San Rafael, CA – According to new survey results, County of Marin employees like the work they do and take pride in providing great public service. Most questions from a workforce survey taken this spring showed improvement from a similar survey two years ago.
Although the new statistics showed progress, employees want more opportunities for professional growth and do not believe their work unit is adequately staffed. However, 77 percent would recommend working for the County.
County Administrator Matthew Hymel said it was important for the County to take inventory of employee viewpoints after reducing staff by 10 percent over the past five years as part of budget reductions during the slow economy.
“We survey employees because more engaged employees provide better service to our residents,” Hymel said. “We have made improvements in many areas, but we are always looking to do better.”
Survey questions with the largest positive increases between 2012 and 2014 were:
- “My department cares about employee safety.”
- “The County invests in leadership at all levels.”
- “I am satisfied with the services provided by the County’s wellness program.”
- “My department provides great customer service.”
- “Information from this survey will be used to make improvements.”
Categorically, the most favorable responses were in the areas of enjoying work, producing high-quality work, providing customer service, caring about customers and clients, understanding a department’s mission and enjoying co-workers.
Marin County Director of Human Resources Joanne Peterson said it’s critical to conduct occasional employee surveys. The County began surveying employees in 2006, and follow-ups have taken place in 2009, 2012 and 2014 to measure progress and change.
“One of the most effective ways to measure our progress is to ask our own employees how we’re doing,” Peterson said. “This provides information from which we can build action plans and shines a light on where we are making progress. This information is very valuable to us.”
The survey, which was circulated to employees in March and April, had a 76 percent participation rate, representing an 11 percent increase from the most recent survey in 2012. There were 1,361 full-time respondents and 114 part-time respondents.
Nationally, the category of workforce engagement has experienced a major dive – down 18 percent between 2012 and 2014. Workforce engagement pertains to being a satisfied employee, one that would recommend candidates for job openings in that workplace and hoping to still be working in the same department three years hence. At the County of Marin, workforce engagement was up to 4.03 on a 5-point scale.
Inquire about employment opportunities on the County’s job website.