Recommendations & Conclusions
6 items
8
Conclusion
Ninth Report - Civil Service People Sur…
Rejected
It is not clear to us that withholding People Survey data, so as to time its release with countless publications about Ministerial gifts, hospitality and expenses, is truly a transparent, or helpful, approach to the publication of the important data collected by the People Survey. We similarly find it difficult …
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It is not clear to us that withholding People Survey data, so as to time its release with countless publications about Ministerial gifts, hospitality and expenses, is truly a transparent, or helpful, approach to the publication of the important data collected by the People Survey. We similarly find it difficult to believe that, in 2023, it takes a small team of statisticians several months to migrate results from internal dashboards and analyses into a single Excel spreadsheet for publication. Given that data and extensive analyses are readily available across government months ahead of their public release, current delays in the publication of data are indefensible.
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Government response AI summary
The Cabinet Office does not accept the implied recommendation to change its publication timing, despite the committee's strong criticism of current delays. It commits to reducing the timing between internal and external distribution and will explore including release dates in the Research and Statistics calendar.
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9
Recommendation
Ninth Report - Civil Service People Sur…
Rejected
We recommend that in future, initial results from the People Survey (including median scores for each question for both the civil service, and individual participating organisations) be published at the point they are distributed to participants, and before the end of the calendar year to which results refer.
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We recommend that in future, initial results from the People Survey (including median scores for each question for both the civil service, and individual participating organisations) be published at the point they are distributed to participants, and before the end of the calendar year to which results refer.
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Government response AI summary
The Cabinet Office does not accept the recommendation to publish initial People Survey results at the point of distribution and before year-end. However, it commits to reducing the timing between internal and external distribution and will explore including release dates in the Research and Statistics …
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10
Conclusion
Ninth Report - Civil Service People Sur…
Rejected
When first established, the People Survey was envisioned as a management tool to support public bodies in gauging and promoting employee engagement. But the high-quality data it has generated - a result of excellent work by government statisticians, particularly in the early years of the survey - has proven itself …
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When first established, the People Survey was envisioned as a management tool to support public bodies in gauging and promoting employee engagement. But the high-quality data it has generated - a result of excellent work by government statisticians, particularly in the early years of the survey - has proven itself to be invaluable in many more contexts. The People Survey is a unique barometer of how those involved in the day-to-day running of government and the delivery of public services feel about their work, and is an important tool for many in Parliament and academia, who seek to scrutinise the work of the Civil Service, not to mention trade unions, who represent those taking part in the exercise.
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Government response AI summary
The Cabinet Office does not accept the committee's conclusion regarding the People Survey's broader value for scrutiny, reiterating that it is primarily a management tool. It commits to publishing a commentary and reducing timing between internal and external distribution of findings.
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11
Recommendation
Ninth Report - Civil Service People Sur…
Rejected
The People Survey is a dataset of significant public interest. In future, the People Survey results should be treated and classified as official statistics and be published in full compliance with the Code of Practice for Statistics. The Cabinet Office should formally request the assessment of the People Survey against …
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The People Survey is a dataset of significant public interest. In future, the People Survey results should be treated and classified as official statistics and be published in full compliance with the Code of Practice for Statistics. The Cabinet Office should formally request the assessment of the People Survey against the Code of Practice as soon as possible and - as part of this work - liaise with the Office for Statistics Regulation for further information on how to apply the Code while protecting the ability of participating organisations to access and use results in a timely fashion. In its response to this report, the Cabinet Office should update the Committee on its progress with this process. (Paragraph 46) Responding to Results
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Government response AI summary
The Cabinet Office does not accept the recommendation to classify People Survey results as official statistics, arguing it is primarily a management tool. It commits to publishing high-level findings commentary and reducing timing between internal and external distribution, which is not the core of this …
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12
Conclusion
Ninth Report - Civil Service People Sur…
Rejected
For over a decade, a majority of civil servants have been telling their leaders that they do not believe effective action is taken on the back of People Surveys. External users of the data share these concerns. Given that the Cabinet Office describes the People Survey as a management tool, …
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For over a decade, a majority of civil servants have been telling their leaders that they do not believe effective action is taken on the back of People Surveys. External users of the data share these concerns. Given that the Cabinet Office describes the People Survey as a management tool, we were surprised by the lack of robust evidence we received about its impact in driving change across the Civil Service. (Paragraph 54) Civil Service People Survey 25
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Government response AI summary
The government disagrees with the overall statement that effective action is not taken from the People Survey, highlighting existing support for departments in analysing results and providing tools for action plans.
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14
Recommendation
Ninth Report - Civil Service People Sur…
Rejected
Departments themselves should develop action plans in response to future People Survey results, which define measurable and timely interventions. These action plans should be included in departmental Annual Reports and Accounts each year. Departments should also evaluate their success in delivering action plans in future, summarising these evaluations in their …
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Departments themselves should develop action plans in response to future People Survey results, which define measurable and timely interventions. These action plans should be included in departmental Annual Reports and Accounts each year. Departments should also evaluate their success in delivering action plans in future, summarising these evaluations in their Annual Reports and Accounts each year.
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Government response AI summary
The government disagrees with the premise that effective action is not taken, stating that departmental communication and action vary. While the Cabinet Office supports departments with tools for action plans, the government does not commit to mandating their inclusion, along with evaluations, in departmental Annual …
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