Results from Moderated Discussions with Employees

August 2023

Background

• Moderated discussions were held to further understand recent decline in metrics pertaining to employee wellbeing. Focus of discussion was on:
  • Employee Satisfaction;
  • Workload management;
  • Work-life balance; and
  • Other issues raised within the respective discussion groups.
• Employees were invited to participate and self-identify within five employee groups: Equity seeking employees, Executives, Administrative and Internal Services, Economists and a French speaking discussion group
• A total of 72 Department of Finance Employees participated in the discussion groups

Employee Satisfaction

• Each focus group asked participants why data indicates a drop in employee satisfaction
• The majority of comments related to:
  • Hybrid and dismay that the Department has implemented a 50% RTO noting that some departments are implementing the minimum requirement within the TBS guideline of 40-60%.
  • Leadership styles with almost 42% of comments related to leadership specifically mentioning challenges working with "senior management"
  • "Buckling" workloads and false urgencies
  • Poor communication

Workload Management

• All groups were asked to identify issues affecting workload management. The top issues cited were:
  • Poor planning;
  • Lacking resources and or tools; and
  • Unrealistic timelines/false urgencies.
• Suggested solutions were varied but employees spoke of
  • Better communication and planning;
  • Clear, consistent, streamlined processes (especially in relation to approvals);
  • Respect for work hours and improved allocation of work; and
  • Management to push back on "urgent" requests.

Work-Life Balance

• All groups were asked to identify issues affecting work-life balance. Participants said their work-life balance was most negatively affected by:
  • Lack of respect for work hours and the inability to disconnect;
  • Workloads; and
  • Personal pressures.
• Possible solutions offered included:
  • A Department-wide Right to Disconnect Policy
  • More resources (FIN is too lean) and evaluating what is truly "urgent"
  • Addressing the "workaholic" culture that makes it difficult for employees to say no

Employee Identified Themes

• Finally, each discussion group was offered the opportunity to further discuss two or three topics in more detail
• 3/5 groups focused on the Department's RTO policy
• 2/5 groups focused on Leadership Styles/Behaviour
• Further discussions were held:
  • Communication
  • Employee Development
  • Workplace Culture

Employee Identified Themes: RTO

Comments within these discussions focused on:

• The inconsistent messaging and lack of transparency around the need to RTO and why FIN's policy mandates 50% of the time
• Inconsistent implementation between teams and branches
• Technical problems in conducting hybrid meetings
• The negative impact commuting has on work-life balance
• The feeling that employees worked longer hours during the pandemic in absence of a commute and now that same level of productivity is expected with less available time
• Feeling lonely when in the office, meeting remotely with colleagues

Proposed Solutions:

• Changing the Policy from 50% in the office to 40%
• Better coordination of days when teams/Branches should be in the office
• Ensuring the right to disconnect
• Ability to work from elsewhere in Canada for short periods of time (e.g., summer, winter holidays)
• Greater flexibility during summer months and major holidays

Employee Identified Themes: Leadership Styles/Behaviour

Comments within these discussions focused on:

• Inadequate communication, unclear expectations and lack of decision making
• Too many priorities, "urgencies", trackers
• Micromanaging and lack of trust
• Bullying and disrespectful behaviours
• Feeling that work is not appreciated or valued
• Too many layers for approvals

Proposed Solutions:

• Improve top-down communication
• More engagement of staff from all levels in decision-making
• Clearly identify priorities, created with input from staff
• Clear vision and consideration of how to match resources with tasks

Employee Identified Themes: Communication

Comments within these discussions focused on:

• Lack of communication from senior management
• At times communications lacks respect
• More inclusive meetings so that staff does not feel cut out of critical informationrelating to their workload

Proposed Solutions:

• Improve top-down communication
• Employees need to feel that their feedback is being considered in actions
• More consideration to tone and timing of messages

Employee Identified Themes: Employee Development

Comments within these discussions focused on:

• Lack of clarity of expectations for advancement
• Lack of consistency on promotions across the department
• Awareness during performance management conversations about training
• Being provided time and/or finding time for training

Proposed Solutions:

• More consistency and transparency pertaining to promotions
• Being given time for training
• Having a dedicated flexible training budget

Employee Identified Themes: Workplace Culture

Comments within these discussions focused on:

• The lack of transparency in decision-making
• Disconnection from colleagues, less social opportunities
• Negative impacts of poor planning and priority setting on staff workloads andrequired overtime
• Feeling that you must be a "workaholic" to work at Finance

Proposed Solutions:

• Improvements to employee onboarding and integration
• More social and networking opportunities
• More promotion of services and tools offered

Proposed Next Steps

Short term actions (August to October):

• Share Employee Discussion Group results with Senior Management
  • EXEC, MOC
• Share report with Discussion Group participants
• Publish and communicate results on Infosite

Medium term actions (October onwards):

• Develop and communicate actions planned, next step, and report on progress
• Take stock of progress and re-assess approach in light of Fall 2023 Pulse Survey results (launch in October)