Job satisfaction way down at Citizens' Services

Yesterday the Public Service Agency (PSA) released the results of the 2010 "Work Environment Survey" (WES), which showed a big drop in overall job satisfaction for provincial government employees.

The survey shows a drop in employee satisfaction in almost all categories. For example, the measurement on an organization's "vision, mission, and goals" is down eight points over last year (a ranking of 64 last year).

The PSA says ministry-specific results will be released on June 16.

That hasn't stopped at least one ministry—Citizens' Services—from trying to get out before what is expected to be some bad news.

In a message from the Deputy Minister, Kim Henderson says that the overall score for the ministry is down three points and the Shared Services B.C. section is down a whopping 12 points.

These kind of results are to be expected, given that the ministry and Shared Services bore the brunt of public service cuts earlier this year. Around 200 members lost their jobs, mostly in the Victoria area.

Even Alan Seckel, the Deputy Minister to the Premier and head of the public service, says "it wasn't a banner year for engagement."

BCGEU president Darryl Walker has called on the government to halt any further cuts to allow for the union and government to sit down and develop a better plan for the public service and help rebuild ministries hit hard by cuts.

As the Times Colonist said in an editorial this morning, "In the past couple of years, they have endured job cuts through attrition and layoffs, office moves and talk of a salary freeze. Those on the front lines have had to deliver plenty of bad news, mainly saying that the aid that the government has given is being pulled. This can't be easy."

The BCGEU will be following the job satisfaction surveys on each ministry closely.

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