1. Destatis‘ experience in conducting Staff opinion surveys
CES Forum on Human Resources Management and Training
Geneva, 14 September 2010

2. Agenda History and context of staff opinion surveys at Destatis
Questionnaire design
Implementation aspects
Follow-up process
Conclusion

3. History and context (I)
Origin in quality management
Initiative by management
Aims
Assessment of staff satisfaction with physical work environment, work conditions, relations to superiors and to Destatis as an employer
Systematic improvement of qualification, leadership and cooperation
Improvement of staff satisfaction by developing and implementing improvement measures where relevant
(e.g. human resource development strategies, measures concerning the physical work environment)

4. History and context (II)
Structural information
Roughly 2,500 active employees
Different educational backgrounds and functions/four service categories (ordinary service, intermediate service, higher intermediate service and higher service)
Destatis operates in three locations
History of the survey
Three surveys: 2005, 2007, 2009

5. Questionnaire design Online questionnaire using a five-point-scale
Prognosis questionnaire (superiors)
About 80 questions referring to the following categories:
Statistical data
General satisfaction
Work(place) conditions
Reactions to the 2007 Staff Satisfaction Survey
The work itself
Information and goals
Qualification and career opportunities
Co-operation within the department, division, section, unit
Immediate superior
The Federal Statistical Office as an employer

6. Implementation aspects (I)
Implementation: Institute for Research and Development at Destatis supported by a project team
Tasks:
Questionnaire design
Reporting system
Discussion and interpretation of results
Identification of fields of actions for improvements
After each meeting: Intranet information for all employees

7. Implementation aspects (II)
Data protection measures
Name not required/random passwords
Results only published for groups of at least 8 respondents
Declaration of confidentiality for people with data access
Reporting system established beforehand (clear purpose)
Processing and data analysis
Reports for Destatis as a whole, departments, and divisions
Reports include comparisons over time and comparisons with superior organisational unit
Reports include analyses according to location, gender and status

8. Implementation aspects (III)
Information
Destatis results: Information of all employees via intranet
Individual department/division reports: Head of respective department/division
Cover letter of the President published on the intranet indicating top-priority fields
Advertising
Own key visual and slogan for each staff satisfaction survey
Flyers, posters, information desks
Regular information and own website on the intranet
Letter by the president on the first day of fieldwork for all employees including a give-away
Preliminary total response rate was displayed during data collection period and updated each day

9. Follow-up process (I)
Potential for improvement affecting most employees
Potential for improvement affecting only certain divisions/sections B O T M U P T O P D W N

10. Follow-up process (II)
Potential for improvement affecting most employees: T O P D W N
Discussion at top management level, supported by HRM division
Measures (to be implemented):
Feedback to superiors by their subordinates (in 2011)
Regular meetings between President and staff
Four-year intervals (instead of every two years)

11. Follow-up process (III)
Potential for improvement affecting only certain divisions/sections: B O T M U P
Divisions/sections develop specific measures
Discussion between divisions/sections and President/Vice-president
Divisions/sections hand in proposed measures to controlling section
2009: 121 measures, mainly regarding communication
Regular controlling of measures

12. Conclusion
Staff opinion surveys offer a great deal of potential with regard to human resources development
Staff opinion surveys require a high amount of preparation
Follow-up measures are essential
Otherwise: Staff members will lose trust => response rate will decrease
Follow-up process is time-consuming

13. Thank you for your attention!
Heinz-Christoph Herbertz
Phone: