Significant increases in Police staff engagement
Levels of engagement amongst Police staff have increased significantly in 2012.
Acting General Manager Human Resources Alan Cassidy says results from the 2012 NZ Police workplace survey show increases
across all measures when compared with previous surveys.
The number of people in Police identified by the survey as being "fully engaged" increased from 21 percent last year to
just on 28 percent.
This is well above the State Sector benchmark of 20.4 percent. Police has slightly fewer disengaged staff than the
benchmark.
In the report's commentary, survey provider Kenexa/JRA says engagement levels are now almost the same as those seen in
New Zealand's major employer of choice survey, the Best Workplaces Survey.
"This is an enviable achievement for an organisation that was once performing significantly below the State Sector
benchmark," the report says.
It's particularly remarkable given today's challenging environment, says Acting General Manager Human Resources Alan
Cassidy.
"Police is going through a period of change, yet through this we have managed to continue to build engagement amongst
our staff."
The workplace survey is being well used to drive discussion with staff and develop actions to make Police a better place
to work, says Alan.
"Our Performance Index (which is an average of all the questions in the survey) has increased by 3.5 percent and
responses to every question, of the 63 asked in the survey, has improved - many significantly.
"Our Engagement Index (measuring how we apply ourselves to our work) has increased by 2.8% from 2011. This is considered
to be a 'significant' increase.
"The number of engaged people in our organisation has increased from 21% being fully engaged in 2011 to just on 28% in
2012. This is well above the State Sector benchmark of 20.4 %.
"Eleven districts or service centres recorded increases in engagement while only two showed a decline. Performance index
scores increased for 16, with none declining."
"We have significantly more engaged staff and slightly fewer disengaged staff than the state sector benchmark. This
reflects really well on the whole organisation," says Alan.
Alan says enhancing internal communications, celebrating success and helping people to see how their efforts are helping
to prevent crime and keep communities safe are key themes being worked on in the coming year.
"While levels of engagement within NZ Police now exceed NZ State Sector benchmarks we need to continue to focus on
improving overall engagement levels.
"If we focus on the right things, and follow though on the results the outcome will be a more highly performing
organisation. That is why we commit to an annual survey process," says Alan.
"Three years ago comparing ourselves to the 'employer of choice' benchmark seemed an unattainable goal. Now we have many
work groups across the whole organisation that are above that benchmark, including a number of our operating areas. Our
results show that if we focus on the right things, and follow through, we can achieve significant and sustained
results", he says.
ENDS