and direction
learning and development opportunities
opportunity for advancement
opportunity for input and involvement
job fit
co-worker relationships
recognition
work-life balance
quality of service provided
organizational communication
independence & innovation

4. OPS Employee Engagement Objectives and Framework
Increase Employee Engagement
Strengthen Organizational Performance
Increase Customer Satisfaction
Promote higher-level of public confidence & trust in public institutions
Employee Engagement Framework
Survey Tool Design & Testing
Implementation & Monitoring of Improvements
Survey Roll out
Action Planning
Data Processing & Analysis
Results Reporting

5. OPS Phased Approach to Surveying
A phased roll-out has supported:
Building infrastructure, capacity and support for robust action planning to respond to survey findings
Building awareness, capability, accountability and commitment in managers for improving employee engagement results
Allowing opportunities to refine/enhance the survey questions & process
T1 (2006)
Sample survey
OPS baseline established
No ministry-specific data
Reports by job classification, demographics, cohorts, etc
DMC & MGCS accountable (corporate initiatives)
T2 (2007)
Census survey
Ministry-specific reports issued
Reports to Division level
All DMs & ADMs accountable for pre and post survey communication and for managing relevant post survey action to the Division level
T3 (2009)
Biannual census survey
Ministry-specific reports issued
Reports to Division / Branch level
All SMGs accountable for pre and post survey communication and managing relevant post survey action
Increasing Organizational Accountability
(promotes systemic buy-in and strategy building)

6. OPS Employee Engagement Index
2007
2006
Employee Engagement Index
(Margin of Error: +/ )
Employee Engagement Index
(Margin of Error: +/ )
65.97 ↑
64.78 ↓ L L H H M M
The 2007 OPS Employee Engagement Index significantly increased in More employees are highly engaged (37% vs. 34% in 2006) and fewer are disengaged (21% vs. 23%).
Margin of Error: The expected error estimation based on the sample; the larger the sample the smaller the error. In 19 out of 20 repetitions of the survey the true value for the estimate will lie within the stated confidence interval.
↑ Indicates a significantly higher score than 2006
↓ Indicates a significantly lower score than 2007

7. Priority Improvement Areas
2007
2006
Opportunities for Growth and Advancement
Leadership Practices
Learning and Development Opportunities
Organizational Communication
Opportunities for Growth and Advancement
Leadership Practices
Learning and Development Opportunities
Organizational Communication
The recommended Priority Improvement Areas for the OPS remain consistent with those in 2006.
Relative to 2006 opportunities for growth and advancement is about the same.
However, there have been positive developments in the other three priority areas.
There is an increase in agreement that the senior leadership provides clear direction, ministries are viewed as supporting work-related learning and development and more OPS employees report that the essential information flows from staff to senior leadership.

8. Local variation is key
Corporate variation from 2006 to 2007 was minimal
Results by ministry show significant differences from corporate results
Within a ministry, wide variations in performance between divisions often cannot be seen in the overall ministry results
The best way to improve local performance is to provide results at the divisional level (and lower levels) where this variability can be addressed

11. Corporate Role Shift
2006: Survey management, communications and action planning was centrally driven
2007: Survey overall management remains corporate but Ministries and other major stakeholders (e.g. HR Ontario, I&IT, ServiceOntario, Ontario Shared Services,etc) participate in survey planning, communications and local action planning
2009: Continued and improved partnership with ministries and major stakeholders

12. Approach to Action Planning
2006
Accountability for results and improvements is corporate
Corporately-driven communications
Focus is on OPS-Wide Priority Improvement Areas
2007
Accountability for results and improvements shifts to the “Local” level
Corporate role shifts to support ministries (e.g. ADM Action Planning Guide)
Communications is Ministry and divisionally driven
Ministry and Divisional (and lower units) Priority Improvement Areas are key to change

13. Case Studies Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
Ministry of Health Promotion

14. From Results to Action to Engagement
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
Ministry of Health Promotion
Over 5,000 employees
Decentralized across the province
Program delivery, front line staff and hospital
Fifteen 2007 survey reports received
Census ministry in 2006
Ministry undergoing major restructuring/transformation
136 employees
Centralized location
Program delivery staff
One 2007 survey report received
Not a 2006 census ministry
Newly established ministry

15. Results - Response Rates
OPS Overall
MOHLTC
MHP
Overall Response Rate
Overall Response Rate
Overall Response Rate
43.5%
42.2%
58.1%
ONLINE
ONLINE
ONLINE
40.7%
46.9%
58.1%
MAIL
MAIL
MAIL
45.6%
28.6% 0%

16. Results – Overall Ministry Engagement vs OPS
Ministry of Health Promotion
OPS Overall
Ministry of Health

17. Results - Top Four Improvement Areas
MOHLTC
MHP
Leadership Practices
Opportunities for Growth and Advancement
Organizational Communication
Learning and Development Opportunities
Opportunities for Growth and Advancement
Leadership Practices
Work-Life Balance
Opportunities for Input

18. Action - Approach
MOHLTC
MHP
Analyze the data and compare the 2007 survey against:
2006 survey results
Ministry transformation survey results
Conduct more research to understand the underlying improvements that can be made
Obtain more input from ministry employees

19. Employee Engagement Action Plan - Development
MHP
Further analysis was conducted on the survey data to identify where improvements were required.
A staff-driven Employee Engagement Dialogue Committee was established.
All ministry staff were invited to attend dialogue sessions to determine where improvements can be made within the four priority areas – 50% of MHP staff participated in the three sessions held
Although not identified as of the ministry’s top four improvement areas, an overarching theme emerged in all discussions - improve the overall organizational communications.
Action plan developed, communicated and shared with all employees

20. Employee Engagement Action Plan - Implementation
MHP
Sample from Action Plan – Opportunities for Growth and Advancement:
Your Idea
2008 Action Plan
Build staff awareness for development opportunities
Post MHP opportunities on Ministry bulletin boards;
Launch the Learning & Development employee resource page on The Pulse;
Profiling OPS learning opportunities through the development of FOCUS ON | Learning & Development on the News and Resource pages of The Pulse;
Performance and Learning Plans should indicate where there is an interest in developmental and/or temporary assignments
Staff would like ongoing and frequent performance updates
The Ministry commits to having Performance and Learning Plans in place for each employee on an annual basis.
All managers commit to conducting formal performance reviews twice annually and to providing informal feedback on a regular basis
Communications resources for all staff are posted on The Pulse.
Better utilize Learning Plans to assist with individual opportunities for growth and/or advancement
Learning Plans will be developed and followed up on annually for all employees.

21. Employee Engagement Action Plan – Follow-up
MHP
Throughout 2008, short-term ideas that MHP staff brought forth will be implemented
Longer-term ideas will be worked toward for implementation throughout 2009 and beyond
Implementation and progress will be monitored to ensure quality of implementation and that timelines are realistic and being met

22. Action Plan – Development
MOHLTC
Further analysis was conducted on the survey data receive (ministry, division and large program area). Ministry also used on-line survey data tool (IRIS) to further analyze Ministry and divisional data
Although not identified as of the ministry’s top four improvement areas, two additional priority areas were identified – Recognition and Fair HR Practices
Discussion groups were held for these two additional improvement areas to further identify the underlying areas of improvements required

23. Action Plan – Implementation
MOHLTC
Senior Management buy-in has been obtained
In addition to the ministry’s action plan, some divisions are also implementing their own EE strategies
Linkages are been made so that employee engagement is being integrated into ministry business and other priority areas
Managers are schedule to be trained on effective HR Practices including recruitment and a new managers HR foundation manual is being rolled out
New targeted training programs are being offered to staff (eg. Administration level training courses - project management)

24. Employee Engagement Action Plan – Follow-up
MOHLTC
Short-term action items continue to be implemented and communicated to employees
- Wellness workshops and guides will be introduced in the fall
- More web based tools will be introduced to help
- employees make effective use of mentors
- managers mentor and coach with more confidence and understanding
- Simplified tools will be introduced to encourage busy managers to provide timely informal recognition
Implementation and progress will be monitored to ensure quality of implementation and that timelines are realistic and being met

25. Engaging Employees - Communication
Goal - Transparency!
MOHLTC
MHP
memo from Deputy Minister sent to all employee
Full Ministry Report posted on Employee Engagement Intranet site
Corporate Internal Communication Strategy developed
Updates communicated to staff
Full page Article from Deputy Ministry incorporated into ministry Newsletter
Full Ministry Report posted on Employee Engagement Intranet site
EE address established for employee feedback
Updates communicated to staff

26. 2009 Employee Survey Census survey – February / March 2009
Enhanced demographics to support Diversity Strategy
New questions to support Service Directive, Physical Workplace Environment, Assess employee confidence in survey results being addressed